An Ontario researcher is seeking native flower breeds that will be in sync with the Canadian climate and offer commercial growers new sources of income.
Al Sullivan, a plant science professor at the University of Guelph, is studying plants like the white grandiflorum and red erectum from the trillium family.
Few growers propagate indigenous plants in Canada and most research institutions direct funding to food crops over floraculture, he said.
Native plants offer a number of advantages to the horticultural industry, which is growing as homeowners devote more money and time to their gardens.
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“With native species, they can be grown at low temperatures and require minimal amounts of heat,” he said.
Sullivan said climate change could affect rainfall patterns, forcing the need for more environmentally friendly growing operations that use less water, inputs and energy.
“Garden centres and plant catalogues and homeowners are asking for drought tolerant plants,” he said.
For growers, there are benefits in making species available for worldwide markets.
“If Canadian growers had species uniquely their own, they could sell plants to the rest of the world and charge them royalty fees.”
Jamie Aalbers, research director with Flowers Canada, said most new flower varieties now come from Europe.
“That’s risky if the border ever closed,” said Aalbers.
In addition to royalties flowing to those overseas breeders, he said there are also risks in introducing invasive species to Canada through such exports.
Aalbers hoped the research would lead to Canada becoming known for trilliums like Holland is famous for tulips.
Sullivan has already studied 40 different plants from trillium and malva to liatris and aquilega. He is examining their management, growing characteristics, propagation, physical characteristics and disease and pest resistance.
In the future, he will study plant physiology and nutrition. He hopes to supply test plants to commercial growers for field and greenhouse trials in two years.
Trillium, the provincial flower of Ontario, grows wild throughout the province’s forests.
Flowers Canada, the Canadian Ornamental Plant Foundation and Ontario Agriculture are funding the university’s native flower research, now in its third season.
