Two newly introduced cultivars, 'Denita's Autumn Sunshine' and 'Bonnie's Purple Majesty,' mark a significant step forward in the conservation and horticultural expansion of Helianthus verticillatus, a rare and endangered sunflower species. These cultivars enhance biodiversity efforts while offering unique ornamental value for gardens and landscapes.

Both cultivars were developed to preserve the genetic diversity of Helianthus verticillatus while providing new options for growers and conservationists. 'Denita's Autumn Sunshine' is distinguished by its bright golden blooms and vigorous growth, while 'Bonnie's Purple Majesty' features some red-purple-hued stems not found in the Denita cultivar. Both cultivars have relatively small bright golden blooms that are considerably smaller than the "typical" sunflower. Each cultivar maintains the species' resilience and adaptability, thriving in a variety of growing conditions while supporting pollinators and ecological restoration initiatives.

By introducing these cultivars, researchers and horticulturists aim to promote the cultivation of Helianthus verticillatus beyond its native range, ensuring its continued presence in both natural and managed landscapes. These efforts contribute to broader conservation strategies while providing gardeners with visually stunning and ecologically beneficial plants.

A purple stem of 'Bonnie's Purple Majesty'

According to the author, "Our team embraces the Land Grant Mission (Philosophy): solving disease and production problems and developing new plant materials for our ornamental plant growers. To this end, we have developed numerous disease resistant flowering dogwood cultivars, which are now being grown by nurseries as well as some unique kousa dogwood cultivars. Additionally, the two sunflower cultivars featured in this article were developed for the preservation of this endangered species."

Dr. Trigiano is Chancellor's Professor at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He works on genomics, population genetics, propagation of endangered plants, diseases of ornamentals, and molecular marker systems for various plants and pathogens.
 

Source: www.floraldaily.com