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Saving Species or Cultivars?

pedersonplants

The Obsessive Gardener
Hi:

I've been thinking since last night's meeting. Does the NASC place any value on saving cultivars? Or, is it just geared to saving species?

Diana Pederson
The Obsessed Gardener
 
I'm not a NASC person or anything but here's their mission statement:

http://www.nasarracenia.org/mission.html


If by save you mean keep them from being destroyed in the wild, they are cultivated varieties so I don't understand the question.

If by preserving the genetic lineage I think that falls under number 1?
 
I'm thinking cultivars that may have arisen in the wild and those man creates. I'm just trying to sort out exactly what the NASC is doing! I've joined and offered to help in the education area.
 
I can't speak for NASC either but, in the short term, it's trying to maintain the genetic heritage of Sarracenias by growing plants from as many different locations as possible while trying to preserve the diversity of each location. To the extent a particular cultivar has locational data, NASC will seek to preserve it. So a S. flava 'Coppertop' from a specific location in NC, for example, is a candidate for the NASC collection.
 
Err... Sarracenia as singular is Sarracenia, Sarracenia as plural is Sarracenia. Not Sarracenias. It's just Sarracenia. :(
 
Bruce seems to have nailed it on the head. Regardless of status as cultivar, or named hybrid, we're looking to protect Sarracenia. There are cases where species/hybrids are being removed from bogs for maintenance purposes.

A good example is the Watson Pineland Preserve that our Head Grower Mike Howlette does work with. At some point, someone decided that it would look nice to add some diversity to the all S. alata stand by adding some S. leucophylla. Today, the S. x areolata (the hybrid between the two species) are being removed. They're lovely plants, sure, but if we were doing a rescue in an area where something like this had happened, the original natives of the area would be the top priority.

To sum up: We are looking to protect all endangered Sarracenia, that is, regardless of cultivar or hybrid status, so long as they're native to the population.
 
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Like Jonathan and Bruce said, NASC's top priority is native Sarracenia which includes pure species as well as natural hybrids. A cultivar is just a "cultivated variety" which could be (originally) a natural plant. Manmade named cultivars would also be included but those aren't endangered as they are generally propagated and spread around so their status is more solid for the future. But any and all Sarracenia can fall under the NASC wing with priority given to saving natural sites whenever possible and propagating plant material whenever a site is going to fall to destruction.

We want to make sure as many species and hybrids remain on our planet as possible so that future generations can fall in love with them as we all have. :) There are so many beautiful varieties of Sarracenia we don't want to lose a one to human's careless hands.
 
Bruce, Jonathan and PAK Have summed it up pretty well; I'll just add an example...and one that is near and dear to many growers' hearts...

Sarracenia 'Leah Wilkerson' is a named cultivar. It is also a natural hybrid between S. flava and S. leucophylla. It ALSO occurs naturally at Ms. Wilkerson's place. So this is a good example of a named cultivar that is from a wild population, but is still in need of conservation.

Of course, the NASC will be prioritizing the species/hybrids/cultivars that are/will be included in the NASC Collection, based on the threats to each of them. Obviously, something like S. ;Dana's Delight' is pretty well established in cultivation; so this would be WAY down the priority list. You get the idea, I'm sure.

Diana, I know you are a NASC member. Thanks for joining us! How about the rest of you; come join us please! There is plenty to do!

Good Growing,

Mike
 
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