Nativar information

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A nativar is a horticulturally bred strain of a plant species, and distinguishes them from their natively bred counterparts. Nativar is a portmanteau of the words 'native' and 'cultivar'; such plants may have different genetic traits from those formerly prevalent in the wild. The difference between a 'nativar' and a 'cultivar' is if the species is grown within its native historic range. Often the goal of using nativars within their historic species range is to reintroduce their ecological benefit into the local ecology. The ecological consequences and benefits of nativars is a widely discussed concept within gardening and horticultural communities, as the capacity of nativar plants to fit the ecological niche of their native counterpart may be manipulated during the breeding process.

Nativars are developed for a variety of reasons, including disease resistance, pest resistance, drought tolerance. Within the horticulture industry, nativars are often developed mostly for aesthetic reasons, such as improving bloom and foliage size, shape, form or scent; as well as improved growth habits for a garden setting. Nativars are also developed within the agriculture and forestry industries for improved yield, flavor and quality. Lastly, nativars have been developed for restoration purposes, for example nativars of the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) are in development to improve disease resistance to the chestnut blight, in hopes of re-establishing native populations.^[1]