NDSU Woody Plant Improvement Program

Looking for a stunning shrub that will make you the envy of your neighborhood? Look no further, Fireflare Orange® azalea blooms are truly an eye-stopper with the brilliant fire-orange color. From tissue culture plug (left) to a flowering potted plant (right). Hardy zone 4a and pH tolerant which other commercially available azalea cultivars are not. This NDSU introduction is available this season in limited quantities.

Thank you all that presented and attended! It was a fun day!

Cinnamon Curls® Dwarf Korean Birch (Betula costata 'CinnDak') was featured in the New Varieties Showcase at the FarWest Nursery Tradeshow. Outstanding specimen tree with amazing features like exfoliating bark, drought and bronze birch borer tolerance.

Last Friday night, the storm that plowed through ND hit the NDSU Research Arboretum. There are numerous trees that were sheared or toppled over. It is very fortunate that there was a shelter belt on the west side of the arboretum to take the biggest hit of the storm. No one was injured. As said in ND, it could have been worse.

🌸 A Summer-Blooming Standout: Japanese Tree Lilac (Syringa reticulata)🌸

As spring gives way to summer, few trees command attention like the Japanese Tree Lilac. With its creamy-white panicles, soft fragrance, and elegant form, it offers a unique late-spring bloom when most lilacs have faded. Plus, it’s tough enough to handle city streets, poor soil, and the occasional neglect making it a perfect low maintenance choice.

The Summer Flare® Japanese tree lilac from the NDSU Woody Plant Improvement Program would be a wonderful choice for any landscape! Flowering in late June, it is taller and leaner than others typically found in our area. You can learn more about it here or on our website: https://www.ndsuresearchfoundation.org/horticulture

For retail customers, this tree has been licensed so it will hopefully be available for purchase in a couple years!

Please contact the NDSU Research Foundation at [email protected] if you’re a nursery interested in a non-exclusive license.

NDSU Plant Sciences North Dakota State University

Spring Welcome® Magnolia (Magnolia xloebneri ‘Ruth’) is in full bloom and being hybridized with the hopes of getting offspring with dark pink flowers! (NDSU Campus)

Northern Herald® eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis 'Pink Trim') is about to bloom!!!

Prairie Horizon® Manchurian Alder (Alnus hirsuta ‘Harbin’) is successfully into tissue culture. Hopefully will be able to make this selection more readily available in the nursery trade.

https://www.ndsuresearchfoundation.org/prairie_horizon

Spring Welcome® Magnolia (Magnolia xloebneri ‘Ruth’) made the magnolia short list at J Frank Schmidt! Check out the article:

Magnificent magnolias herald spring’s arrival - J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. Deciduous magnolias are among the first flowering trees to break the spell of winter. Thanks to their profuse blooms that brighten dreary days, they are harbingers of spring and garden favorites for centuries.

Just received notification that J. Frank Schmidt is dropping production of Prairie Stature Oak as a result of low sales demand. They still have some current availability form this year's harvest. If you want some, now is the time to get them.