Selection and breeding of stress-tolerant woody ornamentals for urban plantings

Abstract

Because of this geographic position, climate and soils, Hungary lends itself for selection of woody plants
which tolerate environmental stresses. Selection and breeding of the woody ornamentals for extreme urban
conditions started in the early 1950s at the former University of Horticulture and Food Industry (at present:
the Faculty of Horticulture of Corvinus University), Budapest. The first results were 8 Sorbus, 3 Tilia and 2
other cultivars, and selected clones from Fraxinus, Cornus, Juniperus and others. In the recent 20 years, many
new hardy cultivars and named clones are brought up, the most important of which are as follows: Ailanthus
altissima (Mill.) Swingle cv. Purple Dragon, Acer campestre L. cv. Zentai Upright`, Celtis occidentalis L.
cv. Straight Stem, Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge cv. Tahi, Hedera helix L. 9 cultivars, Platanus × hispanica
Münchh. cv. Budapest, Prunus padus L. cv. Aurora, Prunus × davidopersica cv. Rubin (P. L. cv. Piroschka),
Prunus tenella Batsch. cv. Pink Carpet, Pyrus nivalis Jascq. cv. Kartália, Salix matsudana K oidz . cv. Golden
Spiral, Syringa josikaea J. Jacq. ex Rchb. cv. Smaragd, Tilia tomentosa M oench . cv. Zenta Silver, Tilia ×
euchlora K. Koch. cv. Saint Stephan.