Today's gardeners want to do their part for the environment, seeking flowers and other ornamental plants that need less water and other inputs. And, as they do for all consumer trends, seed companies are meeting this market demand. While no one knows exactly how much climate change will further impact weather patterns, breeders are increasingly focusing on developing flowering plants that thrive in challenging environmental conditions, from prolonged dry periods and heat waves to sudden dips in temperature.
Consumers are very open to hardier old favorites, but they are also interested in anything new that's water efficient and withstands the heat. It's an extra bonus if these plants support bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Most ornamental plant breeding in the United States happens in the private sector, but one of the few public breeders, Mark Bridgen at Cornell University's School of Integrative Plant Science (plant breeding and genetics) says he and his colleagues are having discussions about climate change and seed traits related to drought resistance.
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