Dwarf Lagerstroemia for pot cultivation.

摘要

Lagerstroemia indica is a widespread garden plant appreciated for its long lasting summer flowering. Introduced to Europe from Asia in the 18th century, L. indica has been selected for rate of growth (from slow, dwarf shrubs, to fast, shade trees),plant habit (from prostrate to upright) and flower colour (from white to purple). A selection programme was started at Fondazione Minoprio from a seed population of dwarf types in order to obtain compact and early flowering plants. Selected clones were propagated with apical herbaceous cuttings at the end of January and subsequent forcing of potted plants in a heated greenhouse. Rooting occurred in 6 weeks. Flowering started at the end of May. Plants were transferred outside and kept on flowering duringsummer until the end of September. The clones selected in this programme appear very promising for the characteristics of compact plant size, fast growth and good range of colours (white, pink and red in various shades). During 1998, seven clones were given to selected growers for evaluation under commercial conditions. In the same year a new cycle of selection started in order to develop dwarf types of L. indica improved in earliness of flowering and with new flower colours.