MINUTES OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SERA IEG 63
NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE CROPS
JUNE 1996
VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA

The meeting was held June 21-22, 1996, Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Education Center, Virginia Beach, VA. Attending were Gary Knox (FL), Steve George(TX), Win Dunwell (KY), Dewayne Ingram (Administrative Advisor for IEG-63), Tom Ranney (NC), Steve Fernandez (SC), John Ruter (GA), Alex Niemera (VA), and Will Witte (TN).

On Friday, June 21, the group assembled at the experiment station and was welcomed by Dr. Pete Schulz, Director. A recent addition to the mission of the station has been the addition of a graduate teaching program to service the needs of the metropolitan horticultural community. The rest of the day was spent touring Lancaster Farms, a large progressive container nursery; Whites Greenhouses, a large semiautomated efficient greenhouse pot plant grower; Norfolk Botanic Garden; and the extensive ornamental trial plantings at the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Education Center.

Alex Niemera, Chair, called the business meeting to order at 8:15 am June 22 at the station and reviewed the agenda. The order of office for the IEG-63 is #1. Chair, #2. Secretary, and #3. Executive Committee member. It was established that Will Witte was elected to the #3 position last year, and since Dr. Ken Tilt from Alabama could not attend due to a short course conflict, Dr. Witte was moved up to #2 and appointed secretary for this meeting. Nobody from Alabama can attend as long as the IEG is held the next to the last weekend in June.

Dr. Ingram brought us up to date on some administrative matters. funding for IEG meeting expenses varies from state to state. In some, the experiment station director holds the funds back, in others the department head has the funds. It takes a while to get an IEG going. At the 93 meeting, there was a request for a list of other people to be invited - this has kind of gone by the wayside. In 95, Southern Region chairs evaluated every IEG and recommended:

·1. Group should report proceedings.

·2. Title says production but project is evaluation.

·3. Section should be tied to genetics & conservation.

·4. Need discreet objectives and reporting.

There is no reason not to invite professional staff from selected arboretum and botanic gardens to participate in our meetings. A National Arboretum representative could have a vote as it is a governmental research organization.

Dr. Ingram circulated a sign up list to update e-mail addresses and this is to be distributed with the minutes.

The minutes of the 1995 meetings were approved as amended and Niemera was asked to send a corrected copy to Dr. Ingram for file.

OLD BUSINESS:

Last year's discussion re: becoming an SERA-IEG was reviewed. Dr. Ingram clarified the necessary procedures. A 2-page proposal must be submitted to request an IEG. It spans a 5-year term. For an SERA-IEG, there is a form to be completed by the chair and submitted to Dr. Ingram by a September deadline. The group needs to decide: 1.what title; 2.what focus; 3.cite accomplishments; and 4.objectives. Discussion ensued on these points, for example, our IEG title says production but our but our only project is evaluation; thus selection should be tied to genetics and conservation. The group should report their proceedings.

The consensus focus was: "Identify, evaluate, and disseminate information on superior environmentally sustainable landscape plants in production and landscape systems in the Southern Region". The basis of this focus is the screening of germplasm for adaptability.

Justification derives from 1) size of the nursery industry, 2) nursery industry rapidly expanding, 3) continued growth depends on new plant materials 4) evidence of renewed emphasis on plant introduction and evaluation is the fact that this is the first year the Southern Nurserymen's Assn.. trade show has featured a "new plant introduction" venue, 5) many industry plant releases are not widely tested or independently tested in unbiased trials.

The consensus procedures were:

·1. Implement the protocol for plant evaluation.

·2. Meet annually to exchange plant evaluation results and distribute plant material for future evaluation.

·3. Development and disseminate propagation information and production protocols for each plant worthy or regional introduction.

·4. Compile and distribute production and landscape use information to the nursery and landscape industry and to the public.

Dissemination of information: The IEG could print publications and distribute them. The group could also print articles in journals such as HortTechnology and HortScience, Proceedings of the SNA Research Conference, flyers to the industry, and trade magazines. It was agreed that responsibility to summarize the evaluation data rests with the introducer, therefore annual report sheets should go to the introducer and the finished summary to the chair. Responsibility for timely reports (at the annual meeting) lies with the evaluator.

A question arose as to whether we evaluate just woodies or also perennials. Consensus of the discussion was that in was for plants normally produced and marketed in nursery channels, which could include perennials, but not bedding plants.

NEW BUSINESS
Motion was made, seconded, and unanimously accepted to have an official representative to our IEG from the National Arboretum.

Representatives from each state delivered a brief report. Copies of written reports are attached.

Tom Yeager and John Ruter discussed the substrate project initiative and BMPs. EPA wants a Risk Management Plan for BMP proposal that was submitted.

Plant Distribution: We recapped that 2 pyracanthas ('Rutgers' and 'Fiery Cascade') and Euonymus japonica 'Bekomasaki' had been distributed at the Third Southern Plant Conference in Chattanoohga. the azalea 'Bay Beauty' was distributed at last years IEG meeting in Popularville, MS.

This year, Win Dunwell, KY, distributed plants of Cercis canadensis 'Silver Cloud'. this selection by Theodore Klein has performed well at the NCSUArboretum in Raleigh and at the Tidewater Arboretum in Norfolk. the cultivar is mentioned as "a spectacular selection" and illustrated in the new book by Tripp and Raulston. these plants were tissue cultured by Dr. Bob Geneve at KY. the plant needs partial shade to maintain the white variegation. This cultivar, and others, is currently in tissue at Microplant Nursery so availability should increase.

Selection of Plants For Distribution Next Year:
Will Witte, TN, agreed to propagate a plant of Betula jacquemontii that had performed well in Knoxville for six years. Originally from NCSU arboretum. Comment from someone that the cv 'Kashmir White' at the Missouri botanic Garden had borers.

Tom Ranney, NC, agreed to distribute plants of Cornus mas 'Spring Glory', a southern variant of cornelian cherry. It roots easily and is the most floriferous. Also Campsis grandiflora 'Morning Calm' which is now coming into production from Johnson Nursery, Willard, NC and hawksridge Nursery, Hickory, NC. It has performed well for six years in Knoxville, TN with minor tip dieback overwinter. There was discussion but no decision on Styrax japonica 'Emerald Pagoda' (formerly 'Sohuksan').

Win Dunwell, KY, agreed to distribute Hermercocallis 'Orchid Glow' with the cv 'Happy Returns' for comparison.

Acer oliveranum spp.formosanum will be distributed by John Ruter, GA. Also discussed for future distribution were. Cornus angustata, Evergreen Dogwood; Nyssa sinensis, Chinese Tupelo, a clean form with peachy orange fall color and no leaf spot; and Neillia sinensis Chinese Neillia a shrub which does well in Blairsville (and Athens according to Dirr) but not in the heat of Tifton. Alex Niemmera, VA has a superior form of Parrottia persia, a pendula selection from Cave Hill Cemetery by Klein, that he will attempt to get ready for distribution. Steve Fernandez, SC, mentioned Quercus laceyii, Lacey Oak, and evergreen species from Texas. But I believe he agreed to distribute a selection of Montezuma cypress to compare with cald cypress. This would be a selection that was hardy to a freeze of 8 or 9 degrees.

It was agreed to bring small liners, quarts or 4" tubes, to the meeting next year. This would ease transport home. Larger material would be shipped by the introducer.

Meeting Site for 1997: Tom Yeager invited the group to Gainesville. Best travel connection if flying would be through Jacksonville airport, or drive to Gainesville. He indicated the meeting could be structured to meet and pickup attendees in Jacksonville, do a nursery tour, and have the business meeting in Gainesville the next day. Timing would be the 2nd or 3rd weekend in June. Ton was appointed program chair. He suggested we focus on a certain group of plants next year with invited experts as guests, for example: crape mytles - Gary Knox, cycads - Behjan Dehgan, hardy palms - DeArmand Hull. This would mean an all day meeting Saturday. Gary Knox added that if anyone has ideas for topics at any time, to share them with him or Tom.

Election of Officers: Nominated and elected by acclamation were tom Ranney, NC for secretary and Win Dunwell, KY for executive committee member. Dewayne Ingram will continue as our regular IEG Administrative Advisor. Will Witte will rotate to chair for the 1997 meeting.

Meeting was adjourned and the redbud plants were distributed.

Minutes respectfully compiled by Willard T. Witte, 1996 secretary.