A
cultivar is a plant or grouping of plants selected for desirable characteristics that can be maintained by
propagation. Most cultivars have arisen in cultivation but a few are special selections from the wild. Popular ornamental
garden plants like
roses,
camellias,
daffodils,
rhododendrons, and
azaleas are cultivars produced by careful breeding and selection for flower colour and form. Similarly, the world's agricultural food
crops are almost exclusively cultivars that have been selected for characteristics such as improved yield, flavour, and resistance to disease: very few wild plants are now used as food sources. Trees used in
forestry are also special selections grown for their enhanced quality and yield of
timber.
