Ornamental Plants and Urban Gardening II

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Horticultural Science and Ornamental Plants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 10060

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Ornamental Plant and Green System Management Research Group, Institute of Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning and Garden Art, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Interests: dendrology; ornamental plant breeding; plant genetics; urbanization, climate change; sustainability; abiotic stress
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urban green spaces aid the physical and mental health of the population, and urban plant applications must balance the effects of climate change and urbanization. This is one of the biggest challenges facing urban ornamental plants today. The use of plants in settlements and the role and efficiency of plants in ecosystem services, as well as the physiological and social expectations for the plants used, provide endless opportunities for research.

As part of a dynamically changing, new research area that requires close cooperation between the fields of landscape architecture and plant sciences, the sustainability of urban green areas requires the use of appropriate plant species in complex ecological systems and advanced maintenance technology for the design and operation of livable cities.

In order to achieve all of these goals, general plant physiology and stress physiology research is necessary, especially research on drought tolerance and environmental pollution, which is very common in urban areas; the use of traditional and molecular plant breeding methods is also an essential topic that requires discussion.

The interactions of artificial living communities in cities and the interactions between plants, plants and microorganisms, and plants and animals is an essential part of sustainability. Creating vital urban areas and increasing their biodiversity is also necessary for sustainability. The monitoring and research of settlement communities as ecological systems affects, to a large extent, the perception of the effects of climate change and helps to mitigate them. The sustainability and economic operation of established urban green space systems can be made possible by applying innovative technologies.

This Special Issue aims to draw attention to this wide-ranging multidisciplinary research area and offer solutions for modern urban green space management.

Dr. László Orlóci
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • ornamental plants
  • urban green space
  • climate change

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 278 KiB  
Article
Perception of the Vegetation Elements of Urban Green Spaces with a Focus on Flower Beds
by Miroslav Poje, Anton Vukelić, Vesna Židovec, Tatjana Prebeg and Mihael Kušen
Plants 2024, 13(17), 2485; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13172485 - 5 Sep 2024
Viewed by 425
Abstract
Urban vegetation plays a crucial role in meeting the challenges posed by rapid urbanization and climate change. The presence of plants and green spaces in urban areas provides a variety of environmental, social, and economic benefits. Understanding how users perceive ornamental plants in [...] Read more.
Urban vegetation plays a crucial role in meeting the challenges posed by rapid urbanization and climate change. The presence of plants and green spaces in urban areas provides a variety of environmental, social, and economic benefits. Understanding how users perceive ornamental plants in public green spaces and what their preferences are for certain vegetation elements is extremely important for planning and designing functional and aesthetically interesting urban landscapes. Although landscape experts sometimes use their creativity to create new trends, it is important not to ignore the attitudes and preferences of the public, who sometimes have a different opinion from that of the experts. The aim of the study was to determine the perceptions and preferences of the public and landscape experts for different vegetation elements and the differences in attitudes between these two groups. The study was conducted in Croatia in April 2012 using an online survey (n = 348). The results showed that trees were the most preferred vegetation element and that the public preferred flower beds and lawns to a greater extent than the professionals. All respondents perceived vegetation elements as volumes (trees, shrubs, and hedges) and plains (flower beds and lawns). In addition, respondents perceived two basic types of flower beds according to the features that characterize them: conventional and sustainable. The results show that users perceive the functional and spatial characteristics of the different vegetation elements, which is very important for the design of functional and sustainable urban green spaces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ornamental Plants and Urban Gardening II)
19 pages, 1785 KiB  
Article
Inheritance of Some Traits in Crosses between Hybrid Tea Roses and Old Garden Roses
by Tuğba Kılıç, Soner Kazaz, Ezgi Doğan Meral and Emine Kırbay
Plants 2024, 13(13), 1797; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13131797 - 28 Jun 2024
Viewed by 940
Abstract
The limited knowledge about the inheritance of traits in roses makes the efficient development of rose varieties challenging. In order to achieve breeding goals, the inheritance of traits needs to be explored. Additionally, for the inheritance of a trait like scent, which remains [...] Read more.
The limited knowledge about the inheritance of traits in roses makes the efficient development of rose varieties challenging. In order to achieve breeding goals, the inheritance of traits needs to be explored. Additionally, for the inheritance of a trait like scent, which remains a mystery, it is crucial to know the success of parental traits in transmitting them to the next generation. Understanding this allows for accurate parental selection, ensuring sustainability in meeting market demand and providing convenience to breeders. The aim of this study was to assess the success of cross-combinations between scented old garden roses and hybrid tea roses used in cut roses in transferring their existing traits, with the objective of achieving scented cut roses. The evaluated traits included recurrent blooming, flower stem length, flower diameter, petal number, scent, and bud length of both parents and progenies. The inheritance of these traits was evaluated through theoretical evaluations, including calculating heterosis and heterobeltiosis and determining narrow-sense heritability. The combinations and examined traits were assessed using a hierarchical clustering heat map. The results of this study indicated that flower stem length, flower diameter, petal number, and bud length traits had a moderate degree of narrow-sense heritability, suggesting the influence of non-additive genes on these traits. This study observed a low success rate in obtaining progenies with scent in cross combinations between cut roses and old garden roses, indicating the challenges in obtaining scented genotypes. The discrepancy between the observed phenotypic rates and the expected phenotypic and genotypic rates, according to Punnett squares, suggests that the examined traits could be controlled by polygenic genes. The progenies were observed to exhibit a greater resemblance to old garden roses than hybrid tea roses and did not meet the commercial quality standards for cut flowers. The significant negative heterosis observed in 65.12% (petal number) and 99.61% (flower diameter) of the progenies provides strong evidence of resemblance to old garden roses. Considering these findings, it is recommended to consider old garden roses as parents, taking into account their suitability for other breeding objectives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ornamental Plants and Urban Gardening II)
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16 pages, 5156 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Micropropagation of Adenophora liliifolia: Insights from PGRs, Natural Extracts, and pH Optimization
by Zsófia Kovács, Liz Kelly Portocarrero, Péter Honfi, Ildikó Kohut, Eman Abdelhakim Eisa and Andrea Tilly-Mándy
Plants 2024, 13(13), 1735; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13131735 - 23 Jun 2024
Viewed by 660
Abstract
The endangered plant species Adenophora liliifolia faces threats to its survival in the wild, necessitating the development of effective micropropagation techniques for potential reintroduction efforts. This study demonstrates that Adenophora liliifolia effectively reproduces on MS synthetic medium with diverse plant growth regulators (PGR) [...] Read more.
The endangered plant species Adenophora liliifolia faces threats to its survival in the wild, necessitating the development of effective micropropagation techniques for potential reintroduction efforts. This study demonstrates that Adenophora liliifolia effectively reproduces on MS synthetic medium with diverse plant growth regulators (PGR) and natural extracts, facilitating swift micropropagation for potential future reintroduction endeavors. It highlights the substantial impact of PGR composition and natural extracts on the growth and development of A. liliifolia. The ideal growth medium for A. liliifolia was determined to be ½ MS with specific treatments. Additionally, incorporating silver nitrate (AgNO3) at 5 mg L−1 into the medium led to enhanced root formation and shoot length, albeit excessive concentrations adversely affected root development. Varying concentrations of NAA significantly affected different plant growth parameters, with the 0.1 mg L−1 treatment yielding comparable plant height to the control. Moreover, 50 mL L−1 of coconut water bolstered root formation, while 200 mL L−1 increased shoot formation during in vitro propagation. However, elevated doses of coconut water (CW) impeded root development but stimulated shoot growth. Experiments measuring chlorophyll a + b and carotenoid content indicated higher concentrations in the control group than differing levels of applied coconut water. Optimizing pH levels from 6.8–7 to 7.8–8.0 notably enhanced plant height and root formation, with significant carotenoid accumulation observed at pH 6.8–7. Soil samples from A. liliifolia’s natural habitat exhibited a pH of 6.65. Ultimately, the refined in vitro propagation protocol effectively propagated A. liliifolia, representing a pioneering effort and setting the stage for future restoration initiatives and conservation endeavors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ornamental Plants and Urban Gardening II)
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17 pages, 6110 KiB  
Article
Investigation of a Perspective Urban Tree Species, Ginkgo biloba L., by Scientific Analysis of Historical Old Specimens
by Szilvia Kisvarga, Dóra Hamar-Farkas, Katalin Horotán, Csaba Gyuricza, Katarína Ražná, Matúš Kučka, Ľubomír Harenčár, András Neményi, Csaba Lantos, János Pauk, Ádám Solti, Edina Simon, Dina Bibi, Semonti Mukherjee, Katalin Török, Andrea Tilly-Mándy, László Papp and László Orlóci
Plants 2024, 13(11), 1470; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13111470 - 26 May 2024
Viewed by 1401
Abstract
In this study, we examined over 200-year-old Ginkgo biloba L. specimens under different environmental conditions. The overall aim was to explore which factors influence their vitality and general fitness in urban environments and thus their ability to tolerate stressful habitats. In order to [...] Read more.
In this study, we examined over 200-year-old Ginkgo biloba L. specimens under different environmental conditions. The overall aim was to explore which factors influence their vitality and general fitness in urban environments and thus their ability to tolerate stressful habitats. In order to determine this, we used a number of different methods, including histological examinations (stomatal density and size) and physiological measurements (peroxidase enzyme activity), as well as assessing the air pollution tolerance index (APTI). The investigation of the genetic relationships between individuals was performed using flow cytometry and miRNA marker methods. The genetic tests revealed that all individuals are diploid, whereas the lus-miR168 and lus-miR408 markers indicated a kinship relation between them. These results show that the effect of different habitat characteristics can be detected through morphological and physiological responses, thus indicating relatively higher stress values for all studied individuals. A significant correlation can be found between the level of adaptability and the relatedness of the examined individuals. These results suggest that Ginkgo biloba L. is well adapted to an environment with increased stress factors and therefore suitable for use in urban areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ornamental Plants and Urban Gardening II)
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41 pages, 5151 KiB  
Article
Developing a Colorimetrically Balanced, Measurement-Based Petal Colour System for Cultivated Rose (Rosa L. Cultivars) and the Resulting Colour Categories
by Gábor Boronkay, Dóra Hamar-Farkas, Szilvia Kisvarga, Zsuzsanna Békefi, András Neményi and László Orlóci
Plants 2024, 13(10), 1368; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13101368 - 15 May 2024
Viewed by 829
Abstract
There is no practical and at the same time objective colour system available for describing cultivated roses (Rosa L. cultivars). For this reason, a new colour classification system was developed which is colorimetrically balanced and appropriate for algorithmic colour identification; however, it [...] Read more.
There is no practical and at the same time objective colour system available for describing cultivated roses (Rosa L. cultivars). For this reason, a new colour classification system was developed which is colorimetrically balanced and appropriate for algorithmic colour identification; however, it is also suitable for field-work. The system is based on the following colorimetric criteria: (A) Each colour category is characterised by a measured petal colour in the CIE L*a*b* standard as the centroid of the category. (B) The CIEDE2000 colour differences between the adjacent centroid colours are limited (5 < ΔE00 < 7). (C) The maximal colour difference between the measured colours in a category is also limited (to 12.12 ΔE00). (D) A measured petal colour can only be classified into an existing category if the colour difference from the centroid colour of the given category is less than 5.81 ΔE00, otherwise a new category is required. (E) A category is only considered non-redundant if it has at least one measured petal colour that cannot be classified elsewhere. (F) The classification of the petal colours is based on the least colour difference from the centroid colours. As a result, 133 colour categories were required for describing all the 8139 petal colours of the rose cultivars of the Budatétény Rose Garden (Hungary). Each colour category has the following parameters: standardised colour name, the colorimetric parameters of the centroid, grouping, RHS colour chart coding, and reference cultivars, which are described in the article. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ornamental Plants and Urban Gardening II)
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20 pages, 5881 KiB  
Article
The Ecological Design of Marine Urban Green Space Plant Landscaping Based on the Concept of Sustainability
by Jingwen Yuan and Chul Soo Kim
Plants 2024, 13(7), 923; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13070923 - 22 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1665
Abstract
With global climate change and accelerating urbanization, marine cities face unique environmental challenges. Ecological landscape creation is a form of design planning guided by the disciplines of landscape ecology and ecological aesthetics in the process of urban planning and construction. It seeks a [...] Read more.
With global climate change and accelerating urbanization, marine cities face unique environmental challenges. Ecological landscape creation is a form of design planning guided by the disciplines of landscape ecology and ecological aesthetics in the process of urban planning and construction. It seeks a design that can maintain the virtuous cycle of the ecosystem and at the same time maintain the spatial equilibrium of the dynamic development of urban landscapes, so as to make them have good ecological functions and corridor functions. The aim of this study is to explore the ecological design methods of plant landscaping in marine urban green spaces under the concept of sustainability. We first reviewed the concept of sustainable development and its application to urban green space design, especially the special requirements in the marine urban environment. This research focuses on how to select plant species that are adapted to the marine climate and how to promote biodiversity, enhance ecosystem services, and improve the quality of life of urban residents through eco-design approaches. Through the analysis of a number of domestic and international cases of green spaces in marine cities, we found that effective eco-design is not only about choosing the right plant species but also includes the rational management of water resources, soil protection, and ecosystem restoration, among other aspects. This study also points out that public participation and interdisciplinary cooperation play a crucial role in the ecological design process. Finally, this paper carries out a specific analysis of the landscape model landscape evaluation system for the ecological design of plant landscaping in marine urban green spaces and experimentally verifies that, compared with other styles, the experience of the European-style landscape is good overall. However, the view openness rating of the European style landscape is only about 0.42, and the best plant landscaping is the mixed mode of alkali poncho and salt poncho. This study aims to provide a practical reference and guidance for urban planners, landscape architects, and environmentalists. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ornamental Plants and Urban Gardening II)
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21 pages, 6388 KiB  
Article
Light Quality Effect on Internal N Retranslocation in Podocarpus macrophyllus Precultured with Exponential Nutrient Loading
by Yige Wang, Xiangyang Sun and Suyan Li
Plants 2024, 13(5), 705; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050705 - 1 Mar 2024
Viewed by 877
Abstract
Streetlamp light is inevitable in the night landscape of a city and may affect the phenology of newly planted ornamental plants, but it has rarely been fully examined. Newly transplanted ornamental plants probably suffer periodic shocks, which mainly result from the inefficient reuse [...] Read more.
Streetlamp light is inevitable in the night landscape of a city and may affect the phenology of newly planted ornamental plants, but it has rarely been fully examined. Newly transplanted ornamental plants probably suffer periodic shocks, which mainly result from the inefficient reuse of internal nutrients for new growth. Exponential nutrient loading (ENL) is well known for its ability to overcome transplant shocks by promoting retranslocation for the reuse of strengthened nutrients from internal reserves in precultured seedlings. Transplantation to urbanized lands is distinct from that of montane areas; this is mainly due to a high frequency of exposure to the artificial illumination of night lighting. It is suspected that this lighting modifies vegetative phenology and generates potential risks by increasing reliance on internal nutrient retranslocation. In this study, Podocarpus macrophyllus seedlings were cultured with ENL at low and high rates of nitrogen (N) deliveries (40 and 120 mg N seedling−1, respectively), and the high-rate treatment was identified as being able to trap seedlings within toxic states. A labeled 15N isotope was pulsed to transplanted seedlings exposed to simulated light qualities in red, green, and blue light spectra. The seedlings harvested at one month showed rare responses to the interactive spectra and preculture treatments, but most of them responded to the low-rate N preculture treatment with stronger abilities in terms of the reuse of internal N and the synthesizing of photosynthetic pigments. In conclusion, it was verified that night light enforces the effect on newly transplanted plants; the red light invoked internal N for reuse, and the blue light promoted the uptake of the current N. The internal N reserve established through preculture ENL rarely made a contribution to the night light effect, except for the enhancement of height growth in the red light. The red light spectrum was recommended for the exposure of newly transplanted seedlings due to its effect on the enhancement of the retranslocation of internal N and the induction of a steady state of uptake from the current N input. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ornamental Plants and Urban Gardening II)
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13 pages, 2010 KiB  
Article
Comprehensive Evaluation of Appreciation of Rhododendron Based on Analytic Hierarchy Process
by Jincheng Liang, Yaoli Chen, Xuexiao Tang, Yin Lu, Jinghui Yu, Zongbo Wang, Zetian Zhang, Hao Ji, Yu Li, Purui Wu, Yue Liu, Ling Wang, Chuanhuang Huang, Bizhu He, Wei Lin and Lijin Guo
Plants 2024, 13(4), 558; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13040558 - 19 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 996
Abstract
Qinting Lake Park has effectively imported Rhododendron varieties from Zhejiang Province. The analytic hierarchy process was employed to devise an evaluation framework to evaluate the ornamental and adaptive features of these species. Subsequently, we conducted a standardized evaluation of 24 species for their [...] Read more.
Qinting Lake Park has effectively imported Rhododendron varieties from Zhejiang Province. The analytic hierarchy process was employed to devise an evaluation framework to evaluate the ornamental and adaptive features of these species. Subsequently, we conducted a standardized evaluation of 24 species for their ornamental and adaptive traits under controlled cultivation conditions. The findings indicated that the percentage of ornamental flowers in the first-level index was significantly greater than the other two factors, indicating that the ornamental value of flowers was the most important in the evaluation of Rhododendron ornamental value. Among the secondary indicators, the proportion of flower color and flower weight was significantly higher than that of other factors, which had the greatest impact on the evaluation results. The 24 Rhododendron species were classified into two grades based on their ornamental value, as determined by index weights and scoring standards. Rhododendron ‘Xueqing’, Rhododendron ‘Big Qinglian’, and Rhododendron ‘Jinyang No. 9’ exhibited superior ornamental value and demonstrated more favorable suitability for garden applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ornamental Plants and Urban Gardening II)
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15 pages, 4226 KiB  
Article
A Possible Perspective of Recultivation with Arbuscular Mycorrhiza-Inoculated Drought-Tolerant Herbaceous Plants
by László Papp, Akale Assamere Habtemariam, Sára Brandt, Péter Cseh, Ádám Heller, Balázs Péter, Ágnes Pappné Szakály, Péter Kiszel, Borbála Codogno, Zoltán Bratek and Zoltán Tóth
Plants 2023, 12(24), 4088; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12244088 - 6 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1185
Abstract
Using native species for urban green space is rather important nowadays. Plant cover on soil is necessary for agronomical and architectural investments as well as conservational programs, which all need minimal maintenance and have to be cost efficient. Commercially available seed mixtures for [...] Read more.
Using native species for urban green space is rather important nowadays. Plant cover on soil is necessary for agronomical and architectural investments as well as conservational programs, which all need minimal maintenance and have to be cost efficient. Commercially available seed mixtures for grasslands and lawns include species that partly originated from other mesoclimatic zones, and thus they may not be able to survive in the long-term, nor will they be adventive to the local ecosystem. With a focus on climate change, the most arid part of the Pannon geographical region was selected (near Törökszentmiklós in Nagykunság, Hungarian Great Plain). The local flora has adapted effectively to the environment; therefore, many species growing there were candidates for this study. Annuals and herbaceous perennials were investigated with respect to harvestability, reproducibility, decorativity, seed production, seed morphological characters (size, mass) and germination features. The selected 20 taxa were inoculated with INOQ Agri mycorrhiza (Rhizophagus irregularis) to increase the drought tolerance and biomass of the plants. Mycorrhizal frequency was significantly different among the taxa, reflecting various responses to the symbiotic interaction and possibly various mycorrhizal dependence of the plant species examined. We did not observe significantly higher colonization rate in most cases of the samples with artificial inoculation treatment. We conclude that the degraded mowed lawn soil that we used could contain propagules of AM fungi in a sufficient amount, so in the artificial grassland restorations, the additional AM inoculation treatment is not necessary to achieve a higher AM colonization rate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ornamental Plants and Urban Gardening II)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Dr. Pineda et al.

Two of the problems of urban growth are the scarcity of green spaces and the increase in temperature, which reduces the environmental quality of cities. To improve these conditions, incorporating green roofs in buildings has become a sustainability measure applied to new construction or rehabilitation of buildings, providing economic and ecological advantages and improving buildings' energy balance. In this sense, green roofs in warmer and colder countries protect buildings by accumulating heat in winter or protecting them from solar radiation during the warmer seasons. Some species of the genus Sedum, such as S. sediforme and S. album, are particularly interesting for plant cover because they have a non-aggressive and superficial root system, high drought tolerance, low nutritional requirements, high resistance to pests and diseases, and an exceptional capacity to modify their metabolic system during periods of drought. The main objective of this work is to optimize the constant production of two ecotypes of S. sediforme and S. album, native to the Valencian Community, by means of an efficient propagation system that allows the homogeneous production of a high number of plants in reduced spaces. For this purpose, and as an alternative to traditional propagation methods, we have developed micropropagation systems that allow a rapid multiplication of these two species. Indeed, we have developed a direct morphogenesis system using shoots from axenic plants. We have also developed a protocol for adventitious organogenesis from leaves. These propagation systems offer greater efficiency in production speed, space utilization, and plant uniformity. In addition, in contrast to other plant species, the acclimatization phase of S. sediforme and S. album vitro-plants is not problematic. The metabolism of these species reduces the stress suffered by the vitro-plants during acclimatization and facilitates their transfer to ex vitro conditions

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