When L.H. Bailey first coined the word "cultivar" in 1923, he intended it to distinguish plants that had originated in cultivation (as hybrids or mutations) from those that had originated in the wild (species).  It was not until 1953, when Bailey lay on his deathbed, that botanists belatedly "accepted" his term cultivar.  Unfortunately, they also completely changed its definition.

By their definition, a cultivar is any plant in cultivation.  You can collect a plant in the wild, transplant it into a garden and - under the rules set up by the botanical establishment - automatically have a cultivar.  As a result, a plant can be both a species and a cultivar.

This completely defeats what Bailey tried to, and did, accomplish:  To clearly distingush between plants that are species (collected in the wild) and plants that are hybrids created by man in cultivation or mutations not existing in the wild.

Due to their lack of comprehension, botanists provided their own "rules". A cultivar could either consist of one clone, or it could be a mixture of plants having as little as one thing in common (flower color, parentage or anything else they chose to base that particular cultivar name one).  Intentionally or unintentionally, they created their rules in such a way that it is impossible to know whether a cultivar consists of one clone (so that all plants bearing a given name are absolutely identical) or whether it consists of a mixture of seedlings that may be only vaguely similar.

This means that, if you see a plant in somebody's garden and order it from a catalog, you have no way of knowing if you will receive the identical plant or something completely different. But under botanical rules, it is still the same cultivar.  The rules of nomenclature also specifically forbade the use of the term "clone", insisting that, even when talking about a clone, you should call the plant a cultivar.  This means it is perfectly all right to collect seed from a plant and sell the mixed seedlings under that name,  Aesculus X carnea 'Briotii',  Heuchera 'Palace Purple' and Laburnum X watereri 'Vossii' are a few examples.

Several years ago, I wrote an article for American Nurseryman that has been reprinted in England, Holland, and Germany and has infuriated botanists worldwide ("A Clone By Any Other Name ... Is Not A Clone," Dec 1, 1988).  As a result, many knowledgeable garden writers are now adopting the word clone and using it openly, further infuriating botanists.

I am now proposing a solution to this dilemma that will allow botanists to save face and stil make it possible for people to know if they are going to get the plants they expect.

According to the rules of nomenclature, the word cultivar name only means that a plant is in cultivation.  Neither of these things signifies if a plant is a species that was collected in the wild, a hybrid that originated in cultivation or mutation.  Furthermore, most gardeners are not interested in this information.  They are only interested in getting the plants they want.

Here's my solution:   If a plant is a mixture of seedlings that are not absolutely identical in every way, its name should be enclosed in single quotes, as is presently the case.  For example, Heuchera 'Palace Purple'  means seedlings of Palace Purple.   Laburnum X watereri 'Vossi'  means seedlings of Vossi.

If a plant is a clone, and all the plants under its name are propagated vegetatively and are absolutely identical, its name should be preceded by the symbol "Cl" for clone and enclosed in single quotes  (for example,  Hosta 'Cl  'Solar Flare'  and  Malus 'Cl  Coral Cascade'.

Under this system, if you ordered a plant that was labeled a clone, it would be absolutely identical with every other plant bearing that name.  If you ordered a plant whose name was merely in single quotes, you would know that the plants were seedlings that might well be somewhat similar, but probably not identical, to what you were expecting.

This system should satisfy gardeners' need to know exactly what they are getting while still complying with the rules of nomenclature, which botanists are so reluctant to change. 

Henry A. Ross is the founder and director of Gardenview Horticultural Park, in Strongsville, Ohio