What is Cultivar Registration?
In 2021, the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) appointed The American Primrose Society as the International Cultivar Registration Authority (ICRA) for the genus Primula. Registering cultivars through ABS is a way to avoid having the same plant known, shown, or sold by different names, or conversely, entirely different plants being called the same thing.
- Registration allows the society to monitor and regulate the naming of new cultivars and avoids duplication of names, discourages the naming of plants too similar or of little merit, and guides release of new varieties that have been evaluated prior to release.
- Before registration, a cultivar is to be trialed for one to two years to confirm the plant is superior and reproducible. This trial period was instituted to help hybridizers pause and consider plant attributes before naming and releasing their new cultivars – to truly select what is best, and not to register lesser seedlings. Also, this allows time to build stock of the new variety for future sales.
- Registration is for individual cultivars with a distinctive trait that can be reproduced through seeds.
- You do not have to be a member of The American Primula Society to register a cultivar.
How to Register a Cultivar
The fee to register a new Primula cultivar is $10.00 US per plant.
- Access and Complete the Registration form by clicking here. If you would prefer to print and fill in a paper form, scroll to the bottom of the page to find a file you can print and complete manually.
- Submit your completed form, required photos and pay the fee by clicking the second button below.
- The Cultivar Registrar will be in touch with you for any additional details and to answer your questions.
- The Cultivar Registrar will notify you to let you know whether your registration is approved. If approved, you will be sent an electronic certificate of registration for each cultivar.
- Last, the Cultivar Registrar will announce your cultivar in an upcoming issue of Primroses.
The APS is committed to moving towards digital submission of all forms, photos and payment required.
If digital submission is not possible, contact icra@americanprimrosesociety.org for further instructions.