Cultivar Registration

Cultivar Registration

What is Cultivar Registration?

In 1955, the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) appointed The American Begonia Society as the International Cultivar Registration Authority (ICRA) for the genus Begonia. Registering cultivars through ABS is a way to avoid ‘New Begonia Chaos’.

  • 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, 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 cuttings, or in some cases via seed production.
  • You do not have to be a member of The American Begonia Society to register a cultivar.
  • Approved registration is necessary before the cultivar can be nominated for the Alfred D. Robinson Medal. This award is only given to ABS members.

How to Register a Cultivar

The fee to register a new Begonia cultivar is $10.00 US per plant.

  1. Access and Complete the fillable pdf form by clicking on the first form below. You can complete this form online and print or print and complete manually.
  2. Submit your completed form, required photos and pay the fee by clicking the second button below.
  3. The Cultivar Registrar will be in touch with you for any additional details and to answer your questions.
  4. 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.
  5. Last, the Cultivar Registrar will announce your cultivar in an upcoming issue of The Begonian.

ABS is committed to moving towards digital submission of all forms, photos and payment required.
If digital submission is not possible, contact the CultivarRegistrar@begonias.org for mailing instructions. 

Frequently Asked Questions

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