This week I have done a lot of work in preparing the database to accept entries for plants that are not cultivars (but whose genus/species does have cultivars). I loosely refer to this as a "type of plant" with one entry being the parent entry for this type.
For example, we will soon have a generic "Rose" entry in the database, in which we can write paragraphs of information, add un-identified photos of roses to, and things like that.
As an added bonus, I have set this system up so that I can set the databox information for that parent plant, and it will then retroactively apply all those data fields for all cultivars that match that plant.
Continuing with the Roses example, per Zuzu's and Calif_Sue's instructions, I have marked the Rose entry with:
Plant Habit: Shrub
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Leaves: Deciduous
Flowers: Showy
Uses: Attracts Bees
And that then applied those fields to all the other Roses. Moreover, when a new rose is added, it automatically inherits these data fields.
I have already done this for Daylilies, Irises, Hostas, Roses, Tomatoes, Clematis, Crepe Myrtles and Sunflowers.
I plan to do this for several other several other types of plants. If you are curious, the list is below. The number to the left is how many cultivars belong to that type of plant:
7243 Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (Tropical Hibiscus)
118 Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon)
110 Hibiscus moscheutos (Hardy Hibiscus)
22 Hibiscus
1145 Epiphyllum (Orchid Cactus)
813 Nymphaea (Water Lily)
782 Saintpaulia (African Violet)
468 Solenostemon scutellarioides (Coleus)
7 Solenostemon (Hybrid Coleus)
2111 Phaseolus vulgaris (Bean)
141 Vigna unguiculata (Cowpea)
1875 Capsicum annuum (Pepper)
814 Citrullus lanatus (Watermelon)
788 Solanum tuberosum (Potato)
226 Solanum melongena (Eggplant)
622 Cucurbita pepo
196 Cucurbita maxima
71 Cucurbita moschata
19 Cucurbita mixta
8 Cucurbita pepo var. ovifera
591 Cucumis sativus (Cucumber and melons?)
528 Cucumis melo (Netted cantaloupe?)
220 Cucumis melo var. inodorus
338 Pisum sativum (Peas)
361 Lactuca sativa (Lettuce)
86 Spinacia oleracea (Spinach)
497 Canna x generalis (Canna)
595 Dahlia (Dahlia)
550 Lilium (Lilies)
485 Tulipa (Tulips)
437 Narcissus (Daffodils)
454 Malus x domestica (Apples)
230 Malus (Various)
19 Malus pumila (Wild apple?)
303 Prunus persica (Peach)
144 Prunus persica var. nucipersica (Nectarine)
39 Prunus armeniaca (Apricot)
## Each of Prunus should be separate parents.
32 Prunus avium (Cherry)
24 Prunus domestica (Plum)
19 Prunus salicina (Chinese Plum or Japanese Plum)
16 Prunus laurocerasus (Cherry Laurel)
11 Prunus serrulata (Japanese Cherry)
11 Prunus armeniaca x domestica (Pluot)
10 Prunus cerasifera (Cherry Plum)
8 Prunus cerasus (Sour Cherry)
6 Prunus padus (Bird Cherry)
18 Prunus (Various?)
451 Fragaria x ananassa (Strawberry)
15 Fragaria
8 Fragaria vesca
449 Echinopsis (Cactus)
43 Zea mays var. indurata (Flint)
49 Zea mays var. amylacea (Flour)
59 Zea mays var. everta (Popcorn)
98 Zea mays var. indentata (Dent)
192 Zea mays (Mixed corn types)
293 Zea mays var. rugosa (Sweet Corn)
242 Daucus carota
196 Capsicum chinense
169 Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
164 Vicia faba
162 Brassica oleracea
156 Raphanus sativus
440 Allium cepa (Onion)
95 Allium porrum (Leek)
16 Allium fistulosum (Bunching Onion)
12 Allium sativum (Garlic)
408 Brassica oleracea var. capitata
396 Sempervivum
349 Rhododendron
304 Acer palmatum
297 Plumeria rubra
241 Hydrangea macrophylla
230 Heuchera
224 Brugmansia
175 Begonia
170 Corylus avellana
169 Carya illinoinensis
144 Pelargonium x hortorum
129 Capsicum baccatum var. pendulum
121 Fuchsia
120 Apium graveolens var. dulce
117 Petunia
114 Camellia japonica
110 Lagenaria siceraria
105 Hippeastrum
102 Phaseolus lunatus
102 Gladiolus x hortulanus
100 Viola x wittrockiana
If anybody reading this sees a plant type in that list that they would like to adopt and help me determine what data fields are appropriate and common to all cultivars in that type of plant, I would love your help!
