Non-destructive eco-physiological paramaters of evergreen ornamental shrubs under temperate zone climatic conditions

Abstract

Owing to geohistorical- and climatic conditions, the flora of Hungary is poor in broadleaf evergreens. According to the climate change scenarios, Hungary will be drier, richer in sunshine and winters are expected to become warmer because of the Mediterranean effect. Therefore, thermophile broadleaf evergreen ornamental shrubs were examined for their adaptation capability to the continental conditions. The species selected for the study were from two different habitats, i.e., field and on hillside, namely Aucuba japonica ‘Rozzanie’, Cotoneaster franchettii, Elaeagnus pungens ‘Maculata Aurea’, Ilex cornuta, Ligustrum sinense, Nandina domestica, Osmanthus heterophyllus, Phillyrea angustifolia, Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’, Prunus lusitanica, Sarcococca hoockeriana, and Viburnum cinnamonifolium. Our aim was to enrich the offering of nursery-gardens with these yet barely known taxa and the other purpose of this research was to promote the usage of portable in situ eco-physiological devices in various branches of horticulture especially in nursery-gardens. C. franchettii, E. pungens ‘Maculata Aurea' and L. sinense are expected to adapt well to temperate conditions.