plant labels
Cultivar
Last reviewed 2026-10-04
A cultivar is a cultivated plant selection that is maintained because it has identifiable traits. The word combines cultivated variety. A cultivar may be selected from a natural population, bred by people, propagated by cuttings, or produced as a hybrid. The label does not by itself describe how the plant was created.
What it means
Cultivars are named selections, such as a tomato with a particular fruit color or a rose with a specific growth habit. Seed-grown cultivars may not reproduce exactly unless they are stable and isolated. Vegetatively propagated cultivars are kept through cuttings, division, grafting, or another method.
How it affects the garden
Read the full plant description rather than relying on the cultivar name. Compare mature size, hardiness, light, water, disease resistance, and harvest timing. A cultivar selected for one region may perform differently in another. The can I grow this tool helps organize site conditions, but the plant tag remains the source for cultivar-specific traits.
Example
Two plants can both be the same species but different cultivars, with one forming a compact bush and the other making a tall vine. Their spacing and support needs may differ even though their species is the same.
Common confusion
Cultivar is broader than hybrid. A hybrid can be a cultivar, but not every cultivar is a hybrid. Variety has both everyday and formal botanical meanings, so the label should be read in context.
Sources
Royal Horticultural Society explains what cultivars are and how they differ from species.
