Law Library of Congress: Laws on Plant Patents and Propagation

Since Portland has also seen the peak of its cherry blossoms, we’re sharing the Law Library of Congress’s seasonal post “Stumpy’s Legacy: Laws on Plant Patents and Propagation.”

“The Yoshino Cherry (Prunus xyedoensis) is the prominent flowering cherry of Washington, D.C., gifted to the United States by Japan. This is also the genus to which Stumpy belongs. While the “Akebono” (Japanese for “dawn”) is not patented, other variations of the cherry blossoms are. Plant patents were created by the Plant Patent Act of 1930 (46 Stat. 376) and codified with amendments. …”

While it’s unclear which species are in the Tom McCall Waterfront Park, a Yoshino Cherry tree can be found outside the Portland Fire & Rescue Station 1 along the waterfront, and more can be seen at the Portland Japanese Garden.