Dr. Richard Olsen, U.S. National Arboretum, and I have discussed plant breeding with defined objectives and the potential for achieving the goals. A case study might focus on an Ulmus parvifolia, lacebark elm, with maximum height and width of 15 to 25', compact habit, disease-free dark green foliage, and exfoliating bark. What are the prerequisites for initiating the breeding process? Digest the literature on elm breeding, assemble all extant germplasm of U. parvifolia, perhaps concentrating on dwarf, compact types like 'Catlin', 'Chessins', 'Ed Wood', 'Hokkaido', 'Stone's Dwarf', and others. Accession the major shade tree cultivars that offer superior genetics. Outplanting all and evaluating for superior traits over a five year period. Now it's time to make controlled crosses, probably reciprocally to assess maternal and paternal inheritance patterns. Collect seed, germinate, maintain seedlings, outplant and over 5 to 10 years evaluate them for the desired original traits. Might prove necessary to backcross to original parents or grow F₂ populations for segregating characteristics. Let’s assume the perfect tree is identified. Is this the end? Absolutely not, for vegetative propagation, testing for trueness-to-type, sharing with nurseries for increase, patenting, trademarking, marketing . . . does the process ever end?

Or allowing serendipity, powers of observation, and blind good fortune to substitute for most of the above. The compact lacebark elm was targeted as the example because I discovered such a tree in my daughter Katie's pervious Athens neighborhood. Remarkably, the builder planted seedling Ulmus parvifolia, Acer buergerianum (trident maple), and Acer saccharum (sugar maple). I named this potential introduction 'Small Frye' and believe it has potential under utility lines, smaller residences, street-scapes. I estimate the neighborhood is about 20 years old and most of the trees are of similar vintage. Every characteristic previously enumerated is embodied in this restrained biological beauty.

My question . . . how many people walked and drove by the tree without really sensing ("seeing") the uniqueness? The answer resides in observation, the "feel" for a particular species' genetic plasticity (variation), predicting what the tree market could utilize. Innately, I believe I could do everything outlined above in controlled breeding and not succeed to the degree of this drive by sighting.

Persistence, scientific breeding, serendipity will continue to result in new worthy plant introductions. Allow me to share with the reader the plants and stories attached to several Dirr serendipitous discoveries.

My sweet Mom, then 88, and I were taking a scenic drive in my hometown of Cincinnati. I mentioned to Mom that many years past, a "red" flowered form of Hydrangea quercifolia (oakleaf hydrangea), occurred in large seedling planting. Zipping here, there, and at times lost, with the White Castle coffees sloshing out of our cups, Mom shouted: Is that IT?! No doubt about the authenticity of the sighting. Cuttings were acquired, a few with the ruby-red sepals still aglow, taken to Georgia where Bonnie decreed it 'Amethyst', rooted, and given to any who would take. Growers still tell me it is one of the easiest to produce in a container. Dr. Sandy Reed's U.S.N.A. 'Ruby Slippers' appears promising with rose-red sepals and resulted after 12 years of breeding and evaluation. 'Amethyst' resulted from an afternoon drive with Mom and at no expense to the taxpayer.

In the Manual of Woody Landscape Plants 2009 edition I opined "I see the species everywhere in the eastern United States, almost always along streams. Have searched for unique forms with improved stem color, smaller habit, abundant colorful fruits. A large seedling population grows along Crooked Creek in Virginia and I could not find a penny’s worth of differentiation in the seedlings. One of these days!" The day came! Persistence and serendipity may have delivered dividends. This plant will be introduced through Plant Introductions, Inc.