R68-6-4. Condition of Nursery Stock

A. Any nursery stock which, in the judgment of the Commissioner or his authorized agents, does not meet the following minimum indices of vitality shall be removed from sale.

1. Woody-stemmed deciduous stock, such as fruit and shade trees, rose bushes, and shrubs shall have moist tissue in the stem or stems and branches and shall have viable buds or unwilted growth sufficient to permit the nursery stock to live and grow in a form characteristic of the species when planted and given reasonable care, except that in the case of rose bushes each stem must show moist, green undamaged cambium in at least the first 8 inches above the graft. Any single stem on a rose bush not meeting this specification shall disqualify the entire plant: PROVIDED, that a bush may be pruned to comply with the specification if at least two stems meeting the specification remain and the grade designation is changed accordingly.

2. Hardy herbaceous biennials or perennial when in a wilted, rotted, or any other condition indicative of poor vitality shall not be sold or offered for sale in Utah.

3. Any bare-rooted or prepackaged woody-stemmed nursery stock having in excess of two inches of etiolated or otherwise abnormal growth from individual buds shall not be sold or offered for sale.

4. Balled and burlapped stock in a weakened condition as evidenced by dieback or dryness of earthball or foliage, or such stock having broken or loose earthballs shall not be sold or offered for sale.

5. Stock offered for sale in containers. The container shall be sufficiently rigid to hold the ball shape, protecting the root mass during shipment.

a. Container stock offered for sale shall be healthy, vigorous, well rooted, and established in the container in which it is sold. The tops of the plants shall be of good quality and in a healthy growing condition. Sufficient new fibrous roots shall have developed so that the root mass will retain its shape and hold together when removed from the container. This shall be evidenced in each case by the earthball of such stock remaining reasonably intact upon removing it from the container.

b. Non-established container stock offered for sale shall be deciduous stick which shows good top quality and a vigorous healthy growing condition. The potting media shall be capable of sustaining satisfactory plant growth. Evergreen stock shall not be offered for sale in containers unless it is well established in the container.