Lajiketta

Lajiketta is a term encountered in Finnish horticulture and seed trade. It refers to a cultivar or plant variety and is used primarily in informal or semi-formal contexts to denote a distinct line selected for particular traits such as growth habit, flower color, fruit size, or disease resistance. The word derives from lajike, the Finnish word for variety, with the -tta suffix forming a nominalized or collective sense. Because lajiketta is not an official taxonomic rank, its exact scope and criteria can vary by region, producer, and catalog.

In practice, a lajiketta may appear in seed catalogs or garden guides to indicate a recognizable group within a breeding program, but the same plant might be labeled as a cultivar or cultivar group elsewhere. Official registration of plant names, where required, uses formal cultivar names and registration numbers rather than the lajiketta label.

Usage of lajiketta has grown with the expansion of hobbyist gardening and plant breeding, where breeders and retailers seek flexible ways to present distinct plant lines without committing to formal nomenclature. Critics argue that the lack of standard definition can create confusion among growers and gardeners.

See also: lajike, cultivar, plant breeding, seed catalog, Finnish plant variety rights.