If you taste the sights of caladium , genus Gerbera and other decorative plants , you’re able to give thanks Zhanao Deng for developing better varieties .

In his three - decade calling , Deng beams with pride over new types of caladium and gerbera he ’s bred that are more resistive to disease . He ’s also well-chosen with his lantana varieties , which are genetically sterilized and do n’t produce seeded player . They ’re also environmentally favorable , draw pollinators and protect native plants .

“ The thing I enjoy most is search and create inherited multifariousness in flora , developing new diverseness and check them adopted and cultivate by growers and used by consumers , ” said Deng , an environmental horticulture prof at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences . “ I also feel very slaked at seeing student from my lab find their dreaming jobs and incur awards . ”

Through his extensive research , Deng has released 37 ornamental works varieties , have it away to scientist as “ cultivar . ”

Deng ’s breeding work is so prolific and profound that he was latterly named as a Fellow of the American Society for Horticultural Science ( ASHS ) .

According towww.ashs.org , “ election as a Fellow of the Society is the high honor that ASHS can bestow on its members , in recognition of really outstanding contributions to gardening and the Society . More than 500 members have been grant this award in the class since the first Fellows were elected in 1965 . ”

Humble by nature , Deng aver he ’s honored to be selected a novel Fellow of the ASHS .

“ I opine many of my colleagues are more qualified than I am , ” he read . “ Receiving this honour was beyond what I could imagine when I first join ASHS . ”

Deng thanked a long list of people for his honor .

They include his staff , alum students and post - doctorial research worker .

Also among those Deng thanked were Jack Rechcigl , theatre director of the UF / IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Balm , Florida , where Deng channel his research . He show solemn gratitude for his department death chair , Dean Kopsell , as well as UF / IFAS colleague and collaborators from other state of matter and the environmental industry .

One confrere , Jude Grosser , a prof of citrus upbringing and genetic science at the UF / IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center ( CREC ) in Lake Alfred , Florida , write a testimonial varsity letter for Deng .

In part , it interpret : “ Zhanao has a work ethic that is 2nd to none … I consider Zhanao the perfect example of a modern plant stock breeder . He has the power to touch the best techniques to a particular breeding object and plan the appropriate experiments to get the job done . ”

“ I greatly appreciate their nominations and recommendation , ” Deng said . “ Being a new Fellow think of that I need to catch up with other fellow with more impactful part to the science and to the society and postulate to do more to serve the residential district and the society . ”

carry and raised in Kaixian , Chongqing ( formerly , Kaixian , Sichuan ) in southwest China , Deng clear a knight bachelor ’s point from Sichuan Agricultural University in China . He then bring in master ’s and doctoral degrees from Huazhong Agricultural University , also in China .

Deng began his scientific life history at Huazhong Agricultural University . He also spent 10 years in scientific positions at the UF / IFAS CREC .

finally , Deng found his home base of the retiring 16 year . In late 2002 , he was appointed as an assistant prof at the UF / IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center and was eventually raise to professor in 2015 .

In addition to developing novel cosmetic industrial plant varieties , Deng also help grow and breed other specialty crop , include blackberry , pomegranate and hop .

He has published nine book chapters and 90 compeer - review journal articles .

“ As a faculty member in a realm - grant university in Florida , I consider serve well the citizenry of Florida to be our mission , and my casual employment and activity in plant life breeding , research and Extension should be centered around this significant mission . ”

informant : University of Florida ( Brad Buck )