摘要：This article summarizes a study of consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP), in urban
areas in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Michigan, for a powdery mildew resistant
dogwood tree. Powdery mildew is a disease affecting flowering dogwoods that can
limit growth, detract from the appearance, and may cause plant decline and death.
Study objectives were to provide information about consumers’ WTP and to identify
potential marketing strategies for the introduction of the disease-resistant tree. On
average, survey respondents indicated they are willing to pay a $13.35 premium for
a flowering dogwood tree which is resistant to powdery mildew. Regression results
led to inferences that the presence of dogwoods in a respondent’s yard, presence of
dogwoods infected with powdery mildew in a yard, landscape expenditures, presence
of flower beds, landscape satisfaction, criteria for selecting plants and trees, retail
outlets where respondents shop for landscape materials, geographic location, and
income had significant effects on the WTP. Marketing implications include the need
to provide information at the point of sale, to place the trees near flowering plants at
outlets, and to interact with shoppers to determine characteristics of their yards.
