Is Cornus kousa 'Rosabella' (aka? 'Satomi') currently propagated under a plant patent? If so, who has it? Am I likely to find this cultivar offered in a one to five gallon size via mail order? If so, any leads to such nurseries? Thank you!
Have not noticed a patent. Have seen small plants offered online (and in print) by Burnt Ridge Nursery, Onalaska, WA. Probably various other outlets will have littlin's as well, this is a common item. Subsequent introductions may be better, if you check you will seen Burnt Ridge is offering more than one pink Kousa (as do others).
This patent issue for these pink dogwoods has become a bit of a conundrum, as DNA study done at U. of Tennessee indicated several of these named cultivars, or at least the one's tested ('Rosabella', 'Satomi' , Heart Throb TM) to be either identical or at least very closely related. 'Satomi' was one of the earliest cultivars available via Japan, and I don't think either it or 'Rosabella' (which seems to have been dismissed as a distinct cultivar by some, including Cappiello & Shadow) are patented. C. kousa 'Schmred', a later introduction which goes by the trademark name Heart Throb has been assigned plant patent 9283.
Jacobson, NORTH AMERICAN LANDSCAPE TREES considered 'Rosabella' a synonym of 'Satomi'. Current Burnt Ridge listing offers them as separate items. One thing that can happen with cultivars is a new, different plant being put on the market under an old name. Perhaps 'Satomi' and 'Rosabella' were the same initially, but now a second plant is also being sold as 'Rosabella'.
Dirr, "Manual of Woody Landscape Plants" also says 'Rosabella' is "the same as 'Satomi'" and was offered through Wayside Gardens.