After Melvin Bergeson started Bergeson Nursery in 1937, he was on the constant lookout for improved varieties of plants. He did no plant breeding as such; he simply selected plants which he thought looked promising. His most famous introduction was the Red Splendor Flowering Crab. In 1978, the Bergeson Ash received a patent. Late in life, Melvin added the Bergeson Dogwood and Flame Willow to the list of plants he introduced.

There are more to come. Although Melvin passed away in 1992, a buckeye he selected in Thief River Falls, MN is a new NDSU introduction. The Norman Flowering Crab, an offshoot of the Red Splendor, continues to sell well to Bergeson Nursery customers, although it has not been introduced to the broader market as of yet.