A plant patent is a type of intellectual property protection granted to inventors who develop new and distinct varieties of plants. This patent allows the inventor exclusive rights to propagate, sell, and use the plant for a period of 20 years. To qualify, the plant must be asexually reproduced, meaning it can be cloned or propagated without seeds. To obtain a plant patent, the inventor must submit a detailed application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The application must include a description of the plant's unique characteristics, along with photographs or drawings. This protection encourages innovation in horticulture and agriculture.