What characteristic distinguishes a cultivar from other plant types?

A cultivar is specifically a plant variety that has been deliberately selected and cultivated for particular desirable traits through human intervention. This characteristic emphasizes that cultivars are developed and maintained under conditions of cultivation, distinguishing them from both wild varieties and other plant types that might not have been specifically engineered for specific attributes such as yield, flowering time, or pest resistance.

Cultivars may exhibit notable differences in growth habit, flower color, fruit size, or other characteristics when compared to their wild counterparts; these differences are usually a result of selective breeding practices. The process of cultivation allows for the enhancement and stabilization of desired traits over generations, which are then consistently passed down through propagation.

This definition of cultivars highlights the importance of cultivation and human influence in their development, making it clear why this option is the most accurate representation of what a cultivar is in the context of plant classification.