Horticulture Terms

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Horticulture Terms

• Pope High School
• Joe Green, Agriculture Teacher
• July 2005

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Horticulture

• The ART of cultivating fruits, nuts, vegetables,
  or ornamental plants.
• Horti garden
• Culture garden culture

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Floriculture

• The cultivation of ornamental flowering plants.

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Botany

• The SCIENCE of plants to include anatomy,
  physiology and taxonomy.

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Pomology

• The science and practice of growing, harvesting
  and marketing tree fruits and nuts.

Olericulture

• The science and practice of growing, harvesting
  and marketing vegetables.

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Annual

• A plant which grows, flowers, produces seeds, and
  dies in one year. Must be replanted each year.

Perennial

• A plant that grows year after year without
  replanting. A plant whose roots lives year to
  year.

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Taxonomy

• The study of plant names and the identification
  of plants.

Scientific name

• The Latin name of a plant giving its genus and
  species.

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Medium(Plural Media)

• Any material, which is used to start and grow,
  seeds and plants.

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Seed coat

• The outer covering of a seed.

Endosperm

• The stored food supply for the young developing
  seedling, which is contained in the seed.
  (rocket fuel)

Embryo (embryonic plant)

• The entire plant inside the seed before
  germination.

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Hybrid

• An offspring of two different varieties of one
  plant type, which possesses certain traits of
  each plant type.

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Named varieties

• Specific individual strains of one type of plant,
  which have been named to indicate their
  particular traits.

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Cross Pollination

• A process in which pollen (male sex cell) of one
  plant unites with the egg (female sex cell) of a
  different plant.

Self Pollination

• Fertilization of a plant by its own pollen. Male
  and female flower parts on the same flower.

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Hardening Off Process

• Gradually subjecting plants to more difficult
  growing conditions like withholding water and
  decreasing temperature, this prepares plants for
  transplanting by reducing transplant shock.

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Cotyledons vs. True Leaves

• Cotyledons are the first set of leaves that
  emerge from a seed at germination.
• All other leaves are true leaves.
• Cotyledons seed leaves

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Seed Germination

• The miracle process when seeds begin to sprout
  and grow to begin a new plant
• Germination occurs when a seed receives the
  correct amounts of light, temperature and water
  simultaneously.

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Plant Propagation

• The process of reproducing or increasing plants.
  Can be sexual or asexual.

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Transpiration

• Loss of water through the leaves or stems of
  plants. Sort of like sweating 90 of a plants
  water loss is here.
• A normal daily process of plants. Higher water
  loss on sunny days.

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Turgid

• A plant whose tissues are swollen, filled with
  moisture. Not wilted.
• Turgid plant happy plant

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Node

• The joint of a stem, the swollen place where
  leaves and buds are attached. Roots form here
  when cuttings are made.

Internode

• The space between the nodes on a stem.

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Callus

• Mass of cells which forms around the wounded area
  of a plant to start the healing process. Similar
  to a scab. New roots will form in this callus
  tissue.

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Softwood Cutting

• A cutting made from a stem whose tissue is softer
  and not as mature as the older wood.

Hardwood Cutting

• A cutting made from a current seasons stem
  tissue, which is mature or harder in texture.

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Rooting Hormone

• A plant chemical used to help new cuttings to
  form new roots faster.
• Sort of like a steroid to enhance growth.

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Tissue Culture

• micro-propagation
• The process of reproducing thousands of plants
  from a few cells taken from the terminal bud
  tissue of a plant.
• test tube plants
• Must have extremely sanitary laboratory
  conditions for tissue culture.

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Root Division

• The physical separation of roots to form new
  plants from one mother plant.

Terminal Tip Growth

• Softer tissue from the tip of the plant where
  most of the new growth occurs.

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Binomial Nomenclature

• The international naming system that gives every
  plant 2 names, genus and the specie in Latin.
• Scientific Name Botanic Name.

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Linnaeus

• The Swedish botanist that came up with the 2 name
  system for classifying plants .
• 1750

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Genus

• The first name of a plant scientific name. A
  group of plants that are grouped together because
  of their similarities to one another. (genera
  plural).
• A NOUN.

Specie

• The second name in scientific name, more specific
  in nature.
• An ADJECTIVE that describes the genus.

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Example

• Acer rubrum Red Maple
• Acer is the noun or genus.
• rubrum is the adjective or specie that describes
  the genus (rubrum red in latin)
• Quercus alba White Oak
• Zebrina pendula, Setcresea purpurea

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Cultivars

• Another name for a specific plant, same as
  variety.
• Example There are several cultivars or
  varietiesof Red Maple Tree.
• Red Sunset, October Glory

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Common Name

• The local English name of a plant, which may
  differ in various localities.
• Common names are not precise enough for
  commercial use.

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Taxonomist

• A person who studies plant names and the
  identification of plants as a career or field of
  study.

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International Code of Botanical Nomenclature

• A set of rules that are international for naming
  plants.

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Mulch

• Any material used to cover the soil for weed
  control and moisture retention.
• Pine straw, pine bark nuggets, cypress shavings

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Osmocote

• A slow release fertilizer. Allows the plant to
  feed gradually over a longer period of time.
  Saves you labor. 14-14-14

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Herbaceous

• Any plant that has soft tissue and does not form
  wood or bark. A non-woody plant. Houseplants,
  annuals some perennials.

Deciduous

• A plant which loses its leaves each autumn. It
  goes dormant in the winter.

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Evergreen

• A plant which has leaves or needles throughout
  the whole year.

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Petiole

• The stalk structure which supports the blade of
  the leaf. It attaches the leaf blade to the stem.

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Simple leaf

• A solitary leaf attached to a stem by a petiole.

Compound Leaf

• A group of leaflets which compose the entire
  compound leaf.

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Monocot

• Classification of those plants having only one
  cotyledon or seed leaf. Grasses, chives and corn
  are monocots.
• Parallel veins.

Dicot

• A classification of plants having two cotyledons
  or seed leaves.
• Vascular or woody plants.

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Leaf Margin

• The outer edge of a leaf .
• Serrate, entire, lobed, etc.

Root Cap

• The actively growing cells at the tip of the
  plant root.

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Stoma

• Small pores or holes in the leaf, which allow the
  plant to breathe and give off moisture. They open
  and close with day and night.

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Lenticels

• Breathing pores in the bark of woody stems. They
  open and close with day and night.

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Ventilation

• Movement and exchange of air in a greenhouse.

Photoperiodism

• The response of plants to different periods of
  light and darkness in terms of their flowering.

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Short Day Plant

• A plant that blooms in the short winter days.
• Some plants can be tricked into blooming by
  giving them short days artificially.
  Chrysanthemums and Poinsettias

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Breaks

• New shoots that develop as a result of
  pinching.
• Same results as pruning out the terminal bud of a
  plant.

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Growth Regulators

• Chemicals that retard plant growth. It slows
  down the plant growth so they dont get too tall
  and floppy.

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Root Rot

• Most common disease of Poinsettia. Caused by Bad
  drainage, Bad ventilation or too much water.

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Fungicide

• Any substance which destroys or prevents the
  growth of fungi.
• A type of pesticide to control plant diseases.

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J.R. Poinsett

• The U.S. Ambassador to Mexico who introduced the
  Poinsettia to America for future production.
• Named the plant after himself.

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Plant Hardiness

• The ability of a plant withstand to the minimum
  temperature of an area.

Plant Form

• The outer shape of a tree and its branches. The
  outer silhouette.
• Round, columnar, oval, weeping, etc.

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Plant Texture

• The size and thickness of the plants leaves and
  stems. Fine, Medium, Coarse.

Bare Root Plants

• Plants sold with no soil on the roots.
• A. Cheaper
• B. Very perishable

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Balled and Burlapped

• Plants- (BB) Roots in burlap held together by
  twine. Dug up at a nursery and sold this way.

Container Stock

• Planted in a basket or plastic or metal can. Can
  be planted at any time of the year.

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Drip Line of a Tree

• The imaginary line where water drops off from the
  farthest point of branches.

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Narrow leaf Evergreen

• Evergreen plants with needle-like or scaly
  foliage. Pines, Junipers.

Broad leaf Evergreen

• Evergreen plants with broad leaf blade. BLE
  Hollies and broad leaf plants.

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Fascicles

• The sheathes or bundles that contain needle like
  leaves attached to the branch in conifers.

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Heeling in

• The process of temporarily covering the plant
  roots when a tree has to be out of the ground for
  transplanting. The purpose is to retain the
  moisture around the roots with an organic
  material such as straw, mulch or soil during
  transplanting.

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Berm

• A ridge of soil placed around a newly planted
  tree to retain water. a saucer or moat.
• Traps the water to stay on top of the root zone.

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Ground Cover Plant

• Any low growing plant, under 12 tall, that
  completely covers the ground.
• Used in place of grass for large areas (saves
  labor of mowing) usually planted in mass.
  Creeping junipers, ivy, monkey grass, etc.
  Usually very durable plants.

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Foundation Plantings

• Plants which are used next to buildings to help
  accent and tie the buildings into the landscape.
  Usually evergreen.

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Specimen Plant

• A plant that is used alone for accent or focal
  point to a landscape.

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Soil Conditioner

• Organic matter added to the native soil to
  improve texture, drainage, and overall quality of
  the soil. Peat moss, pine bark, rotted compost
  etc.

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Hard Pan

• The unprepared or untilled soil line. Dense and
  hard section of soil. The roots cannot penetrate
  hard pan.

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Boundary Plants

• Plants used to separate property or boundary
  lines. Planted in rows.
• Can be low or high depending on purpose.

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Bulb

• A food storage organ.
• A plant structure which consists of layers of
  fleshy scales overlapping each other, such as the
  onion or tulip.

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Separation

• Method of propagation that occurs naturally.
  Reproductive organs of a plant detach from the
  parent plant to become new plants.

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Division

• A method of propagation requiring the physical
  cutting and dividing of plants. Ferns and
  herbaceous perennials are often divided.

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Corms

• Swollen underground stem which grows upright, is
  a food storage organ and a means of reproduction.
• Similar to a bulb.
• Gladiolus plants.

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Rhizomes

• Underground stem which produces roots on the
  lower surface, and extends leaves and flowering
  shoots above the ground. Iris.

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Tubers

• A fleshy root which reproduces by growing roots
  from an eye or bud. Potatoes are tubers.

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pH

• The measuring scale of a soils acidity.
• A pH of 1-6 is acid. pH 7 is neutral, and 8-14 is
  base. To raise the soil pH, add lime.
• Most plants prefer a pH of 5.5 to 7 range.

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Leaching

• It is when the fertilizer nutrients are leached
  out (washed out) of soil over time from excessive
  water.
• Caused from excessive rain or watering.
• This is why you have to keep applying fertilizers
  to plants.

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Major Elements

• Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium are the Major
  elements all plants need.
• N-P-K example 10-10-10
• Required in large amounts. They must be added by
  applying NPK fertilizer. 10-10-10, or 14-14-14,
  etc.
• Also called the Macronutrients

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Minor Elements

• Elements that plants need in minor amounts. They
  may or may not need to be added to the soil.
• Calcium, boron, iron and others.
• Micronutrients!

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Landscape Architect

• Professionals who integrate art and science, and
  know how plants and landscape factors will react
  to the environment around them.

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Landscape Contractor

• A company or person who deals primarily with the
  installation of landscapes. They install what the
  architect designs.

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Landscape Maintenance Contractor

• A firm that maintains the landscape under the
  guidelines of a contract. weekly/monthly.

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Subcontracting

• The hiring of a 2nd firm or contractor to
  complete specialized tasks such as irrigation,
  tree surgery, etc.

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Site Analysis

• Making an evaluation of the landscape site to
  determine how many of the clients needs can be
  met. It tells what is present on the site and
  what is desired.

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Branch Collar

• The swollen area of a tree where the branch
  attaches to the main trunk.

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Warm Season Grass

• Those grasses that grow best in the warm months
  (80-90 degrees) of spring, summer and early fall.
  They grow vigorously during this time and become
  brown and dormant in winter Bermudagrass, Zoysia
  grass, Centipede grass.

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Cool Season Grass

• Grasses that grow well in the cool months (60-75
  degrees) of the year. They may become dormant or
  injured during the hot months of summer Fescue
  and rye grass are cool season. Annual rye
  temporary.

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Herbicides

• A type of pesticide chemical intended to control
  weeds.
• Pre-emergent applied before weeds emerge to kill
  seeds.
• Post-emergent applied after weeds emerge.
• Selective kills only certain species and safe on
  turf.
• Non-selective kills any plant it comes in
  contact with.