Horticulture Plant ID
Study Guide
Common and scientific names
Horticulture I
Instructor: Mrs. Long
Providence High School
Abelia X grandiflora
• Common - Glossy abelia – This plant is a
Medium evergreen shrub with reddish-green 1 inch long
leaves with small clusters of bugle shaped white flowers.
Acer palmatum
• Common - Japanese Maple
Characteristics: *Maple-like leaves
deeply lobed, with 5-9 lance-like,
ovate lobes, 2-6" wide.
Acer rubrum
• Red maple – Is a large deciduous tree with red
flowers in early spring. It’s leaves are dark
green w/ gray color under the leaves. (3-5
lobes & gray bark)
Ageratum mexicanum
• Common - Ageratum -low growing annuals, ovate
leaves, 2 inches long and small clusters of fluffy,
lavender-blue, white or pink flowers. Often used
for edging.
Ajuga reptans
• Common - Ajuga - best planted in
partial shade or even full shade;
fast growing ground cover.
Aracaria heterophylla
• Common - Norfolk Island Pine - An Interior
office plant that usually grows about 4 ft
tall and looks similar to a little pine tree.
Asparagus densiflorus ‘Sprengeri’
• Common - Sprengeri Fern – prefers
part sun to shade.
Acuba japonica
• Common - Japanese Acuba - Thrives
in low light areas
Begonia X semperflorens-cultorum
• Common - Wax Begonia - drought
resistant and sun tolerant.
Berberis thumbergii
• Common - Japanese Barberry – A medium size
deciduous shrub with 1-inch long leaves, small
spines, and red berries.
Betula nigra
• Common- River Birch – A Medium sized
deciduous tree with thin brown bark
peeling and trunks.
Buxus sempervirens
• Common - Common boxwood- popular
shrub used in many a landscape
especially as a hedge, screen or for a
topiary.
Canna X generalis
• Common - Canna - grown best in full sun
with moderate water in well-drained rich
or sandy soil.
Cercis canadensis
•
Common - Eastern Red Bud/Judas Tree- A Small deciduous
tree with heart-shaped leaves and brown bean-type pods in the
fall; pink-purple colored flowers.
Chlorophytum comosum cv.
• Common - Spider Plant – New plants
develop from shoot tips – 18” long and
¾” wide leaves – green with yellow line
down the middle.
Chrysanthemum morifolium
• Common - Florist Chrysanthemum - often called
mums or chrysanths. Flower bouquets and
arrangements.
Chrysanthemum X superbum
• Common - Shasta Daisy - large white
flowers with yellow centers, typical of
daisies; excellent perennial.
Coleus X hybridus
• Coleus
Cornus florida
• Flowering Dogwood- A small deciduous tree with
white flowers called bracts with brown color at the
tips, red berries and very crooked growth
X Cupressocyparis leylandii
• Leyland Cypress- an evergreen, about 5o ft. tall
with scale type leaves and short ½ inch cones.
Dieffenbachia maculata
• Dumbcane –
An Interior plant with large
variegated green and cream colored large leaves on a
thick trunk.
Epipremnum aureum cv.
• Golden Pothos – Office Plant
Euonymus alata
• Winged Euonymus – A medium sized
deciduous shrub with dark green leaves 1 – 2 long that
turn a brilliant red in late fall.
Euonymus japonica or
‘Variegata’
• Evergreen Euonymus – Shrub – 1 ½ - 3” long
leaves, half as wide as long. Green, green/golden edged,
green white edged
Euphorbia pulcherrima cv.
• Poinsettia – Sold at Christmas, Usually
red, originates from Mexico. Colored
bracts or leaves
Ficus benjamina
• Weeping or benjamin fig – drooping
branches with shinny pointed leaves and aerial roots on
the branches
Ficus elastica ‘Decora’
• Decora Rubber Plant
Ficus pumila
• Creeping Rubber Plant
Forsythia X intermedia
• Border Forsythia – Large deciduous shrub with
many bright yellow flowers in early spring.
Hedera helix
• English Ivy – Climbing Vine
Hemerocallis cv.
Day Lily
• Full Sun – trumpet type flowers,
perrenial.
Hosta sp.
Hosta- Deciduous ground cover, 3 inch wide by 7
inch long leaves. Leaves are dark green to
yellowish white mixed with green. “verigated”
Ilex X attenuata ‘Fosteri’
Fosteri Holly – Red Berries
• Often used as a corner planting to give
height.
Ilex cornuta ‘Dwarf Burford’
Dwarf Burford Holly
Ilex crenata Helleri Holly
‘Helleri’
• Often used as a border planting evergreen
Ilex vomitoria ‘Nana’
• Dwarf Yaupon- Dwarf evergreen shrub, 2ft. high X
2ft. wide with dark green mature leaves about ½ inch to 1
inch long. Stems are gray.
Impatiens
Impatiens –shade loving colorful annuals
Iris X germanica var. florentine
• florentine/Bearded Iris
Juniperus conferta
• Shore Juniper-creeping habit
Juniperus horizontalis ‘Plumosa,’ ‘Bar
Harbor or ‘Wiltonii’or Blue Rug
• Creeping Juniper “Blue Rug”- evergreen
ground cover with silvery-blue scale type leaves.
Lagerstroemia indica cv.
• Crape Myrtle- Smooth tan bark, deciduous tree or
shrub, flowers all summer and into early fall. Red, purple,
white, pink
Ligustrum japonicum cv.
• Japanese Privet- large evergreen shrub, dark
green leaves that are 3-inch long and 1 ½ inch wide with
raised veins underneath. ¼ inch dark purple berries with
a hard seed inside.
Liquidambar styraciflua
• Sweetgum – A deciduous with dark green star
shaped leaves and prickly balls. Leaves turn yellow,
orange, red and purple in autumn.
Liriope muscari
• Liriope (Green or Varigated cv.)
Magnolia grandiflora
• Southern Magnolia – large shinny leaves, 6-9
inch white flowers with cone like pods of bright red
seeds.
Malus sp. or cv.
• Flowering Crabapple – A border tree, medium
sized deciduous tree with flowers and 1 – 2 inch diameter
fruit. Green, red, or purple leaves in summer.
Maranta leuconeura
• Prayer Plant
Myrica cerifera
• Wax Myrtle- large evergreen shrub, yellowish green
leaves about 2-3 inches long with serrated margins near
the leaf tips, clusters of small waxy-gray berries.
Nandina domestica
• Heavenly Bamboo – Red foliage in Fall
Nephrolepis exaltata cv
• Boston Fern
Ophiopogon japonicus
• Mondo Grass –ground cover
Pelargonium X hortorum
• Geranium – An indoor/outdoor flowering plant,
used in baskets and pots, red, white, pink, multiple
colored. Flowers have a long petiole, popular Mother’s
Day and easter flower. Number 1 bedding plant
Pelargonium peltatum
• Ivy Leaf Geranium
Philodendron scandens
• Parlor Ivy – very low light
Pinus mugo var. mugo
• Mugo Pine
Pinus strobus
• Eastern White Pine – Clusters of needle like
leaves about 4-inches long. 5 needles per cluster, 4 – 8
inch curving brown cones under the tree.
Plectranthus australis
• Swedish Ivy
Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’
• Japanese Flowering Cherry- Small
deciduous tree with pink double flowers. Used as an
accent plant.
Pyrus calleryana ‘Bradford’
• Bradford Pear- Medium-sized deciduous tree,
white flowers in spring, reddish purple leaves in autumn,
grow in a symmetrical shape with little or no pruning.
Quercus palustris
• Pin Oak- Deciduous tree, about 50 ft. tall, leaves
have 5 to 7 lobes and 3 or 4 bristle tips on each lobe, has
acorns, brilliant red in autumn.
Quercus phellow
• Willow Oak- Deciduous tree, has small acorns,
narrow green leaves, grows about 60 ft. tall.
Rhododendron catawbiense
• Catawba Hybrid Rhododendron
Rhododendron kiusianum or
Rhododendron obtusum japonicum
• Azalea- Large evergreen, dark green 5-inch long by 2inch wide leaves, shade loving, grows wild in the edge of
the forest and by the roadside in NC mountains, many
flowers.
Saintpaulia ionantha
• African Violet
Salvia splendens
Salvia
• Salvia – full sun
Schefflera arboricola
Dwarf Schefflera
• Dwarf Schefflera – indoor, low light
Spathiphyllum cvs.
Peace Lily
• Peace Lily
Tagetes erecta
• African Marigold
Tradescantia zebrina
• Purple Wandering Jew
Viola X wittrockiana
• Pansy – fall and spring flower – cool
season – multiple colors