BOTANICALS
RTF262
WEEK ONE
MONDAY, JANUARY 10TH AT 8:55AM
Subject Description
´ In this subject the student will study plant classification, identification
and plant physiology. Handling and care techniques for a large
selection of tropical and house plants available to the consumer
are included in the curriculum. Learning how to use the resources
available to keep plants healthy, to price and to display plants will
be of benefit to the student.
Learning Objectives
´ Upon successful completion of this subject the student will be able to:
1.
Understand general plant development, plant processes, including photosynthesis,
transpiration and respiration
2.
Identify a selection of popular house plants by common names, botanical name and family
3.
Determine plant requirements by their characteristics and natural habitat
4.
Suggest types of plants suitable for a particular environment
5.
Pot and re-pot house and tropical plants
6.
Create mixed dish gardens and tropical planters
7.
Use creatively, herbs, in cut form, of in plant form
8.
Display and merchandise tropical and house plants with their related accessories
9.
Analyze and identify a variety of plant pests and diseases
10. By using their research skills, suggest the proper care and handling for flowering plants, foliage
plants and terrariums
Topic Outline
´ Nomenclature
´ Plant Classification/Plant Identification
´ Parts of the Plant/Growth Requirements
´ Photosynthesis/Transpiration/Respiration
´ Plant Reproduction
´ Plant Care and Maintenance
´ Mixed Planter Construction and
Development
´ Pests and Diseases/Fertilization
Problems
´ Herbs & Spices
´ Botanical Wreath Development
´ Display and Merchandising of Plants
´ Vegetative Table Decoration with
Plants, Fruits & Vegetables
´ Gift Presentations: Plants & Accessories
´ Bonsai
Modes of Instruction
´ This subject will consist of lectures, small group discussions,
audio/visual presentations, “hands-on” workshops, plant
assessment and field trips to greenhouses and nurseries
Required Texts
´ The complete Houseplant Survival Manual, Barbara Pleasant
´ Hand-out notes
´ Botany for Florists, Sharon J. Enns
´ The Art of Floral Design, 3rd Edition, NorahT. Hunter
´ Seneca Libraries. Guide to Research and Citation: MLA Style.
4th ed. Toronto: Seneca College, 2011.
Additional References
´ Students are referred to the following websites for the Seneca College
Library MLA Style Guide and Guide to Integrating Quotations (MLA style):
http://library.senecacollege.ca
Modes of Evaluation
Test 1
20%
Test 2
30%
Assignment 1
20%
Assignment 2
25%
Quiz
5%
*Attendance in class required*
TOTAL
100%
Naming House Plants
´ Pg. 249 Father of Taxonomy
´ 300 years ago Carl Linneaus
(1707-1778) Swedish Botanist
had the idea of giving plants
Latin names consisting of 2
words (genus & species)
´ Named 7700 plantsà
universal language of plants
´ Genus à family name
´ Species à variety
´ 3rd word in “quotes”
represents hybrid created by
crossing 2 species
Nomenclature –
the science of naming
´ Plant taxonomists- Botanists who
name plants
´ The 2 Latin words (genus &
specific epithet) used to
describe a plant type are known
as the binomial
´ Members of species can breed
naturally – they have a
mechanism that prevents
interbreeding between different
groups of plants (except orchids)
´ Hybridizing results in infertile
plants
Nomenclature
´ Reproductive barriers
include:
´ Differing flowering times
´ Different growing
conditions (Woodlands
vs. grassy meadows)
´ The pollen of one species
with not fuse on the
stigma of another
Nomenclature
´ Angiospermae or Angiosperms (flowering plants)
´ Over 250,000 species
´ Floriculture industry uses a great number of cultivars.
´ Cultivar names are added to the binomial – these include:
(var.) indicates a spontaneously occurring variety of a species in
nature
and X-hybrid -cross between botanically distinct species or genera,
may occur naturally in nature but more often by man – an X is placed
between genus and the new specific epithet
Nomenclature
´ Plant names must be in Latin or
translated into latinized form if
they are in another language
´ Herbariums – library of dried and
pressed plant specimens
´ Over 1700 around the world
and contain over 180 million
specimens and some are over
400 years old
´ Helps identify a number of
vascular plants
´ Allow the study of variations
and growth habits in difficult
geographical locations
Nomenclature
´ Common names (names people use) –
can be misleading and differ from region
´ Salal – lemon leaf
´ Leather leaf – Bakers fern
´ Asparagus Fern – is not a fern
´ Calla lily – not a lily nor a member of
the lily family
´ Peppergrass – is not a grass
´ Latin is used because it is not constantly
changing like English over the years
´ Botanists around the world can
communicate because they all speak in
Latin
Plant Families
´ Bromeliaceae (pg. 27 –
Guzmania Lingulata Searlet
star)
´ Bromeliad – glossy green
leave and in its 3rd or 4th year
produces a red flower in the
center of the pant
´ Flower lasts 6 weeks or
more
´ High humidity
´ Bright artificial light – no
direct sunlight
Plant Families
´ Tillandsia Air Plants (pg. 29)
´ No roots - pinned, tied or
glued onto mounts
´ Take up moisture and
nutrients through leaves
´ Cyanea – only variety
that can be grown in a
pot
´ Flower when mature à 35 years
´ Bright light from east or
west window – direct sun
in the winter only (not
summer)
Plant Families
´ Aechmea Fasciata à silver vase
(Pg. 23)
´ Mature plants,3-4 years old,
produce flowers which last 4-6
weeks
´ Bright light from east or west
window
´ Can force flower with Epsom
salts and ethylene gas from
fruit, if a mature plant shows no
signs of flowering naturally
Plant Families
´ Euphobriaceae (Pg. 96-97) Eyphorbia milii crown of thorns, semi-succulent plant
´ Believe to be the plant used to make Christ’s
crucifixes crown
´ Thailand - believe number of flowers represent
how much luck the plant keeper will have
´ Blooms last several weeks
´ Can control height by pruning
´ Thrives in dry air and survives occasional
neglect
´ Accepting of a wide range of temperatures
´ Can bloom year round
´ Poisonous if eaten – milk can cause rash
´ Bright light
Plant Families
´ Euphoibia Pulcherrima (Pg. 9899)
´ Poinsettia – most popular
Christmas flowering plant
´ Hard to keep as an indoor plant grows well as outdoor plant in
tropical climate
´ Grows best in filtered bright light
Plant Families
´ Bulbs, Corms & Tubes (pg. 3140)
´ Storage roots – plant and
provide with light and
temperature and they will
flower
´ 2 categories/groups à
spring flowering bulbs &
warm natured bulbs
Plant Families
´ Spring flowering bulbs
´ Planted in Fall and need
several weeks of chilling before
flowering
´ Forcing spring bulbs to grow
indoors need a minimum of 815 weeks of chilling before they
bloom
Plant Families
´ Warm-natured bulbs
´ Do not need the chilling
´ Considered summer bulbs
´ Need dry rest periods
between cycles of growth
12 Top Blooms, Corms & Tubers to Grow
Indoors
1.
Achimenes species – cupids bow, orchid pansy (tuber)
2.
Caladium hybrids – caladium, angels wings (corm)
3.
Clivia miniata hybrids – clivia, kafir lily (rhizomes)
4.
Freesia Corymbosa – Freesia (corm)
5.
Hippeastrum hortorum– Amaryllis (bulb)
6.
Hyacinthus orientalis – hyacinth (bulb)
7.
Lilium longiflorum – Easter lily (bulb)
8.
Muscary armeniacum – muscari, grape hyacinth (bulb)
9.
Narcissus species & hybrids – Daffodil, narcissus (bulb)
10. Oxalis regnelli – Oxalis, shamrock plant (tubers-called pips)
11. Tulipa species & hybrids – tulip (bulb)
12. Zantedeschia hybrids – calla lily (tuber)
HANDOUTS