Gardening Terms

The upper of the two bracts enclosing the flower in grasses. Learn more.

having leaflets or veins radiating from a single point like the fingers of a hand. Learn more.

a branching flower cluster in which the branches are themselves racemes. Learn more.

A tuft of hairs or bristles attached to the seed of many members of the daisy family, aiding in dispersal. Learn more.

The portion of the light spectrum (400–700 nm) used by plants for photosynthesis. Learn more.

organisms that live on or within another organism (the host) and obtain nutrients from it. Learn more.

relating to an organism that depends on a host for nourishment, often harming it. Learn more.

Fundamental plant tissue composed of living, thin-walled cells functioning in photosynthesis, storage, and regeneration. Learn more.

Any organism such as a virus, bacterium, or fungus that causes disease in plants. Learn more.

A fungal disease of peaches and nectarines causing distorted, reddened leaves and reduced yield. Learn more.

The stalk that supports a single flower in an inflorescence. Learn more.

The branch of soil science that studies the formation, classification, and mapping of soils in their natural environment. Learn more.

The main stalk of a flower cluster or solitary flower. Learn more.

A Botrytis infection of peony causing blackened buds and stems in cool, wet weather. Learn more.

A plant that lives for more than two years, often flowering annually once mature. Learn more.

A flower containing both stamens and carpels (male and female reproductive organs). Learn more.

The outer, non-reproductive part of the flower, composed of calyx and corolla. Learn more.

The wall of a ripened ovary or fruit, typically divided into three layers. Learn more.

Expanded volcanic glass used to improve aeration and drainage in potting mixes. Learn more.

A design system for sustainable living and agriculture modeled after natural ecosystems. Learn more.

Paving materials designed to allow water to infiltrate into the ground, reducing stormwater runoff. Learn more.

Remaining attached instead of falling off, as in leaves or sepals that stay on the plant. Learn more.

A segment of the corolla, typically colored and serving to attract pollinators. Learn more.

The stalk that connects a leaf blade to the stem, supporting leaf orientation for light capture. Learn more.

A measure of soil acidity or alkalinity influencing nutrient availability and microbial activity. Learn more.

The observable physical and physiological traits of an organism, determined by genotype and environment. Learn more.

a chemical signal released by an organism to influence the behavior of others of the same species. Learn more.

The vascular tissue that transports sugars and other products of photosynthesis. Learn more.

Long, thick-walled sclerenchyma fibers associated with the phloem that provide mechanical support. Learn more.

The length of day and night that influences flowering and vegetative growth in plants. Learn more.

Physiological responses of plants to the relative lengths of day and night. Learn more.

sensitive or responsive to light. Learn more.

The process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of sugars. Learn more.

The use of solar panels to power water pumps for energy-efficient irrigation. Learn more.

A flattened petiole or leaf stalk that functions as a leaf blade. Learn more.

A plant disease symptom in which floral parts become leaf-like, often caused by phytoplasmas. Learn more.

The arrangement of leaves on a stem. Learn more.

relating to biological functions and processes in living organisms. Learn more.

Root and crown rots caused by Phytophthora species in poorly drained soils. Learn more.

Diseases caused by wall-less bacteria that inhabit phloem tissue, transmitted by leafhoppers. Learn more.

Removing the tip of a stem to encourage branching and a bushier habit. Learn more.

Leaflets arranged on either side of a central axis, resembling a feather. Learn more.

The female reproductive organ of a flower, consisting of the stigma, style, and ovary. Learn more.

The soft, spongy central tissue in the stems of vascular plants. Learn more.

The ability of a plant to survive adverse conditions such as cold or drought. Learn more.

The prepared cavity in soil for placing a plant at transplanting. Learn more.

A small, individual seedling grown in a cell for efficient handling and transplanting. Learn more.

The embryonic shoot or first leaf of a developing seedling. Learn more.

A dry fruit that splits open on two sides when mature, typical of legumes. Learn more.

A pruning system where upper branches are cut back to promote a dense head of regrowth. Learn more.

Microscopic grains produced by anthers that contain male gametes for fertilization. Learn more.

The transfer of pollen to enable fertilization and seed production. Learn more.

Any animal or agent that transfers pollen from the male to the female structures of flowers. Learn more.

A continuous habitat that supports bees, butterflies, and other pollinators across landscapes. Learn more.

Flowering and fruiting multiple times during its lifespan. Learn more.

Having separate petals that are not fused together. Learn more.

The condition of having more than two complete sets of chromosomes, common in many plant species. Learn more.

Having separate sepals rather than fused ones. Learn more.

An essential plant macronutrient involved in water regulation and enzyme activation. Learn more.

A soilless or blended medium formulated for container-grown plants. Learn more.

A fungal disease that produces a white, powdery coating on leaves, stems, and flowers. Learn more.

A disease of potato tubers causing corky lesions and vectoring powdery scab pathogens. Learn more.

preferring to feed on other living organisms; predatory. Learn more.

animals or insects that hunt and consume other organisms. Learn more.

feeding on other living organisms; acting as a predator. Learn more.

Transplanting small seedlings to give them space to develop. Learn more.

Aerial root that provides additional support to the stem, as in corn or banyan trees. Learn more.

A method of cloning plants under sterile laboratory conditions using small pieces of tissue. Learn more.

growing flat on or near the ground rather than upright. Learn more.

The condition in which the male parts of a flower mature before the female parts, reducing self-pollination. Learn more.

The condition in which the female parts of a flower mature before the male parts. Learn more.

Handheld cutting tools used for pruning small stems and branches. Learn more.

Selective removal of plant parts to improve structure, health, or flowering. Learn more.

the nonfeeding, often immobile, transformation stage between larva and adult in insects with complete metamorphosis. Learn more.

plural of pupa; the transitional, inactive stage of holometabolous insects. Learn more.

to become a pupa; to undergo the pupal stage in metamorphosis. Learn more.