GLOSSARY OF GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING TERMS

This information is the intellectual property of the Parker County Master Gardener Association. Permission to use the information is granted provided credit is clearly given to the "Parker County Master Gardener Association."

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Accent Plant - This could be a focal point plant.  A plant to catch attention.  Could also be called an anchor plant.

Acclimate - To become accustomed to a different environment.

Acheve - A seeded fruit that does not split open to release its seed (example - the "seeds" on a strawberry).

Acid Rain - Rainwater that contains sulfur dioxide and other pollutants.

Acid Soil - Soil that is lower than 7.0 pH (higher would be alkaline).  Acidity is measured by the amount of lime (calcium) in the soil. 

Acre - A measure of land totaling 43, 560 square feet. A square acre is 208.75 feet on each side.

Actinomycetes – A group of microorganisms.

Acute – Pointed.

Adapted – Plants originally found in other parts of the nation or world that thrive in your local area. 

Adventitious - Having growth from places where normally growth does not occur (example - if a stem is buried and a plant will grow).

Adventitious Plant - A young plant that develops in an asexual manner on the leaves or stems of the mother plant (example - Kolanchoes).

Aerate - Loosening or puncturing the soil to increase water penetration.

Aerial Root - A root that grows out from the stem above ground level.

Aerobic - Usually used for describing a characteristic of compost heaps.  Describes organisms living or occurring only in the presence of oxygen.

Aggregate Culture - The use of solid material to grow plants (examples - gravel, rockwool, sand; all with the additional use of a nutrient water soluble solution).

Agriculture - Covers broad acre farming of plants.

Air Layering - A specialized method of propagating plants.  An incision is made to a portion of outer stem layer; damp sphagnum moss is wrapped in a bag around it until roots develop.  Then it is cut and replanted with its shorter stem size (example - Ficus Elastica Decora loses its lower leaves and becomes leggy).

Algae – A group of lower plants without true stems, roots or leaves (example - seaweeds).

Alkaline Soil - Soil that has a pH level of about 7.0 or more (lower would be acid).  Basically, pH is a measure of the amount of lime (calcium) in the soil.

All-purpose Fertilizer – Powdered, liquid or granular fertilizer that contains the three key nutrients: nitrogen (N), potassium (P) and phosphorus (K).  It is suitable for maintenance nutrition for most plants and may also be called general-purpose fertilizer.

Alpine - Plants from high mountain regions.  Anything that is from above the tree line.  They are able to overwinter beneath deep snow protected from extreme low temperature by their moisture.

Alpine House - A special greenhouse created to meet the requirements of alpines.  It is usually kept cool in the summer by shading the glass; in the winter it is unheated unless it needs to provide protection from very severe cold.

Alternate – Leaves or buds that arise first on one side of the stem and then on the other. Compare opposite.

Amphibious - The ability of plants to grow both in aquatic and in exposed soil.  Usually in a moist or boggy condition, when the winter recedes in the area.

Amend – To incorporate an organic or mineral material such as compost, rock powder, sphagnum peat, fertilizer or lime into the soil to enhance its fertility or structure, or adjust its pH.

Anaerobic - Describes organisms living or occurring when oxygen is absent.  Term used when talking about compost heaps.

Analogous Colors – Related, harmonious colors.

Angiosperms – In the plant kingdom, all flowering plants are in this category.  Angiosperms are further divided into monocotyledons (monocots) and dicotyledons (dicots).  Although monocots and dicots are similar in many ways, there are differences in number of seed, leaves, number of flower parts, leaf vein patterns and root structures, as well as physiological differences such as response to weed killers. 

Annual - Plants whose life cycle lasts only one year, from seed to blooms to seed.

Anther – The pollen-bearing part of a stamen.

Anti-transpirant – Any product, compound or aid used to reduce the loss of water vapor through a plant’s leaves (transpiration).

Aphids - Small sap-sucking insects that cause distorted growth, spreads diseases and leaves sticky honeydew residue.

Aquatic Plants – Plants that grow in, live in or live on the water.

Arbor, Privacy Screens, Entrances - A free standing structure used in the garden to support vines or climbing plants of all sorts for shade, a walkway or just a focal point.  These trellising structures have many uses. For instance, there are the classic grape arbors, in which case the structure has a horticultural function -- serving as a trellis for a crop. Specifically grape arbors come to mind for this use due to their historical prevalence. But such structures -- in conjunction with the vines that grow on them -- can also serve as privacy screens. Another function is to provide shade, including on decks and patios. More often, they have primarily an aesthetic purpose. Some landscapers like the look of a wooden archway that forms an entrance to a garden. Indeed, the arched arbor is perhaps the most popular style. They can function as entry gates for properties surrounded by fencing.

Arboretum - A garden with a large collection of trees, shrubs and other plants cultivated for scientific or educational purposes.

Arborist – An individual trained in the care of trees.

Arthropod – Insects, spiders, crayfish, millipedes.

Aschelminthes – Roundworms, trichina.

Asexual Plant Parts  – The vegetative parts of a plant.  The vegetative parts, which include roots, stems, shoot buds and leaves, are not directly involved in plant reproduction.   However, they are often used in asexual or vegetative forms of reproduction, such as cuttings.

Auricle – A pair of appendages protruding from the side of the grass leaf at the junction of the blade and the sheath.  Auricles may be blunt, large and claw-like and may or may not have short hairs attached. 

Axil – The angle formed between an axis (such as a branch) and any organ growing from it.

Axis – An imaginary straight line around which all or part of a garden design is arranged.

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B & B (Balled & Burlap) - A method in which plants are sold where the roots of a plant have been lifted and wrapped in burlap (sometimes plastic covered material) to keep it together until transplanted.  Large trees are often sold this way.

BT - (Bacillus Thuringiensis) A bacterium that will destroy the stomach cells of insects that consume it.  BT degrades quickly in sunlight so spray early in the evening.  Caution: This biological insecticide will also kill young butterfly caterpillars.

Backfill - Replacing dirt from the original hole after planting.

Backyard Wildlife Habitat - A situation where native and adapted plant materials are providing food and shelter for protection and reproduction for birds, insects and mammals in ones own backyard.

Bare-Root - Plants that have been dug out of the ground, when dormant.  The soil is shaken free; the plants are then washed and stored until shipment.  Roses and daylilies commonly come this way, as well as smaller shrubs and bushes, sold in their dormancy.

Basal Leaf – A leaf that arises directly from a bulb, corm etc. and not from a stem.

Basal Plate – The disc of tissue to which the scales of a bulb are attached.

Basal Rooting – A root system arising from the basal plate of a bulb – compare stem rooting.

Bearded – A petal bearing a tuft or row of long hairs.

Bed – A planted area designed to be viewed from all sides.

Bedding Out – The cover of most or all of a bed or border with a temporary display.  

"Bedding" Plants - Plants (often annuals), nursery grown and suitable for growing in beds.  They can add quick color for the landscape.

Bell Jar – A large glass jar shaped like a bell, measuring about 18-inches across, used to protect tender plants.  Now replaced by the cloche.

Berm – A narrow raised ring of soil around a tree, used to hold water so it will be directed to the root zone.
Berm – A designed raised planting area often in front of a house or building.

Berry – A fleshy fruit in which the seed or seeds are buried.

Bicolor - A flower with petals that bears two distinctly different colors.

Biennial - A plant that usually only lives two years, normally producing flowers and seed the second year. 

Bigeneric - A hybrid that is created by crossing two different genera.

Binomial Nomenclature - The current scientific method of naming species of plants and animals.

Biological Pest Control - Using living organisms such as beneficial insects or parasites to destroy garden pests (examples - BT and beneficial nematodes).

Black Spot - A disease on the foliage of roses caused by moisture.  To avoid, plant disease- resistant roses.  Clean up after pruning, can use fungicide during damp weather.  Some use sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) at a rate of one teaspoon to one gallon.  Treat in the morning to prevent sunscald.

Blade – The portion of the leaf, which is divided from the sheath by the collar and ligule.  The length, width, type of tip and roughness or smoothness are a few of the characteristics of various species.   

Blanch - To keep light from the leaves and stems, keeping the plant tissue soft (examples – Belgium Endive, white asparagus, pale rhubarb are grown this way).

Blanching Box – Box constructed to keep light from certain edible crops inside the box.

Bleeding – The abundant loss of sap from severed plant tissues.

Blended – A flower which has one color gradually merged with another.

Blind – Term applied to a mature bulb that produces normal foliage but fails to flower.

Bloom - A natural mealy or waxy coating covering the leaves of some houseplants.
Bloom - A blossom; flower of a seed plant.
Bloom - The natural occurring, delicate, powdery coating on some fruits or leaves.

Bog Plant - Plants that prefer damp and moist soil as their habitat (examples - Pitcher Plants, Venus Fly Traps).

Bole - The area of a tree trunk that is from the ground to the first major branch.

Bolt – To suddenly sprout a stem and bear flowers, often in response to heat or drought.  When lettuce, spinach and other cool-season greens bolt, the leaves become tough and bitter and the crop must be replaced.

Bolting - Annual vegetables or flowers that grow quickly to flowering stage, at the expense of their best overall development and go to seed.  Usually caused by late planting and too warm temperatures. 

Bones-of-the-Garden - In the language of garden design these are the permanent structural elements that give the shape to gardens: paths, walls, steps, fences, trellises, hedges, etc.

Bonsai - The art of growing carefully trained, dwarf plants in containers.

Border – A garden area that may be longer than it is wide, and may be used to divide or separate parts of the landscape.  In a landscape, it is a grouping of plants that border some element (examples: a walkway, a driveway or a lawn).  Borders come in all shapes and styles such as formal, cottage, perennial, shade or whatever meets your needs.

Botanical Name - The Latin scientific name of a plant is its botanical name, usually composed of two words, the genus and the species.  There is only one botanical name per plant so if you want a specific variety, use its botanical name to be sure you are getting what you want.  Common names tend to be confusing.

Botrytis – A group of funguses that cause certain plant diseases; also, a disease caused by such a fungus.

Bottle Garden - A small terrarium created in a bottle.  A miniature eco-system.

Bottom Heat - An arrangement used in propagation.  Usually electric heating cables will run through the base of the propagation medium.  Great for seed germination and cuttings.

Bract - Modified leaves growing just below a flower, often confused with the flower itself.

Broad-leaved Evergreen - An evergreen plant with broad leaves that are not needle-shaped.

Broadcasting - Scattering randomly.

Broadleaf Weed – Any weed belonging to the group of plants called dicotyledons.

Bromeliad – Any member of the pineapple family (Bromeliaceae). 

Brown Rot - A fungus that is a very common disease on fruit.  Buy disease resistant varieties.  Remove all infected parts of the plant (remove infected materials from the garden).

Bud - Early stages of development of a flower or plant growth.

Bud Union (Budding Union) – The part of the stem where the scion joins the stock following propagation by budding.

Budding (Bud Grafting) – This is the union of one bud and a small piece of bark from the scion with a rootstock.  It is especially useful when scion material is limited.  It is also faster and forms a stronger union than grafting. 

Bulb - A storage organ, usually formed below ground level, used for propagation.  True bulbs consist of fleshy scales surrounding the central bud.  (Examples: spring and fall bulbs, such as tulips and daffodils).

Bulbil - An immature small bulb formed on the stem of a plant (example - lily).

Bulblet – A small bulb that develops from a larger bulb.

Bulbous Plant – A somewhat vague term for plants that produce fleshy storage organs at their base.  Included here are bulbs, corms, tubers, etc.   

Bush - A many branched small shrub with no distinct main stems.

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Cactus - pl. {Cactus}, {Cactuses}, {Cacti} Any plant of the order {Cactacae}. They usually have leafless stems and branches, often beset with clustered thorns, and are mostly natives of the warmer parts of America.

Cairns - An ancient art. It involves painstakingly balancing large rocks on small ones, without cement or mortar, to make a decorative abstract tower that makes an interesting feature in gardens.

Calcitic Limestone - A common material used for "liming" soil that has an acid level that is too high.  Calcitic limestone is most commonly used and contains calcium carbonate.

Calcium – (Major Nutrient) Weak growth occurs along with lack of flowering and fruiting when there is calcium deficiency.  Calcium is necessary for plants to form calcium pectate, the compound that binds plant cells together.  Lack of calcium causes blossom-end-rot in tomatoes and certain other vegetables.

Caliche - Soils with a brownish-gray surface that grade down into a layer of hardpan.

Callus - Scar tissue that forms when a plant has been damaged or cut.  When propagating some succulents it is best to have the leaf form a callus to prevent disease and rotting.

Caliper - Refers to the diameter of a tree. In nursery-landscape practice, caliper is measured six-inches above the ground level up to and including four-inch diameter size and twelve-inches above the ground level for larger sizes.

Calyx – The outer circle of floral parts, composed of sepals.

Cambium - The thin membrane located just beneath the bark of a plant.

Campanulate – Bell-shaped.

Candle - Refers to early spring growth of pine shoots before needle expansion.

Cane - A slender, straight, not very woody branch or stem of a plant (examples - bamboo, rose, raspberry and blackberry bushes).

Canopy – The overhead branching area of a tree, including foliage.

Capsule - A dry fruit containing seeds.

Carnivorous Plants - Plants that will trap and digest insects that will supply them with nitrogen.  Most of these plants grow in swamps where it is difficult to obtain nitrogen.

Catkin - A slender, spike-like, drooping flower cluster.

Central Leader - The main stem of the tree from which other branches develop. In most cases, it is the trunk.

Cell Pack – A lightweight tray of molded fiber or, more often, plastic that is divided into many small sections like a muffin tin.  Commonly used to hold potting mix for starting seedlings in a greenhouse or under lights indoors.

CEMAP (Coordinated Education and Marketing Assistance Program) – An industry – university cooperative program in which university and industry leaders partner in the identification of superior landscape plants for Texas and their subsequent promotion in the market place.  Stated purposes of the CEMAP program are to "provide highly effective marketing assistance to growers and retailers, particularly during slower periods of the nursery year" & "ensure that consumers utilize the very best and most environmentally responsible plant materials, products and horticultural techniques."  To date, the program has concentrated on the plant materials and marketing portion of the objectives.

Champain – An expanse of open, level countryside.

Channeled Leaf – A leaf with a distinct V-shaped groove along its length. 

Chelated Iron – Iron in a form immediately available to plants, often in a fertilizer used to treat iron chlorosis.

Chlorophyll - The green pigment in leaves.  When present and healthy, usually dominates all other pigments.

Chlorosis – An unhealthy yellowing of foliage resulting from a deficiency of chlorophyll.

Clay Aggregate - A product that is manufactured exclusively in high tech kilns in Germany and used as a soil replacement on hydroponics.

Climbers - Used to identify plants that climb on supports (examples - climbing roses, vines).

Clinging – A way vines grow and attach to flat surfaces by using roots along their stems or holdfasts.  They can cover the sides of building or walls without requiring a support.

Cloche - This is a cover for protecting plants from the cold.  In the early 19th century it was popular, being bell shaped.  Present day has various shapes.

Clone - A genetically identical group of plants, created from one individual by vegetative propagation.

Club Root - A disease of cabbages and some related vegetables caused by the slime mold fungus.

Clump – A cluster, usually of trees, planted for visual effect in a landscape in the picturesque style. 

Cole Crops - These are members of the cabbage family (examples - broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, collards, kohlrabi).

Collar – The region on the backside of a leaf where the leaf blade and sheath are joined.  Collars may be divided by the midrib or be continuous.  Collar shapes vary from broad to narrow and may have straight or slanted borders.

Colloidal Clay – Clay composed of extremely fine (ultramicroscopic) particles.

Common Name - The name by which plants are known by non-botanists.  Plants that have a short history of cultivation may not have a common name; these names vary from country to country, even from region to region.

Compaction - Often this term comes up when one is talking about new landscaping around a new construction whether a private home site or commercial site.  Compaction is created by heavy machinery squeezing the layers of the soil together.  It is destructive to the composition and structure of the soil.  No longer are there healthy air pockets for roots.  The soil is no longer of good texture for planting.  Often nutrients are washed away due to poor drainage or no drainage at all.

Companion Planting - Different plants that are planted together for the benefit of each other.  Whether it is color or roots deeper to bring up the nutrients for the secondary plant (example - ground covers are great companion plants).

Complementary Colors – Colors located opposite one another on an artist’s color wheel, making the strongest possible color contrast.

Compost - Decomposed organic matter such as what is left after a compost heap has degraded vegetable and plant matter.  An excellent source of organic material for rebuilding and enriching soil.

Compound Flower – A flower composed of florets.

Compound Leaf – A leaf composed of two or more leaflets.

Conifer - A cone-bearing tree with tiny needle-like leaves.

Conservatory - A building built partially or entirely of glass attached to a house/building and where a large number of plants are grown.  Not to be confused with a greenhouse.

Cordate – Heart-shaped.

Corm - A thickened/swollen underground stem base that produces roots, leaves and flowers during the growing season (used for propagation), (example - crocus).

Cormels – These are small buds that can develop around the base of a corm.

Cormlet – A small offset produced at the base of a corm.

Corolla – The petals of a flower, collectively.

Corona – A structure between the corolla and stamen that is found in plants (examples: in narcissuses, Passion-flowers).

Cotyledon - The first set of leaves to grow after a seed has germinated.

County Agent/Extension Agent – Employee of a state’s university who provides information and assistance to farmers and homeowners about agriculture, horticulture, agronomy, soil analysis and pest controls.  Texas AgriLife Extension Service Agents are usually officed in each county seat of the state.

Cover Crop - A crop that is planted in the absence of the normal crop to control weeds and to add humus to the soil; it is plowed in prior to regular planting.

Creeper - Any plants that will make long shoots and grow along the ground (examples - Creeping Fig, Virginia Creeper).

Crock – A piece of broken flowerpot used at the bottom of a container to improve drainage.

Crocking - Any material used in the bottom of containers to provide drainage (examples - shells, rocks, broken pottery, Styrofoam).

Crop - Single kind of vegetation that is cropped, cut, harvested or gathered from a field in a season or part of a season (examples – grains, fruits, vegetables).

Cropping – A harvesting practice.  Only the lower leaves of leafy vegetables are regularly harvested, so the plant will continue to produce.

Cross - To cause plants of different kinds to hybridize, cross-pollinate or the like.

Cross-Pollination – Transference of pollen from the anthers of the flower of one plant to the stigma of the flower of another.

Crotch - The angle developed between two connecting branches.

Crown - The point at which a plants roots and shoot (top) join, usually at or very near the ground level.

Cruciferous – Belonging to the mustard family.  (Cruciferae).

Crust – A relatively dense/heavy soil surface which reduces emergence of seeds.

Culinary Herb - A plant grown for its strong flavor and used to cook with and for salads. Various parts of the plant can be used such as the leaves, flowers, bulbs, etc.

Cultivate - Breaking the topsoil so water and air can penetrate also to help prevent weeds.

Cultivation - The technique of weeding and hoeing for the purpose of increasing the air in the top layers of the soil and to break up the soil so water will penetrate.

Cultivar - Used when determining plant names.  Indicates the variety originated in cultivation and not the wild.  This portion of the name of a plant is usually not Latin.

Cup – A corona that is broader than it is long.

Cut Back (Head Back) – To shorten a branch or stem, most often by pruning it to a point just above a bud or side shoot.  Heading back involves removing the tip of a branch or stem to slow its growth or encourage bushiness. 

Cutting – Parts of a plant - can be a leaf, shoot, bud or roots that have been cut off and then used in propagation.

Cycad - An ancient group of plants that was very abundant in the "age of dinosaurs" (the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods).  There are less than 200 species that survive today and are growing in the warmer regions of the world.  Often thought of as long-lived flowerless plants.  Most are palm or fern-like.

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Damping Off - A fungus, usually affecting young seedlings and causes the stem to rot off at soil level.  The result of soil borne diseases and over watering.  Sterilized potting soil and careful sanitation and water practices usually prevent this.

Dark Dependent Seeds - Seeds that germinate only in darkness, must be covered with soil.

De-Eyeing – A technique that is used to produce a shorter and bushier plant by scraping out the center eye of the bulb.

Dead Head - The process of pinching off used or spent blooms to keep the plants well groomed and to prevent them from setting seed.  This will promote continued bloom.

Deciduous - These are plants that loose their leaves at the end of the growing season, (example - many trees).

Defoliation – The premature falling off of leaves.  May be caused by disease, insects or too much or too little moisture.

Desiccation – Drying out of foliage tissues, usually due to drought or wind.

Desucker  - To remove side shoots or suckers.

Determinate – Determinate flowers are those types that bloom for a definite and restricted period, at approximately the same season every year.  When applied to vegetable crops, "determinate" describes those plants that stop increasing in size when they reach the flowering stage and bear flowers and fruits in a concentrated burst. 

Dethatch – Process of removing dead stems that build up beneath lawn grasses. 

Diatomaceous Cretaceous – Diatomaceous is the adjective of diatoms, a type of hard shelled algae. Cretaceous (from Latin create meaning 'chalk') and named for the extensive beds of chalk (calcium carbonate deposited by the shells of marine invertebrates, principally coccoliths).

Diatomaceous Earth – A dust-like material (composed of the spiny shells of one-celled algae) that can be placed in a ring around a plant.  Snails and slugs do not like to crawl across the tiny sharp particles and they tend to leave those plants alone.

Dibber – A blunt-ended wooden stick used to make holes in the soil for planting small bulbs.

Dibble Stick - A pointed tool used to make holes in the soil for seeds, bulbs or young plants.

Dicotyledons – A plant that has two seed leaves (examples - beans, peas). 

Dieback – A process caused by disease or pests.  It is the death of the tips of branches and shoots.  It can progress until the whole plant dies.

Diocecious - A plant that bears either male or female flowers.

Direct Seeding – Planting seeds directly into the garden.

Disbud – To remove unwanted buds.

Distilled Water - Pure water free from dissolved salts.  Formerly made by distillation, now produced chemically by demineralization.

Dither - A utensil of any kind to make a hole in the ground to drop a seed into.

Division - The process of splitting up plants, roots and all that have begun to get bound together.  A method of propagating plants by separating each one into two or more sections and then repotting or planting. This will make several plants from one plant and usually should be done to mature perennials every 3 to 4 years.  (Perennials are easily propagated this way).

Dormancy - The yearly cycle in a plants life when growth slows and the plant rests.  Fertilizing should be withheld when a plant is in dormancy. Note: Some plants, like spring-blooming bulbs, go dormant in the summer.

Dot Plant – A bulb grown singly or in a small group at the center of a bedding scheme where it is large enough and bold enough to act as a focal point.

Double Digging - Preparing the soil by systematically digging an area to the depth of two shovels.

Double Flower - A flower with many overlapping petals that gives it a very full appearance.  When the whole of the bloom appears to be composed of petals, it is called ‘fully double’ – a ‘semi-double’ flower is the halfway point between a single bloom and a fully double one.

Double Potting - Placing a potted plant in a larger pot with damp peat moss surrounding it.  The peat is kept moist and provides a humid evaporative effect for the potted plant. Used a lot to dress up a working clay pot.

Down – An undulating, trellis upland plain.

Drawn - Referring to the structure of a plant, one that is too tall and has grown too weak, caused by growing in too little light or too close together.  Sometimes found in flats in nurseries.

Drift – A curved, soft-edged clump of plants; the most attractive, naturalistic planting pattern for large flowerbeds and borders.

Drilling – A type of direct seeding.  Seeds are planted in straight lines at the proper depth, but two to three times closer than the plants ultimately will be spaced.  When the seeds come up, the extras are thinned, leaving behind seedlings at the proper spacing.  This technique is good if you don’t know what the seedlings of the vegetable or flower you are planting look like.  The desirable seedlings are in the drills-the weeds are in between.

Drip Irrigation - A trickle irrigation system.  Highly recommended for soaking the soil well and for water conservation.

Drip Line - The circle that would exist if you drew a line below the tips of the outer most branches of a tree or plant.  (Think of it as the outer edge of an umbrella).

Drupe - A type of fruit (examples - plums and cherries).  The fruit wall is fleshy and the outside layer is generally juicy.

Dry Soil Conditions – Achieved when the soil is allowed to dry (pencil or chopstick inserted two thirds into the pot is dry) before watering.

Dwarf - Shorter than its normal growth.  Each family of plants has a height recommendation for dwarfness.

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Early Blight – Fungal disease that causes lower leaves to turn bright yellow, then brown.   Disease first appears about the time the first fruits start to ripen.  Can quickly ruin the entire plant.  Spray with fungicide.

Earth-Kind – To promote environmental awareness, Texas AgriLife Extension Service has implemented a program that combines the best organic and traditional gardening principles to create a new horticultural system.  This is a system based on real-world effectiveness and environmental responsibility.

Edging Plant - On the edge or border of a bed.

Efflorescence - The deposit of calcium and fertilizer salts on the outer surfaces of clay pots.

Elongation Root Zone – Zone behind the meristem of a root.  In this area, cells increase in size through food and water absorption.  These cells, by increasing in size, push the root through the soil. 

Embryo – The rudimentary plant within a seed.

Entrances (see arbor)

Epiphyte (Epiphytic) - A plant that grows on another plant but gets its nourishment from the air and rainfall.  They do not damage the host plant.

Erosion - The wearing away, washing away or removal of soil by wind, water or man.

Escape - A plant that is on its way to becoming naturalized in an area.  Just exactly as it reads, it has escaped from cultivation.

Espalier - Process of training a tree or shrub so its branches grow in a certain pattern.

Established – A newly planted tree, shrub or flower that has begun to produce new growth (either foliage or stems).  This is an indication that the roots have recovered from transplant shock and have begun to grow and spread.

Evaporation - Process by which water returns to the air.  Higher temperatures speed the process of evaporation.

Evapotranspiration - Known at ET, it is the amount of water that transpires through plant leaves combined with the amount that evaporates from the soil in which it is growing.

Everblooming - Flowers on a plant.  These plants will bloom all season.

Evergreen - A plant that never loses all of its leaves at one time.

Everlasting - Flowers that have been grown for drying and preserving.

Exotic - Plants that are native to other parts of the world and have been introduced here.

Eye - An undeveloped bud growth that can ultimately produce new growth (example - potatoes).
Eye - The center of a flower (example - daylilies).

Eye of Seed – The point of attachment where the seed joins the ovary wall or placenta.

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Facultative Saprophyte – A fungus or other organism that ordinarily lives on dead organic material but has the ability to exist also as a parasite on living plants.

Fall – One of the outer petals of an iris.

Family - One genus or several genera that have basically similar floral pattern make up a family.  Examples: LILLACEAE (lily), ROSACEAE (rose), ORCHIDACEAE (orchid).

Fangy – Forked (of roots).

Fasciation - This affects many herbaceous and woody plants.  This is a genetic mutation or imbalance in growth caused by absorption of an herbicide.  Remove all effected stems.

Fastigiated – Narrow, with erect branches that are close together.

Feathered – A petal on which there are feather-like markings on a ground color that is distinctly different.

Fertilisation – The application of pollen to the stigma to induce the production of seed.

Fertilizer - Inorganic or organic plant foods that may be either liquid or granular used to amend the soil in order to improve the quality or quantity of plant growth.

Field Grown - Grown in the field, as opposed to root cuttings that are grown in pots in greenhouses.

Filament – The supporting column of the anther.  It is the lower part of the stamen.

Filling – Building up the level of low-lying land with material such as soil.

Flaked – A flower with petals bearing broad stripes running inwards from the edges.

Flamed – A feathered petal that bears a distinct central band.

Flat - A shallow box or tray used to start cuttings or seedlings.

Floating Row Cover – A row cover made of material so light that when loosely draped over a row, the plants themselves push it upward as they grow.

Floret – A tiny flower, usually one of many forming a cluster.

Flore Pleno - A botanical term describing a flower with extra petals.

Flower Scape – A leafless flower stalk that grows directly from the soil (example- tulips).

Foliar – Of or about foliage-usually refers to the practice of spraying foliage, as in fertilizing or treating with insect-control aids; leaf tissues absorb liquid directly for fast results and the soil is not affected.

Foliar Feeding - Fertilizer applied in liquid form and in a fine spray to the foliage of plants.  This is a process that may hasten a plants growth to maturity or bloom.

Folly – A garden building built primarily for visual effect to "fool" the eye.

Forcing - The process of making a plant grow or flower before its natural season.  Usually done indoors (example - Paperwhites).

Formal Bedding – A bed or border in which the plants are arranged in a geometrical pattern.

Found Plants – Plants sometimes located in unexpected areas they can be native species or have adapted to their present location, look at selecting superior clones and perhaps, shed light on some forgotten, but useful heirloom varieties.

Foundation Planting - Any plant that is used around a building for the purpose of making it look more esthetically pleasing.  In earlier days it was used to cover the foundation.  (Note: Foundation plantings should be chosen carefully to add and not detract from the beauty of the building).

Friable – Loose and crumbly.

Frond - The term used to describe the branch and leaf structure of a fern or members of the palm family.

Frost - The freezing and condensation of moisture in the air.  Tender plants will suffer extensive damage or die when exposed to frost.  Frost dates are important to know for your zone.

Frost Hardy - Plants that are able to survive winter frosts without damage to their leaves (example - evergreens), or damage to dormant stems, buds or roots (example - deciduous plants).  Very much relative to geographic areas.

Frost Tender - These plants will be damaged or killed by even the lightest of winter frosts.  Most evident would be tropical plants stretched to a colder zone.

Fruit Fly - A small insect pest that will lay its eggs beneath the surface of developing fruits.  The larvae will then grow quickly and exit through holes in the fruit/vegetable causing rot.

Fungicide - A chemical used to control diseases caused by fungi (examples - mildew, damping off and rust).

Fungus - A primitive form of plant life.  It is not vascular and non-photo synthetic organism (examples - powdery mildew, sooty mold, mushrooms).

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Gall – An abnormal growth or swelling caused by insects, funguses or other organisms.

Gardening Aid – Any substance, product, material, insect, barrier, compound or control utilized by gardeners to achieve their goals.  This includes fertilizers, beneficial insects, insect controls, weed controls, disease controls, baits and traps.

Genus - Used when naming plants.  Genus is the plant equivalent of our surnames.  When followed by the name of the "species," you have its botanical name.  Almost always in Latin.  Note: Genera is the plural of genus.

Germinate - The process of the sprouting of a seed.

Girdling - The choking of a branch by a wire or other material, most often in the stems of woody plants that have been tied too tightly to a stake or support.

Glabrous – Smooth, hairless.

Glade – Open, grassy area surrounded by woods.

Glaucous – Having a blue-green waxy surface (a bloom).

Glochids - Tiny, still hairs with barbs found in cacti.

Glyphosate (Roundup) – A systemic weed and grass herbicide, has become popular because of its ability to kill persistent perennials such as bermudagrass and Johnsongrass. But glyphosate can kill plants if there is significant contact with leaves or green bark. Spray drift as well as direct spray contact is dangerous, so apply glyphosate or other contact herbicides when there is little or no wind and shield small plants.

Graft Union – The point on the stem of a woody plant with sturdier roots where a stem from a highly ornamental plant is inserted so that it will join with it.  (Examples: roses and fruit trees are commonly grafted).

Grafting - The uniting of a short length of stem of one plant onto the rootstock of a different plant.  This is often done to produce a hardier or more disease resistant plant.

Gray Mold – A fungus disease characterized by the grayish moldy appearance of affected parts.

Green Manure - A crop that is grown and then incorporated into the soil to increase soil fertility or organic matter content.  Usually turned over into the soil a few weeks before new planting begins.  (Example - rye grass).

Greensand - A sediment composed of grains of glauconite mingled with clay or sand used as an organic fertilizer.

Ground Color – The main or background color of a petal.

Ground Cover - A group of plants usually used to cover bare earth and create a uniform appearance.  A plant used to provide a low-growing carpet between other plants.

Growing Habit - A direction or shape a plant takes as it grows.

Growing Season - The period of time from the last frost date in spring to the first frost date in the fall.  Vegetables and certain plants require a certain amount of days to reach maturity.  Make sure your growing season is long enough.

Growth Regulator – A chemical that speeds or slows growth.

Gugulio – An obelisk this is, a tapering column of stone, square or rectangular rather than cylindrical, and topped by a pyramid; often acting as a fountain.

Gymnosperms – All cone-bearing plants are in this category. 

Gynoecium – The entire female portion of a flower.

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Ha-Ha – A sunken fence, that is, a ditch with one slopping side and one vertical side into which is built a retaining wall, a ha-ha creates a barrier for animals while allowing an unbroken view of the landscape.

Habitat - The environment in which a plant is usually found growing, climate and soil play into this.

Half-Hardy – Able to withstand occasional light frost, but damaged or killed by prolonged exposure to subfreezing temperatures. The term is not precise because some half-hardy plants can be left outdoors in winter in mild regions of the country.

Hard Cut (Cut Back or Prune Hard) – Severely, as when cutting branches or trunks back by a half or more. 

Hardening Off - The process of gradually acclimatizing greenhouse or indoor plants to outdoor growing conditions.

Hardiness - When a plant has the ability to withstand low temperatures or frost without artificial protection.

Hardpan - The impervious layer of soil or clay lying beneath the topsoil sometimes created by construction.  Water will run off and plant roots cannot penetrate the layer.  Can be broken up.

Hardscape - Includes any garden feature that is not a plant.  (Examples: birdbaths, decks, fences, trellises, benches, patios, etc.)

Hardy – Able to withstand the coldest winter temperatures and the hottest summer temperatures in a given location without protection.

Hardware Cloth – Fine wire mesh.

Harrow – To break up the soil surface by dragging over it an implement (harrow) designed for this purpose.

Haustorium – Root-like sucker of parasitic plants.

Heading Back (Head Back) - Cutting an older branch or stem back, Note: Do not leave a stub.

Heartwood – The harder and usually darker-colored wood that forms the interior portion of a tree trunk or branch.

Hedge - Suitable trees, shrubs or bushes planted relatively close together so that the branches will intertwine to provide a barrier fence for a windbreak or privacy.  Hedges can be any height or width depending on the plant material used.  Generally they are long-lived species.

Hedge Row - A row of plant material suitable for hedges (examples - shrubs and trees).

Heel Cutting - A short, side branch taken as a cutting with a small piece of the main stem.  (Example - often taken with old rose cuttings).

Heeling In - Temporarily setting a plant into a shallow trench and covering the roots with soil to provide protection until it is ready to be permanently planted.

Heirloom Plants – The plants grown by our ancestors are heirloom, or living antiques, because they are tangible symbols of success for generations of Southern gardeners.  Many have been lovingly handed down from generation to generation within and among the families that contribute cultural diversity and richness to our gardens.  The fact that these plants have been time-tested in our Southern climate and soils over a long period makes their use in today’s gardens a compelling choice.  In addition to being adapted and easy to grow, many of these plants add fragrance, color and historical importance to our gardens. To earn the name "heirloom" a plant must be at least 100 years old and have been pollinated naturally, such as by wind or insects.

Herb - A plant grown for its medicinal or flavoring qualities or its scent.

Herbaceous - Describes plants soft rather than woody tissues.  The upper parts will die back at the end of the growing season.  It generally refers to perennials.  Note: Gertrude Jekyll invented the term.

Herbaceous Perennials – Plants that live from year to year without producing woody stems.

Herbarium – A collection of dried specimens and a research center.  It is a special kind of museum. 

Herbicide – Any compound, product or other gardening aid used to control, abate or kill unwanted plants.

Heteroecious – Refers to seed-bearing plants that die to the ground each year, commonly used when describing perennials.

High-Analysis Fertilizer – A fertilizer containing high proportions of nutrient elements.

High Light – For houseplants, east or west window, south window in winter, 500 to 1,000 foot-candles.  High light for houseplants outdoors means 4 to 6 hours of direct sun, preferably morning.  

Hills – Raised mounds formed in a type of direct seeding.  They are planted with several seeds per hill.

Hirsute – Covered with stiff or coarse hairs.

Hoe (Scuffle) – A tool operated in a to-and-fro motion with blade just below the soil surface.

Horticulture - The art and science of gardening.  Commercial horticulture can include fruit, flower, vegetable and the nursery industry.

Horticultural Oil - This includes both a dormant oil and a summer weight oil - used to smother eggs and developing insects on trees and ornamentals.  The heavier oils are used in the late winter or very early spring, making sure the temperatures are over 40-degrees F. but before the plant leafs out.  The lighter summer oil can be used anytime the temperature is below 85-degrees F.

Hotbed – A bed of soil heated by fermenting material, hot water pipes or electric heating cables.

Hot Caps – Small paper or plastic tents used for protecting young plants.

House Plants - Plants that are grown in containers inside the home.

Humus - The brown or black organic part of the soil resulting from the partial decay of leaves and other matter.

Hybrid - The offspring of two plants of different species or varieties of plants.  Hybrids are created when the pollen from one kind of plant is used to pollinate an entirely different variety, resulting in a completely new plant.

Hydraulic Seeding – A method of sowing grass seed by spraying it in a stream of water. 

Hydroponics - The science of growing plants in mineral solutions or liquid instead of in soil.

Hyphae – The threadlike filaments that form the vegetative part of a fungus.

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Imbricate – Closely overlapping.

Impeller – The part of a water pump that moves the water.

Indeterminate - Being able to grow for an indefinite period of time.  Indeterminate flowers are capable of blooming repeatedly throughout the growing season.  Indeterminate plants continue to increase in size after flowering begins, and bear flowers and fruit until the end of their growing season.

Indigenous - Plant species that are native to that region.  These plants are believed to be growing in the wild at least for the span of human history. 

Inflorescence - The arrangement of flowers on the stems, basically, a flower head.  A complete flower cluster.

Informal Bedding – A bed or border in which the plants are arranged in an irregular way without any attempt to create straight lines or geometrical patterns.

Inorganic (Inorganic Fertilizer) - A chemical or fertilizer that is not obtained from a source that is or has been alive.

Insect Vectors – Insects that carry and distribute disease-causing microorganisms.

Insecticide - A synthetic or organic chemical used to kill or repel insects.  Note: Always read and follow label directions.

Insectivorous Plant - Another term for carnivorous plants.  Plants that will trap and digest insects that will supply them with nitrogen.  Most of these plants grow in swamps where it is difficult to obtain nitrogen.

Insitu - The act of sowing seeds or cuttings in the ground where they are to grow

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - A method by which gardeners can learn to manage and eradicate pests by choosing appropriate plants, providing good growing conditions and minimizing pests.

Intercropping – A way of maximizing production from vegetable beds.   Vegetables that are spaced relatively far apart such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts do not fully occupy the bed early in their season.  The bed space between the plants can be used to grow a quick-maturing crop such as radishes or lettuce that will be harvested and gone by the time larger plants begin to cover those spaces.

Internodes – The part of the stem between one node and another.

Interplanting - Mixing two or more plants, tall or short, for foliage difference.

Invasive - The ability of a plant to spread quickly and will crowd out other plantings.  Great for a ground cover but dangerous for a well kept, under control garden bed.

Iron – (Minor Nutrient) Leaves turn bright yellow and show green veins, most prominently on the newest growth when there is iron deficiency.  This symptom is most common in alkaline soil where the pH is well above 7.0.

Iron Chlorosis – An iron deficiency most common in acid-loving plants.  Leaves turn a yellow-green color, while the veins of the leaves stay dark green.

Irrigation – The process of applying water to a plant.

Island Bed – A freestanding garden bed that can be viewed from all sides.

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Joint – The point on the stem where a leaf or bud arises. (Node).

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Keel – A ridge growth on a part of a plant, like the keel of a boat.

Kernel - The edible part of a nut, vegetable, etc.  (Examples - nuts, corn).

Knot Garden – A small, rectangular garden, developed in Tudor times that consists of a geometric pattern, or knot, laid out in dwarf plants such as boxwood, rosemary or yaupon hollies.

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Lanceolate – Spear-shaped.

Lanky – Spindly growth – a stem with a gaunt and sparse appearance.

Larva – The immature stage of some insects, popularly known as a caterpillar, maggot or grub.

Lateral - A branch originating from the main trunk.

Lath - In gardening, an overhead structure of evenly spaced slats of wood or other materials used to create shade.

Layering - A method of propagation, by which a branch of a plant is rooted while still attached to the plant by securing it to the soil with a piece of wire or other means.

Leaching - The removal or loss of excess salts or nutrients from soil.  The soil around over-fertilized plants can be leached clean by large quantities of fresh water used to "wash" the soil.  Areas of extremely high rainfall sometimes lose the nutrients from the soil by natural leaching. 

Leader - The main growing shoot of a sapling, it eventually will become the trunk of the tree.

Leaf – One of the lateral outgrowths of a stem of a plant.

Leaf Mold - Partially decomposed leaf matter, can be used as a soil amendment.

Leaflet - A leaf-like section of a compound leaf, usually small in stature.

Leggy - This is tall and spindly growth, not usual to the growth habit of the plant.  It is often seen because of the lack of light

Legume - A plant whose roots form an association with soil borne bacteria that can capture atmospheric nitrogen.  (Example - soybeans).

Lifting – Digging up and removing a plant from the soil.

Light – Movable part of a cold frame.

Ligule – A protruding structure from the upper surface of the leaf where the blade and the sheath are joined.  This structure may be membranous, a fringe of hairs or a membrane with hairs.  The ligule can vary in both shape and size and may also be absent.  

Limbing Up - Pruning off the lower limbs of trees, usually for ease of walking underneath or admitting sunlight.

Lime – Ground limestone used to add calcium to the soil and to raise its pH level or make it more alkaline.  Dolomite lime adds both calcium and magnesium.

Linear – Very narrow with parallel sides.

Loam - A rich soil composed of clay, sand and organic matter.

Lobe – A partial division or segment of a leaf or other organ.

Low Light – For houseplants, north window, and 75 to 200-foot candles.  Low light for houseplants outdoors means no direct sun.

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Manganese – (Minor Nutrient) Leaf yellowing occurs when there is manganese deficiency.

Magnesium – (Major Nutrient) Symptoms vary among plant species, but plant growth is rigid with leaves curling upward when there is magnesium deficiency.

Manure – Organic matter, excreted by animals, that is used as a soil amendment and fertilizer.  Note: Best to let this "age" rather than use fresh.

Marginal Plant – Plants that will grow on the edges of ponds or lakes and when cultivated, will make nice plants around a water garden.

Master Gardeners  (Texas Master Gardeners, Parker County Master Gardeners) – The Texas Master Gardener program is an educational activity offered by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, the Texas A&M University System.  The program is designed to increase the availability of horticultural information and extend horticultural projects throughout the community.  These goals are implemented through the training and employment of local volunteers known as Master Gardeners.

The Master Gardener program provides invaluable training and educational opportunities.  Professional and amateur horticulturists, as well as persons simply seeking up-to-date horticultural information, can advance their gardening expertise, plus gain self-satisfaction through volunteer efforts.  The volunteer aspect of the Master Gardener program allows individuals to dedicate their time and talents to enhancing the quality of life for citizens of their community using the science and art of horticulture.

Maturation Root Zone – Zone where the cells of a root undergo changes to become specific tissues, such as epidermis, cortex or vascular tissue.

Medium Light – For houseplants, south window in summer, 200 to 500 foot-candles.  Medium light for houseplants outdoors means minimal direct sun (in the early morning).

Melting Out – A condition in which herbaceous plants suddenly collapses, wither up and die.  Sometimes the dead tissue is slimy to the touch.

Meristem Root Zone – A major internal part of a root, this is at the tip and manufactures new cells; it is an area of cell division and growth.

Microclimate – Variations of the climate within a given area, usually influenced by hills, hollows, structures or proximity to bodies of water.

Microorganisms – Animals and plants that are too small to be seen clearly with the naked eye but are the soil enablers helping to improve the dirt.

Micro Nutrients – Mineral elements that are needed by some plants in very small quantities.  If the plants you are growing require specific "trace elements" and they are not available in the soil, they must be added.

Midrib – The central rib or vein of a leaf or other organ.

Mildew – A fungus.  Two common types are downy and powdery.  It leaves a white coating on the leaves and is common to crepe myrtle, zinnias, grapes, bee balm, roses, etc.  It shows up in cool, wet weather.  Drip irrigation can prevent some occurrence.   Plant disease resistant varieties.

Mist Propagation – The ideal method of propagation in a greenhouse or place with good circulation, using automatic misters.

Mixed Border – Various selections in plantings, with care and planning, this can be very attractive.  If it is haphazard, it can be unattractive and unpleasing to the eye.  A mixed border is a grouping that combines several types of plants, such as ornamental trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, bulbs and groundcovers. 

Moist Soil Conditions – Achieved when the soil is allowed to dry slightly (feels dry when finger is inserted about 1-inch) before watering.

Mollusca – Snails, slugs, clams.

Monocotyledon – A plant with a single seed leaf (example – a leaf of grass).

Monoecious – A plant that bears both male and female flowers.

Morphology – The science that deals with the form and structure of plants.

Mosaic Virus – A type of virus that produces a mosaic pattern or mottling of the foliage.  It also causes squash and other fruits of vegetables to have a mottled appearance.  Fruit is still edible.

"Mother" Bulb – A mature bulb that has developed offset bulbs.

Mother Plant – A plant from which propagations are taken.

Mouth – The open end of a bell-shaped or tubular flower.

Mulch – Any loose material placed over the soil to control weeds and conserve soil moisture.  Usually this is a coarse organic matter (examples - leaves, clippings, or bark) but plastic sheeting and other commercial products can also be used.

Multicolored – A flower bearing at least three distinctly different colors.

Multi-Purpose Compost – A peat-based compost that can be used for seed sowing, potting up plants and for filling hanging baskets and other containers.

Multiple Stemmed Plants - Plants with more than one stem form the base compared to plants with only a central leader.

Mutation – Any change in a plant that will lead to a new feature.  Fortunately or unfortunately, this can be inherited.

Mycorrhize -A naturally occurring fungus that becomes an extension of the plant roots. It’s a symbiotic relationship where the fungi pull water and nutrient from the soil for the plant while feeding off the plant’s sugars. Push back the top layer of soil in your flowerbeds and if you see white stripes then you have succeeded. Mycorrhize in the soil can bolster plants through stressful periods. To increase the amount of mycorrhize in the soil either apply mycorrhiza like fertilizer or amend the existing dirt with a commercial soil mix that included mycorrhize.

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N: P: K – Shorthand for the nitrogen, phosphate, and potash content of a fertilizer.

Narrow-leaved Evergreen - An evergreen plant with leaves that are needle-shaped.

Native Plant – Any plant that occurs and grows naturally in a specific region or locality.

Natural Layering – The spontaneous rooting of stems in contact with the ground.

Naturalize – To plant randomly, without a pattern.  The idea is to create the effect that the plants grew in that space without human help (example – wildflowers). 

Naturalized – Plants that will behave like native plants in a given geological region.  Bulbs naturalize nicely and lend themselves to a blooming statement.

Nectar – The sweet fluid produced by glands on flowers that attract pollinators such as hummingbirds or honeybees, for whom it is a source of energy.

Nematode – One of a group of very small wormlike creatures (example – eelworms).

Neutral Soil – This is neither acid nor alkaline: pH 6.5 – 7.5.

Nitrates – Certain salts of nitric acid, which are used as oxidizing agents in the manufacture of fertilizers.

Nitrogen (N) – (Major Nutrient) Foliage becomes increasingly yellow in color as the nitrogen deficiency symptoms progress.  At flowering time, nitrogen moves out of leaf tissue and concentrates in blossoms or fruit.  Older leaves wither and die.

Nitrogen Carrier – A material, usually a fertilizer that contains the element nitrogen.

Node – The part of a stem from which a leaf or new branch starts to grow.

Nose – The tip of a bulb.

Nurse Grass – A quick-growing grass, temporary grass included in some lawn-seed mixtures to give rapid coverage to protect the more permanent grasses from soil erosion and other adverse conditions.

Nurseryman – One who is state certified to practice growing techniques of plant material making the proper selection for specific needs.

Nutsedge – Also called "nutgrass," this is one of the most tenacious weeds of American gardens.  It is actually not a true grass (it has triangular stems typical of the lower sedges, where grass stems are always round); therefore, conventional grass killers are not very effective on it.

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Obelisk – An upright, four-sided tapered pillar that terminates in a pyramid; it may be inscribed or plain, and it is often placed prominently in the center of a pool, at the crown of a hill or at the end of a terrace walk.

Obovate – The reverse of ovate; oval with the point of attachment at the small end.

Offset – A young plantlet that appears on a mature plant.  An offset can generally be detached and used for propagation (examples - Spider Plants, Walking Iris).

Open Pollinated – Any plant that has been pollinated in the field, in direct contrast to hybrid varieties that will grow true to variety, the plants produced will be true to the parents.

Opposite – Leaves or buds that are borne in pairs along the stem.  Compare alternate.

Orangery – A building, usually with large and numerous windows, built to house potted orange trees during the winter, the trees are moved outside during the warmer months.

Organic Fertilizer – A fertilizer containing carbon compounds. 

Organic Gardening – The method of gardening utilizing only materials derived from living things (examples: composts and manures).

Organic Material (Organic Matter) – Any material that originated as a living organism   (examples: peat moss, compost, manure).  It is carbon-based material capable of undergoing decomposition and decay.

Ornamental – A plant that is grown strictly for its foliage or flower rather than for food or any other economic use (example – Saucer Magnolia).

Osmosis – Diffusion through a semi-permeable membrane; thus moisture is taken up by roots and carried from cell to cell throughout the plant.

Ovary – The part of the female organ of the flower, which contains the ovules.

Over Potting – Repotting a plant into a pot that is too large to allow successful establishment.  The roots may die from too much moisture.

Over Seeding – Planting on top of an existing garden or lawn.  (Examples - rye grass over lawns for winter, wildflower seeds in meadows).

Overwinter – To provide conditions that enable plants to live through the winter.

Ovule – Female reproductive element within the ovary which, when fertilized, becomes a seed.

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Palmate Leaf – Five or more lobes arising from one point (hand-like).

Pan (Hardpan) - A layer of hard, impervious material below the soil surface.

Panicle – A loosely branched flower head.

Parasitic Plant – A plant that lives on and acquires its nutrients from another plant.  This often results in declined vigor or death of the host plant.

Parterre – A flat area decorated with flowerbeds, often in elaborate shapes and usually outlined with a low hedge, intended to be viewed from overhead.

Pass Along Plants – Plants that are shared between friends and not easily found in catalogs.  Usually some plant from an older garden.

Partial Shade (Sunlight Requirement) – Only three to four hours of full sun or dappled shade each day.   Early morning sun is usually the best for this requirement in our area.

Pathogen – A disease-causing organism, usually microscopic.

Peat Moss – The partially decomposed remains of various mosses.  This is a good water retentive addition to the soil but tends to add to the acidity of the soil.   (Peat sedges (United States) or sphagnum mosses (Canada).

Pebble Tray – A tray filled with pebbles to create humidity in the environment.  Continual evaporation will take place up and around the plants.

Pedicel – The stalk of an individual flower.

Peduncle – The main stem of a flower or flower cluster.

Pegging Down – This is a time consuming method but well worth the display and generally done in the fall.  Instead of pruning, spread the runners and fasten them to the soil with wire loops.  Basically you are training the plant horizontally.   Note: A very effective way to increase flower production on Bonbon & Hybrid Perpetual roses that send up long shoots with oily flowers on the end.

Peltate – Term used to describe a leaf that has its stalk attached to the center of the leaf (example – lotus).

Perennial – A non-woody plant that grows and lives for more than two years often will live for three years or more under normal conditions.  Perennials usually produce one flower crop each year, lasting anywhere from a week to a month or longer.

Perfoliate – Paired leaves that fuse around the stem.

Pergola - A pergola is basically a structure comprised of wooden beams arranged horizontally to each other and supported by other stronger wooden beams. This structure is then supported by vertical pillars of brick or timber. They can be free standing or built against another structure such as a house or shed. They are usually found in a rear garden or in the case of free standing pergolas in parks or other areas of scenic beauty.

Perianth – The sheath that holds both petals and sepals of a flower.

Perianth Segment – See tepal.

Pericarp – The wall of a fruit.

Perithecium – Receptacle that contains spores.

Perlite – Granular volcanic rock which when expanded by a heating process forms light granules. Used to improve the aeration in potting soil, no nutrient value.  Perlite is a good addition to container potting mixes, to promote moisture retention while allowing good drainage.

Permanent Branch - A branch that is part of the major growth habit of the tree, usually originating from the trunk.

Permanent Planting – Establishing a group of bulbs in bed or border and then letting the bulbs grow and increase without disturbance for at least several years. 

Pest – Any insect or animal that is detrimental to the health and well being of plants or other animals.

Petal – One of the divisions of the corolla – generally the showy part of the flower.

Petaloid – Term applied to organs that assume the form of petals (examples - stamens in double flowers).

Petiole – Leaf stem.

pH - The scale where the acidity and alkalinity of soil is measured.  It starts at "1" for acid and goes to "14" for alkali.  Basically pH is a measure of the amount of lime (calcium) contained in your soil.  A soil with a pH lower than 7.0 is an acid soil, a soil pH higher than 7.0 is alkaline soil.  Most gardens will fall between 5.5 – 8.6.  Soil pH can be tested with an inexpensive test kit.

Phloem – A complex tissue in higher plants.  These serve for the conduction of food materials throughout the plant. 

Phosphorus (P) – (Major Nutrient) Dark green foliage with stunted growth occurs, root  development is slowed, a purplish color may appear on leaves and especially on veins, flowering is reduced and maturity is delayed when there is phosphorus deficiency.      

Photoperiodism – The response of plants to the length of a day and night (examples: poinsettias, cactus, night blooming flowers).

Photosynthesis – The internal process by which a plant turns sunlight into growing energy.  The formation of carbohydrates in plants from water and carbon dioxide, by the action of sunlight on the chlorophyll within the leaves.

Pinching Back – Utilizing the thumb and forefinger to nip back the very tip of a branch or stem.  Pinching promotes branching and a bushier, fuller plant.

Pinnate – Leaf veins extend laterally from the midrib to the edge.

Pistil – The seed-bearing organ of a flower, consisting of the ovary, stigma and style.

Plant Band – Small "circlet" of paper or other material inserted usually in seed flats to separate young plants and facilitate later transplanting.

Plant Out – To transplant from a container, or from indoors, into the garden. 

Plant Patent Numbers – This generally is a catalog referral phrase.  For the general gardener, it may not be important but new plants can be patented.  This is a protection for the owner who created the "new" plant.

Platyhelminthes – Insects, spiders, crayfish, millipedes. 

Plug – A small but well-rooted seedling raised in a cellular tray for covering large areas as in groundcovers or lawns.

Plunging – The insertion of a planted-up container into a trench in winter and then covering with peat or sand.

Pocket Gardens – A small growing area planted with miniature and dwarf varieties.

Pollen – The yellow dust produced by the anthers, the male element that fertilized the ovule.

Pollination – The transfer of pollen from the stamen (male part of the flower), to the pistil (female part of the flower), that results in the formation of a seed.  Hybrids are created when the pollen from one kind of plant is used to pollinate an entirely different variety, resulting in a new plant altogether.

Polychromatic Garden – A garden of flowers in mixed colors; a multicolored garden.

Polyethylene – A plastic that permits the passage through it of air and other gases but not of moisture.

Pot Bound – A plant growing in a pot that is too small to allow proper leaf and stem growth.  Roots will start to grow in a circle in the pot.  Repotting is necessary.

Potassium (K) – (Major Nutrient) Stunting occurs in young plants and marginal leaf tissue breaks down in older plants, marginal leaf spotting may occur, severely affected plants have a dull green color and  flowering level is reduced when there is potassium deficiency.

Potpourri – A mixture of sweet smelling leaves, petals, blooms, spices, etc. to create a "perfume" type fragrance.

Potting On – The transfer of a plant from its pot into a larger one.

Potting Soil – A soil mixture designed for use in container gardens and potted plants.  Potting mixes should be loose, light and sterile.

Pre-Emergent – A weed-control substance applied to beds, lawns etc. before weed seeds sprout.  It will suppress the growth of weeds and is sometimes called a "weed preventer."

Primary Root – Originates at the lower end of the embryo of a seedling plant.

Privacy Screens (see arbor)

Proliferation – Multiplication of growth in excess of that which is normal. 

Propagation – Various methods of starting new plants ranging from starting seeds to identical clones created by cuttings or layering.

Propagules – Buds, shoots or runners capable of being used for propagation. 

Pruning – Cutting off leaves or branches within limits in order to remove dead or diseased foliage or branches.  Also used to control or direct growth, increase quality or yield of flowers or fruit and to ensure growth of main branches to enhance structural strength.  The cutting and trimming of plants to remove dead or injured wood or to control and direct the new growth of a plant.

Pseudobulb – The swollen storage organ at the base of the stem of many Orchids.

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Quincunx – An arrangement of five objects, usually trees, with one at each corner of a rectangle and one at the center; this basic structure unit is often multiplied to create a larger pattern and plantations of trees in this pattern may be identified by the same term.

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Radial Branch Spacing - The distribution of branches around the trunk of a tree.

Raised Bed – A bed with its surface above ground level and enclosed by a retaining wall of stone, brick, wood, etc.

Receptacle (of flowers) – The widened end of the stem that bears the parts of a flower.

Reed – Tall grasses that grow in shallow water.

Reflexed – A petal or tepal that is bent back.

Repotting – The transfer of a plant, bulb, etc. from its pot into one of a similar size or larger and with fresh soil.

Resistant Variety – A plant variety with natural or inbred ability to suffer less damage from a particular pest or disease than other plants of its kind.

Respiration – The process by which living organisms "breath," absorbing oxygen and giving off waste products (particularly carbon dioxide).

Retaining Wall – A wall that has been built on a slope to keep the soil from sliding or eroding.  It will stabilize the area.

Relative Humidity – The measurement of the amount of moisture in the atmosphere.

Rhizome – A modified plant stem that grows horizontally, under the surface of the soil.  New growth then emerges from different points of the rhizome.  (Examples - irises and some lawn grasses are rhizome plants).

Rhizomorph – A root-like branched strand of fungus.

Ring Spots – Circular markings on foliage resulting from fungus, virus or other causes.

Rock Garden – An area constructed of larger rocks arranged to look natural.  Usually landscaped with plants that generally do not need a lot of care.

Rockwool – This really is the state of the art rooting medium and is used in plant propagation.  It is alkaline and one will have to compensate for this.

Root Ball – The network of roots along with the attached soil, of any given plant.

Root Bound (Pot Bound) – A condition that exists when a potted plant has outgrown its container.  The roots become entangled and matted together and the growth of the plant becomes stunted.  When repotting, loosen the roots on the outer edges of the root ball, to induce them to once again grow outward.

Root Cap – The outermost tip of the root and consist of cells that are sloughed off as the root grows through the soil.  The meristem (the area of cell division) is behind the root cap and is protected by it.

Root Cortex – These cells are involved in the movement of water from the epidermis and from food storage. 

Root Epidermis – The outermost layer of cells surrounding the root.  These cells are responsible for the absorption of water and minerals dissolved in water.

Root Flare – The transition at the base of a tree trunk where the bark tissue begins to differentiate and roots begin to form just before entering the soil.  This area should not be covered with soil when planting a tree.

Root Hairs – Found along the main root and perform much of the actual water nutrient absorption.

Root Pruning – This is done in two instances.   One when repotting from one pot to another, roots that have grown in a circle are trimmed to promote future growth.  Also, when planting into the garden or landscape, a plant that needs root trimming.

Root Vascular Tissue – Located in the center of the root and conducts food and water.

Rooting Hormone – A chemical in powder or liquid form that promotes the formation of roots at the base of a cutting.  Contains hormones and anti-fungus growth prohibitors.

Roots – A slender stem growing out from the base of some plants, which terminates with a new offset plant.  The new plant may be severed from the parent after it has developed sufficient roots.

Roots – When a tree germinates, the first (PRIMARY) root grows down in the soil in response to gravity.  SECONDARY roots then branch off horizontally, with subsequent branching into TERTIARY roots, etc. Absorption of water and mineral nutrients is the function of the very fine, non-woody roots the FEEDER roots.  With continued growth, each root will lose its ability for absorption.  These larger WOODY roots then function as the transport system for water and nutrients from the new feeder roots to the stem.  They are also the tree’s system of anchorage and a food storage area.  The resulting system thus consists of several main TRANSPORT roots that extend radially and horizontally from the tree base and divide into ever smaller roots, each ending in a dense mass of fine feeder roots.

Rootstock – The roots and stems arise from this part of the plant.

Rosette – Cluster of leaves crowded on a stem and spreading in all directions.

Rotate – To change the location each year (usually in a 3 to 4 year cycle) in which a particular vegetable crop is grown, to reduce the threat from soil-borne diseases.  

Rotenone – Material used by some organic gardeners.  It is derived from the roots of tropical legumes.  It does break down in sunlight and the side effect is that it can be toxic to good and bad insects.  It is also toxic to fish so use extreme care about run off water when using.

Row Covers – Any type of semitransparent materials used to cover plants, trap heat, enhance growth and provide protection from frost or winds. Usually made from polypropylene or polyester. Commercial growers sometimes use this method, too

Runner – A creeping stem that produces small plantlets along its length.  Sometimes called a stolen.

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Sapwood – The more recently formed wood of a dicotyledonous tree.

Scaffold Branches – The main branches of a tree.

Scales – The fleshy modified leaves that make up a bulb.

Scape – A leafless flower stem that will grow directly from the base of the stem very common in bulbs.

Scarify – To scratch or break the hard coat of some seeds, so they will root easily.  Fine sandpaper can be used or just soaking some seeds will do the trick.

Scientific Name – The internationally recognized Latin name of a plant that is descriptive of the feature of the plant or will commemorate a person connected with it.  The name of the species will consist of two parts, the genus name and the species name. This was first started in 1753 by a Swedish botanist, Linnaeus. 

Scion – A short length of stem, taken from one plant that is then grafted onto the rootstock of another plant. 

Scooping – (De-eyeing) – A technique that is used to produce a shorter and bushier plant by scraping out the center eye of the bulb.

Seed – The reproductive unit of a flowering plant.

Seed Drill – A shallow trench where seed is sown or an implement for making seed drills.

Seed Head – Dried, inedible fruit that contains seeds.

Self-Colored – A flower that bears a single color throughout.

Self-Seeded – (Self Sowing) – A plants habit of shedding seeds in the immediate area.  They will then germinate without outside help.  Many annuals use self-seeding (examples: cleome, marigolds).

Semi-Double – A halfway point between a single bloom and a double one.  In most cases there are two rows of petals.

Semi-evergreen- A plant that tends to be evergreen in a mild climate but deciduous in a cool/cold one.

Sepals – The part that compose the calyx or outer ring of organs of a mature flower.

Set – To plant.
Set – A young bulb, tuber or other propagation ready for planting.

Sexual Plants Parts – The reproductive parts of a plant.  Sexual reproductive parts are those involved in the production of seed.  These include flowers, fruit, flower buds and seeds.

Shade (Sunlight Requirement) – Less than three hours of full sun or dappled shade a day.  Early morning sun is usually best for this requirement in our area.  Be very careful because in our area, shade-loving plants can scorch even in early morning sun.

Shearing – The pruning technique whereby plant stems and branches are cut uniformly with long, bladed pruning shears (hedge shears) or powered hedge trimmers.  It is used when creating and maintaining formal hedges and topiary.

Sheath – An organ that wholly or partly encloses another organ, at its base.

Sheath – The basal portion of the grass leaf between the crown and the blade.   The sheath margins may be split, split with overlapping margins or be closed.

Sheet Composting – A method of piling un-decomposed organic materials over the soil and waiting for decomposition.  At times, working it into the soil.

Shrub – A woody plant with a framework of branches and little or no central stem.   Note: Compare to a tree.

Sieve – A garden sieve is a frame with a mesh bottom.  Mainly used for separating compost but sometimes used in very stony gardens.  Homemade ones can be made out of two x fours, 2’ x 2’ with a ½-inch hardware-cloth bottom can work.

Silt – Finely grained sediment suspended in, or deposited by, water.

Single Flower – A flower having only a minimum number of petals for that variety of plant.

Slow-Release Fertilizer – Long-lasting fertilizer that is water insoluble and therefore releases its nutrients gradually as a function of soil temperature, moisture, and related microbial activity.  Typically granular, it may be organic or synthetic. 

Softwood – Stems that have not yet become hard or woody.

Soil – The upper layer of earth that may be dug, plowed, etc.   The loose surface material of the earth in which plants grow.

Soil Tests (Soil Sampling) – Soil tests can be used to estimate the kinds and amounts of soil nutrients usable to plants.  They also can be used on determining the right amount of fertilizer needed.   Properly conducted soil sampling, and testing, can be cost-effective indicators of the types and amounts of fertilizer needed to improve crop yields.

Soil Polymers – Super absorbent polymers that have been around for a while, that can be added to retain moisture in containers.  It will absorb many times over its weight in water.  Use sparingly.

Solarization – The process by which one can sterilize the soil by the sun.  Cultivate the area to be isolated, water well and then cover with 2 - 4-mil of clear plastic.

Sooty Mold – Several insect pests will release honeydew, a sticky substance where mold can grow, (thus the black coloring).  Most associated with aphids.

Spadix – A fleshy spike in which small flowers are embedded.

Spathe – A bract surrounding an inflorescence.

Species – This is a group of plants that have common characteristics.  It is a basic unit of plant classification.

Spent – Bulbs and flowers of a plant that have finished blooming.  This is the time to deadhead them.

Sphagnum Moss – Many mosses native to bogs are sphagnum.  Used for the lining of hanging baskets and for air layering (example – Spanish Moss).  Often peat moss is composed primarily of Sphagnum Moss.  This moss is also packaged and sold in a fresh state.

Spices – Seeds, fruits or roots used to flavor cooking.  Often used in potpourri or in simmering potpourri.

Spike – A flower structure in which individual flowers are clustered along a vertical stem.

Spore – The reproductive cell of non-flowering plants (examples - ferns, fungi and mosses).  These plants do not produce seeds.

Sprig – A piece of a stolen (underground stem) used in the propagation of some lawn grasses.

Spur – A compressed fruiting branch.

Staking – The practice of driving a stake into the ground next to and as a support for a plant.  When attaching the plant to the stake, be sure that it is tied loosely so it does not strangle the stem.  When staking a potted plant, the stake can be set into the planter before the plant is added.

Stamen – The male organ of a flower.

Staminate – Having stamens (usually applied only to flowers without pistils).

Standard – One of the inner petals of an iris.

Standard – A plant that does not normally grow as a tree but is trained into a tree-like form (examples - roses, hibiscus, Butterfly Bush).  This is done strictly for esthetics.

Stem-Root – Roots that develop from a stem.

Stems – Structures that support buds and leaves and serve as conduits for carrying water, minerals and sugars. The three major internal parts of a stem are the xylem, phloem and cambium.  The xylem and phloem are the major components of a plant’s vascular system, which transports food, water and minerals as well as offers support for the plant.  Xylem tubes are the water and mineral conducting channels while phloem tubes are the food conducting channels.  

Sterilized Soil  - Soil that is steam-or chemically sterilized.  Harmful organisms have been killed but helpful bacteria have been spared.  Sold commercially.

Stigma – This is the part of the female organ of the flower that receives the pollen.

Stock – The part of a grafted plant that provides the roots but should never be allowed to sprout and grow.

Stock Plants – Plants retained for purposes of propagation.

Stolon (Stolen) – A slender branch or shoot developing a bud and root at the tip or at both node and tip that roots and produces new plants.  Sometimes called an offset.

Stolon – A runner or rootstock used to propagate (usually used for grasses).

Stone – Found inside of some fruits, it encloses the seed (examples - plums, peaches, cherries). Sometimes called the "pit."  See also drupe. 

Storage Organ – The basic feature of a bulbous plant – the thickened root, stem or miniature plant that stores nutrients and develops both roots and one or more shoots.

Strawberry Jar – A tall pot with small side pockets for planting as well as the usual top opening.

Stratification of Seed – A process whereby seeds are kept cold and moist for a period before germination.

Streaked (Striped) – A flower with colored bands along the petals.

Stunt Virus – A virus disease that causes the stunting of a plant.

Style – The part of the pistil between the ovary and stigma.

Subsidence – The sinking or settling of soil to a lower level.

Subsoil – The bed or stratum of weathered material that underlies the surface soil. 

Subtropical – Very specific area, 5 to 10-degrees higher in latitude than the Tropic of Cancer, or of the Tropic of Capricorn.

Succulent – Plants that have leaves and/or stems that are thick and fleshy.  They often have waxy outer layers that allow plants to retain and store water efficiently.

Succulent Growth – The sometimes-undesirable production of fleshy tender leaves or stems that result from over fertilization.

Sucker – A growth originating from the rootstock of a grafted plant, rather than the desired part of the plant.   Sucker growth should be removed, so it does not draw energy from the plant.

Sulfur – An element or nutrient usually added to the soil to reduce its pH level or make it more acidic, often added in combination with iron.  Also used as an insecticide and fungicide.

Sulfur – (Major Nutrient) Plant growth is weak when there is sulfur deficiency.  While sulfur is an essential element for plant growth, most individuals have difficulty detecting a distinct deficiency symptom for this element.

Sun (Sunlight Requirement) – Full-sun, at least six to eight hours per day. 

Sun Scald (Sun Scorch) – Spots on leaves that are caused by exposure to strong sunlight. 

Swoe – A type of scuffle hoe.

Synthetic Organic Fertilizer – An organic fertilizer manufactured synthetically or from "manmade products."

Systemic – A pesticide that can be granular or liquid used at the base of the plant or on the leaves and travels through the vascular stream.  This chemical is absorbed directly into a plants system to either kill feeding insects on the plant or to kill the plant itself.

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Temporary Branch – A branch usually originating from the trunk that is removed by pruning after permanent branches have been selected.

Tap Root – The single main, thick root growing straight down from a plant (not all plants have tap roots).

Temporary Branch – A branch usually originating from the trunk that is removed by pruning after permanent branches have been selected.

Tender – Plants that are unable to endure frost or freezing temperatures.

Tendril – The twisting, clinging, slender growth on many vines that allows the plants to attach themselves to a support or trellis.

Tepal – The proper name of the ‘petal’ when the petals and sepals of the Perianth are identical.  A feature of many bulbs (examples-crocus, lily and tulip).

Terminal - Tip ends of branches.

Terrestrial – A plant that grows in the soil as opposed to aquatic or perched on trees.

Texas AgriLife Extension Service (Formally Texas Cooperative Extension Service) – The function of Texas AgriLife Extension Service is educational in nature, providing technical resources and developmental structure whereby local residents can identify and solve their concerns.  All Texas AgriLife Extension Service functions are coordinated through the state land grant university system (The Texas A&M University System). 

Educational programs of Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age or national origin.

Texas "Rose Rustlers" – Volunteers who search for specimens of surviving "old roses" in promising locations such as cemeteries, roads and older communities.  Rosarians study the "found" roses and try to determine their true identity.  The cuttings are planted and nurtured so they can survive and thrive.  They have been one of the main reasons that antique roses have gained in popularity.

Texas SmartScape – This program provides information on growing beautiful plants in the landscape that require less pesticide, fertilizer and water.  This will help you provide a beneficial ecological impact on native wildlife, with the bonus of saving time and money.  This helps developers and homeowners learn how to reduce the use of water, pesticides and fertilizers by landscaping with native and adapted plants. Texas SmartScape is available online at  txsmartscape.com.

"Texas Superstars" – Recommendation of a plant through CEMAP means that a certain variety has been subjected to statewide testing and has been found to be meritorious.  These plants are hardy, tolerating the hot dry summers characteristic of most parts of the state.  They are disease and insect tolerant, providing beauty with minimal care and minimal reliance on chemical pest control.  These plants are designated at "Texas Superstars," and they must display a "Texas Superstar" symbol on a tag or label at the point of sale.

Thatch – The layer of dead stems that builds up under many lawn grasses.  Thatch should be removed periodically to promote better water and nutrient penetration into the soil.

Theatre – Tiers or terraces in a hillside, resembling the concave formation of seats in a classical outdoor theatre.

Thinning – Removing excess seedlings, to allow sufficient room for the remaining plants to grow.  Thinning also refers to removing entire branches from a tree or shrub to give the plant a more open structure.

Thinning – If a fruit tree sets excessive amounts of fruit in one year, selective thinning will produce higher quality produce.

Till – Top dig or cultivate soil to prepare it for planting.

Tilth – The physical condition of the soil in relation to the plant growth, the results of tillage.

Tip Cutting – A cutting taken from the tip (top) end of a shoot.

Tolerant Carrier (of disease) – Plants that carry certain diseases but are not seriously harmed by them.

Topiary – The horticultural art of clipping, pruning and training certain woody plants into formal shapes.  (Examples - geometric shapes, interesting patterns or animals).

Topdressing – A process that means to apply on the surface of soil.  Usually referring to the spreading of organic material such as mulch, ground bark, manure, compost or fertilizer.

Topsoil – The top layer of native soil.  This term may also apply to good quality soil sold at nurseries and garden centers.

Trace Elements – Chemical elements present in exceedingly small quantities in the soil.

Trade Name – An arbitrary name created by a nursery or some other organization to distinguish it from all others – a way of protecting it legally from misuse.

Training - To dictate the development and growth of a plant by physical means, such as pruning.

Transpiration – The release of moisture through the leaves of a plant.

Transplant – The process of digging up a plant and moving it to another location.

Transplant – Small plant for sale in nurseries.

Treated Seeds – Seeds that have been protected against diseases.  They can be toxic.

Trellis - A garden trellis is a structure used to support plants, either by tying the plants to the trellis or by allowing climbers to bind themselves to the st