Updated: Feb 10, 2022
Some of these landscaping terms are used daily and others might sound unfamiliar. Take a look through these and increase your vegetation vernacular!
Accent: The use of a plant or object to draw attention to a space. Acidic soil: Soil with a pH value of less than 7.0. Aeration: A method of increasing water and oxygen into compact soil by turning and loosening the soil to allow penetration. Alkaline soil: Soil with a pH value of more than 7.0. Annual: A plant that completes its life cycle in one year or season. Apex: The tip of a stem. Arbor: A shady garden shelter or bower, often made of rustic wood or latticework on which vines, roses, etc. are grown.
Arboretum: A landscaped space where trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants are cultivated for scientific study, educational purposes, and to foster appreciation of plants.
Axil: The area between a leaf and the stem from which the leaf arises.
Bacillus Thuringiensis(BT): Biological Control
Beneficial Biological Controls: Insects and organic chemicals
Biennial: A plant that typically takes two years to complete a life cycle.
Budding: A form of asexual reproduction in which a new organism develops from an outgrowth or bud on another one. Bulb: An underground plant structure that contains nutrients, energy and seed to produce a plant. Cambium Layer: The thin layer of growing cells between the xylem and phloem.
Chlorosis: Iron deficiency
Clay: A soil particle which is plate-like, extremely small and may retain nutrients well.
Clod: A lump of clay which is difficult to break apart. Cold Hardy: Capable of withstanding cold weather conditions. Compost: A soil product created from decomposed garden material, used in flower beds to add nutrients and encourage good growth. Cultivar: A cultivated variety of a plant selected for some feature that distinguishes it from the species from which it was selected.
Cultivation: Turning the soil to provide better air circulation or to control weeds.
Dead Heading: Removing dead flowers before they set seed.
Deciduous: Having leaves that fall off or are shed seasonally to avoid adverse weather conditions such as cold or drought.
Defoliation: The process when a plant looses all its leaves.
Dethatching: Removing thatches in grass; removal of the dead grass.
Die Back: Tips of branches decline due to lack of moisture or disease.
Dormancy: When a plant reaches a dormant period, usually in winter.
Drainage: The downward movement of water passing through soil.
Drip Line: Outermost branch tips where the water would land to feed the tree.
Drought Tolerant: The ability of a plant to thrive without much water. Epiphyte: A plant that lives on a host plant but draws nutrients from the air.
Espalier: A flat or fan like like trellis.
Established Plant: When the plant is fully rooted.
Evergreen: A plant whose leaves or needles are green year-round.
Fertilizer: A material added to feed plants rich in nutrients, usually nitrogen (often lost with frequent mowing), phosphates and potash.
Fescue: Soft compact fine-leaved grasses.
Flower Form: Structure of a flower, i.e. single, semi, double.
Foundation Plant: A plant that is used to frame around a house or structure and connect it to the rest of the landscape.
Frond: A large leaf with multiple divisions.
Fungicide: The chemical used to control a fungus-related disease.
Germination: The sprouting of a seed, spore or pollen grain.
Genus: A subdivision of a family or subfamily in the classification of organisms.
Girdling: Also called ring-barking, is the removal of bark around the circumference of the tree in a ring. The result is a slow death to the part of the tree or woody plant above the damage.
Grading: The process of changing the slope level of an area of soil.
Grafting: Combining the vascular tissues of two plants to form a hybrid by placing a portion of one plant (called a bud or scion) into or on a stem, root, or branch of another (called the stock) in such a way that a union forms and the partners continue to grow.
Ground Cover: Plants which are low-growing and create a blanket appearance over an area.
Growing Season: The period each year when the plant grows.
Hardscape: Walkways, planters, and areas made of hard material like concrete or rocks that is incorporated into the landscape and balances with the 'softscape'.
Hardy: Plants that can survive difficult conditions like frost and severe cold.
Hedge: A variety of shrubs that when planted close together will give a wall-like appearance; often used to separate areas.
Herbaceous: Having little or no woody tissue. Most plants grown as perennials or annuals are herbaceous. Herbicide: A chemical used to control weeds.
Horticulture: The science of growing plants, flowers, trees, shrubs, fruit, & grasses. Hybrid: A plant or group of plants that results from the interbreeding of two distinct cultivars, varieties, species, or genera.
Indigenous: Occurring naturally in a particular place. Native. Iron: A mineral used in keeping grass green.
Irrigation: Applying water to vegetation and landscape to help it thrive.
Leader: The primary shoot of a plant.
Leaf Burn: A plant disease that causes a burnt appearance.
Leaf Mold: A fungal disease of plants in which mold develops on the leaves.
Lime: Calcium material used to raise the pH in soil.
Macronutrients: Essential elements needed in large amounts for healthy plant growth: nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur.
Micro Climate: The climate of a small area that is different than the climate of the surrounding area.
Micronutrients: Essential elements needed in very small amounts for healthy plant growth: iron, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum, chlorine, and cobalt.
Mulch: A material used to cover soil for moisture conservation and weed suppression. Native Plant: A plant that lives or grows naturally in a particular region without direct or indirect human intervention. Indigenous.
Node: The part of a plant stem from which one or more leaves emerge.
Organic Fertilizer: Compounds derived from decomposition of plant and animal products and include blood meal, bone meal, manure, and sewage sludge.
Organic Matter: Biological material in the process of decaying or decomposing.
Osmosis: When water travels across a membrane.
Peat Moss: A bog like moss processed to be used in potting soils and helps assimilate nutrients for the plant. Perennial: Persisting for several years, usually dying back to a perennial crown during the winter and initiating new growth each spring. Pesticide: A chemical used to control an organism.
pH: The acidity and alkalinity of soil.
Phloem: One of the two types of transport tissue in vascular plants, xylem is the other.
Photosynthesis: The process in which plants convert sunlight energy into chemical energy that can be used as fuel to aid in plant development.
Planter: The defined area, commonly raised and composed of wood or concrete, used to grow plants.
Plant Family: A plant that belongs to a family that shares the same broad characteristics.
Polladring: A pruning method in which a tree's top branches are cut back to the trunk so that it may produce a dense growth of new shoots.
Pollen: A fine powdery substance consisting of microscopic grains discharged from the male part of a flower or from a male cone.
Pollenation: The process in which pollen is transferred.
Pollinator Bees: Bees that transfer pollen.
Pollenizer: A plant that supplies pollen.
Pruning: A method of cutting parts of a plant off to control size, health and appearance.
Pseudo Bulb: A storage organ derived from the part of a stem between two leaf nodes.
Re-foliate: Term used for when a plant grows new leaves after a leafless period, usually in the spring.
Rhizome: A horizontal, usually underground stem that often sends out roots and shoots from its nodes.
Root Bound: A plant that has grown too large for its container resulting in matting or tangling of the roots. Rootstock: The part of a budded or grafted plant that furnishes the root system. Also called 'understock'. Rosette: A circular arrangement of leaves or petals.
Scion: A detached shoot or twig used in grafting. Shrub: A low-growing woody plant, usually under 15 feet that often has multiple stems. Shock: A term used to describe a plant that has been impacted by change, i.e. transplanting, weather, too much or too little water, frost, etc.
Sod: Small areas of turf ready for transplant to new locations. Often used to start a new lawn.
Softscape: Vegetation used in landscaping which balances with 'hardscape'. Includes trees, flowers, grasses, shrubs.
Species: Plant organisms with similar traits capable of offspring.
Specimen: An individual plant used to represent a class or genus or plants. Sphagnum: A genus of 120 species of mosses, commonly called peat moss, that survives well in wet, acidic soil. Spore: Typically a one-celled, reproductive unit capable of giving rise to a new individual plant. Spur: A projecting root or branch. Standard: A tree or shrub that grows to full height. Stolon: A stem, at or just below the surface of the ground, that produces new plants from buds at it's tips or nodes. Stress: The negative impact of non-living forces on a plant. Sucker: A secondary shoot produced from the base or roots of a woody plant that gives rise to a new plant. Tap Root: An enlarged root, that grows downward and forms a center which other roots sprout laterally. Tender: A delicate plant that is usually sensitive to frost or severe cold. Temperature Tolerance: Cold or heat, the degree at which a plant can handle temperatures and survive.
Thatch: The live or dead layer of roots and stems between the turf of a lawn and the soil.
Thinning: Pruning or removing some branches in a uniform way throughout a tree or shrub.
Topiary: A decorative style of plant growth controlled by shaping with pruning or shearing. Transplant: Moving a plant from one location to another. Tree: A woody perennial plant having a single, usually elongated main stem or trunk with few or no branches on its lower part.
Tuber: A thickened, underground stem or rhizome which stores nutrients.
Turf: A ground cover of grass.
Variegation: A pattern of leaves that contains either white or yellow markings. Variety: A sub-species of plant.
Vegetation: A general term for all plant life.
Water Sprout: A nonflowering shoot arising from a branch or axil of a tree or shrub. Wildflower: A herbaceous plant that is native to a given area and is representative of unselected forms of its species. Woody Plant: A plant with persistent woody parts that do not die back in adverse conditions. Most woody plants are trees or shrubs.
Xylem: One of the two types of transport tissue in vascular plants, phloem is the other.
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Here are some commonly used terms in landscaping, some might be more familiar than others!
Accent: The use of a plant or object to draw attention to a space.
Acidic soil:
Soil with a pH value of less than 7.0.
Aeration: A method of increasing water and oxygen into compact soil by turning and loosening the soil to allow penetration.
Alkaline soil:
Soil with a pH value of more than 7.0.
Annual:
A plant that completes its life cycle in one year or season.
Apex:
The tip of a stem.
Arbor: A shady garden shelter or bower, often made of rustic wood or latticework on which vines, roses, etc. are grown.
Arboretum:
A landscaped space where trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants are cultivated for scientific study, educational purposes, and to foster appreciation of plants. Axil:
The area between a leaf and the stem from which the leaf arises. Bacillus Thuringiensis(BT): Biological Control Beneficial Biological Controls: Insects and organic chemicals Biennial: A plant that typically takes two years to complete it's life cycle. Budding: A form of asexual reproduction in which a new organism develops from an outgrowth or bud on another one.
Bulb: An underground plant structure that contains nutrients, energy and seed to produce a plant.
Cambrium Layer: The thin layer of growing cells between the xylem and phloem. Chlorosis: Iron deficiency Clay: A soil particle which is plate-like, extremely small and may retain nutrients well. Clod: A lump of clay which is difficult to break apart.
Cold Hardy:
Capable of withstanding cold weather conditions.
Compost: A soil product created from decomposed garden material, used in flower beds to add nutrients and encourage good growth.
Cultivar:
A cultivated variety of a plant selected for some feature that distinguishes it from the species from which it was selected. Cultivation: Turning the soil to provide better air circulation or to control weeds. Dead Heading: Removing dead flowers before they set seed. Deciduous:
Having leaves that fall off or are shed seasonally to avoid adverse weather conditions such as cold or drought. Defoliation: The process when a plant looses all its leaves. Dethatching: Removing thatches in grass; removal of the dead grass. Die Back: Tips of branches decline due to lack of moisture or disease. Dormancey: When a plant reaches a dormant period, usually in winter. Drainage: The downward movement of water passing through soil. Drip Line: Outmost branch tips where the water would land to feed the tree. Drought Tolerant: The ability of a plant to thrive without much water.
Epiphyte: A plant that lives on a host plant but draws nutrients from the air. Espalier: A flat or fan like like trellis. Established Plant: When the plant is fully rooted. Evergreen: A plant whose leaves or needles are green year-round. Fertilizer: A material added to feed plants rich in nutrients, usually nitrogen (often lost with frequent mowing), phosphates and potash. Fescue: Soft compact fine-leafed grasses. Flower Form: Structure of a flower, i.e. single, semi, double. Foundation Plant:
plant that is used to frame around a house or structure and connect it to the rest of the landscape. Frond: A large leaf with multiple divisions. Fungicide: The chemical used to control a fungus-related disease. Germination: The sprouting of a seed, spore or pollen grain. Genus: A subdivion of a family or subfamily in the classification of organisms. Girdling: Also called ring-barking, is the removal of bark around the circumference of the tree in a ring. The result is a slow death to the part of the tree or woody plant above the damage. Grading: The process of changing the slope level of an area of soil. Grafting: Combining the vascular tissues of two plants to form a hybrid by placing a portion of one plant (called a bud or scion) into or on a stem, root, or branch of another (called the stock) in such a way that a union forms and the partners continue to grow. Ground Cover: Plants which are low-growing and create a blanket appearance over an area. Growing Season: The period each year when the plant grows. Hardscape: Walkways, planters, and areas made of hard material like concrete or rocks that is incorporated into the landscape and balances with the 'softscape'. Hardy: Plants that can survive difficult conditions like frost and severe cold. Hedge: A variety of shrubs that when planted close together will give a wall-like appearance; often used to separate areas. Herbaceous:
Having little or no woody tissue. Most plants grown as perennials or annuals are herbaceous.
Herbicide: A chemical used to control weeds. Horticulture: The science of growing plants, flowers, trees, shrubs, fruit, & grasses.
Hybrid:
A plant or group of plants that results from the interbreeding of two distinct cultivars, varieties, species, or genera. Indigenous: Occurring naturally in a particular place. Native.
Iron:
A mineral used in keeping grass green. Irrigation: Applying water to vegetation and landscape to help it thrive. Leader: The primary shoot of a plant. Leaf Burn: A plant disease that causes a burnt appearance. Leaf Mold: A fungal disease of plants in which mold develops on the leaves. Lime: Calcium material used to raise the pH in soil. Macronutrients: Essential elements needed in large amounts for healthy plant growth: nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. Micro Climate: The climate of a small area that is different than the climate of the surrounding area. Micronutrients: Essential elements needed in very small amounts for healthy plant growth: iron, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum, chlorine, and cobalt. Mulch: A material used to cover soil for moisture conservation and weed suppression.
Native Plant:
A plant that lives or grows naturally in a particular region without direct or indirect human intervention. Indigenous. Node: The part of a plant stem from which one or more leaves emerge. Organic Fertilizer: Compounds derived from decomposition of plant and animal products and include blood meal, bone meal, manure, and sewage sludge. Organic Matter: Biological material in the process of decaying or decomposing. Osmosis: When water travels across a membrane. Peatmoss: A bog like moss processed to be used in potting soils and helps assimilate nutrients for the plant.
Perennial: Persisting for several years, usually dying back to a perennial crown during the winter and initiating new growth each spring.
Pesticide: A chemical used to control an organism. pH: The acidity and alkalinity of soil. Phloem: One of the two types of transport tissue in vascular plants, xylem is the other. Photosynthesis: The process in which plants convert sunlight energy into chemical energy that can be used as fuel to aid in plant development. Planter: The defined area, commonly raised and composed of wood or concrete, used to grow plants. Plant Family: A plant that belongs to a family that shares the same broad characterisitcs. Polladring: A pruning meathod in which a a tree's top branches are cut back to the trunk so that it may produce a dense growth of new shoots. Pollen: A fine powdery substance consisting of microscopic grains discharged from the male part of a flower or from a male cone. Pollenation: The process in which pollen is transferred. Pollenator Bees: Bees that transfer pollen. Pollenizer: A plant that supplies pollen. Pruning: A method of cutting parts of a plant off to control size, health and appearance. Pseudo Bulb: A storage organ derived from the part of a stem between two leaf nodes. Re-foliate: Term used for when a plant grows new leaves after a leafless period, usually in the spring. Rhizome: A horizontal, usually underground stem that often sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Root Bound: A plant that has grown too large for its container resulting in matting or tangling of the roots.
Rootstock:
The part of a budded or grafted plant that furnishes the root system. Also called 'understock'.
Rosette:
A circular arrangement of leaves or petals. Scion: A detached shoot or twig used in grafting.
Shrub:
A low-growing woody plant, usually under 15 feet that often has multiple stems.
Shock: A term used to describe a plant that has been impacted by change, i.e. transplanting, weather, too much or too little water, frost, etc. Sod: Small areas of turf ready for transplant to new locations. Often used to start a new lawn. Softscape: Vegetation used in landscaping which balances with 'hardscape'. Includes trees, flowers, grasses, shrubs. Species: Plant organisms with similar traits capable of off-spring. Specimen: An individual plant used to represent a class or genus or plants.
Sphagnum:
A genus of 120 species of mosses, commonly called peat moss, that survives well in wet, acidic soil.
Spore:
Typically a one-celled, reproductive unit capable of giving rise to a new individual plant.
Spur:
A projecting root or branch.
Standard:
A tree or shrub that grows to full height.
Stolon:
A stem, at or just below the surface of the ground, that produces new plants from buds at it's tips or nodes.
Stress:
The negative impact of non-living forces on a plant.
Sucker:
A secondary shoot produced from the base or roots of a woody plant that gives rise to a new plant.
Tap Root:
An enlarged root, that grows downward and forms a center which other roots sprout laterally.
Tender:
A delicate plant that is usually sensitive to frost or severe cold.
Temperature Tolerance: Cold or heat, the degree at which a plant can handle temperatures and survive. Thatch: The live or dead layer of roots and stems between the turf of a lawn and the soil. Thinning: Pruning or removing some branches in a uniform way throughout a tree or shrub. Topiary: A decorative style of plant growth controlled by shaping with pruning or shearing.
Transplant: Moving a plant from one location to another.
Tree:
A woody perennial plant having a single, usually elongated main stem or trunk with few or no branches on its lower part. Tuber: A thickened, underground stem or rhizome which stores nutrients. Turf: A ground cover of grass. Variegation: A pattern of leaves that contains either white or yellow markings. Variety: A sub-species of plant. Vegetation: A general term for all plant life. Water Sprout: A nonflowering shoot arising from a branch or axil of a tree or shrub.
Wildflower: A herbaceous plant that is native to a given area and is representative of unselected forms of its species.
Woody Plant:
A plant with persistent woody parts that do not die back in adverse conditions. Most woody plants are trees or shrubs. Xylem:
One of the two types of transport tissue in vascular plants, phloem is the other.
