Plant groups

Question 1

What is the meaning of ephemeral?

Answer 1

A plant which completes several life cycles in one year.
Very short life cycle 6-8 weeks Name means transitory (weeds!)
Are controlled by hoeing or herbicide in early growth

Question 2

Name example’s of an ephemeral weed species

Answer 2

mouse-ear cress (Arabidopsis thaliana)

Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuite)

Shepherds purse (Capsella bursapastoris)

Question 3

Name examples of flowering garden plant ephemerals

Answer 3

Spring beauty (Claytonia)
Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis)
Red Trillium (Trillium errectum)

Question 4

What is the meaning of a hardy annual?

Answer 4

Complete their life cycle in one year
Can withstand low temps and frost
can sow direct into open ground in autumn and early spring

Question 5

Give examples of a hardy annual

Answer 5

Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus)
Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)
Poached egg plant (Limnanthes douglasii)
Miss Jekyll (Love-in-a-mist)

Question 6

What is a half hardy annual?

Answer 6

Must be sown in a protective environment eg: greenhouse/cold frame/tunnel
Plant out when frosts have passed-late may/early June
Life cycle still one season, setting seeds in autumn

Question 7

Half-hardy bedding plant examples are:

Answer 7

Blue salvia (Salvia farinacea)
African marigold (Tagetes erecta)
Blue dwarf lobelia (Lobelia erinus)
Sweet tobacco plant (Nicotiana alata)

Question 8

Describe biennials

Answer 8

A life cycle of two seasons
vegetative growth in year one: green plant/leaf/stem
Flowers and produces seeds in year two
Stimulus to flowering is the onset of winter cold-vernalisation

Question 9

Examples of biennials are:

Answer 9

Wallflowers (Erysium cheirii varieties) "Fire King" "Blood Red"
Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)
Honesty (Lunaria annua)
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)

Question 10

Describe tender perennials

Answer 10

Originate from warmer climates-tropical/mediterranean

Cant survive winter frosts so must be managed if to survive

Question 11

How do you protect tender perennials from winter frost?

Answer 11

Bring insde
wrap in fleece
store in dark/dry settings

Question 12

examples of tender perennials are

Answer 12

Gazinia varieties
Dahlia pinnata “Bishop of Llandoff”
Fuschia bolviana variety “Alba”

Question 13

Describe herbaceous perennials

Answer 13

Last many years
Have soft tissues unlike shrubs which have woody stems
All above ground growth dies back to soil level each winter/autumn
re-grows from root stock every spring
popular in large stately home boarders

Question 14

examples of herbaceous perennials are:

Answer 14

Hosta
Lupins (Lupinus varieties)
Day lily (Hemerocallis fulva variety) "Kwansu"
Phlox paniculata
Rudbeckia fulgida variety
Delphiniums

Question 15

What is a shrub?

Answer 15

a woody perennial
permanent branch structure
multi-stemmed
evergreen or deciduous

Question 16

example of a shrub

Answer 16

Hydrangea
Azalea
Rhododendron
Camellia

Question 17

Define a tree

Answer 17

woody perennial
have a main trunk which is clear of branches upto a certain height
Usually broad leaved
can be evergreen or deciduous