Plant Science - Growth Habit Adaptations Flashcards
What is a subshrub?
Plant with wood tissue formed through secondary thickening, usually low-growing and multi-stemmed.
What is a prostrate plant?
Grows low to the ground, with horizontal or creeping stems.
What is a tree?
Plant with strong woody tissue formed through secondary thickening, usually single stemmed.
What is a succulent?
Plant with water-storing tissues in leaves, stems or roots.
What is a perennial?
Plant that lives for more than two years.
What is a herb?
Plant that does not get woody.
What is an Alpine plant?
A low growing plant that forms mats or cushions. These growths for microclimates that are warmer and more humid than the surrounding environment. Often leaves are hairy or silver to protect from the cold or UV light.
What is a benefit of an evergreen plant?
Does not have to use energy to regrow leaves at once
Can photosynthesise when conditions are suitable all year.
Can grow all year round.
What is a benefit of a deciduous plant?
Less wind resistance
Reduces water loss from leaves in winter
Reduces energy spent during unfavourable periods in growth and photosynthesis
Reduces water loss in dry periods
Which of the below are advantages of deciduous plants in the garden?
Branches provide an architectural framework
Variety of flowers, fruit and foliage in growing season
True or False: A semi-evergreen plant is one that always loses some of its leaves over Winter, but not all.
False. A semi-evergreen plant may retain all its leaves over a mild Winter but lose some or all of them in a harsher Winter.
What is the habit of a tree marked as “Fastigiate”?
Fastigiate tree cultivars have an upright habit and are narrower than the species they originate from.
Name a fastigiate species.
Taxus baccata “Fastigiata”
Plant form can be altered to an extent by pruning. Why might you prune a shrub or tree to alter its form?
To reduce height or size
To fit the style of a garden - e.g. formal
True or False: A range of plant growth forms in the garden creates microhabitats that can be used by wildlife including insects and birds. Deciduous plants provide places to shelter throughout the year because they retain their leaves over Winter.
False, although they may provide some shelter with dense branches.
