HRT-150 Herbaceous Plant Materials
This course integrates classroom and hands-on learning towards the identification and utilization of herbaceous annual, biennial, and perennial plants - native and non-indigenous – in commercial and residential ornamental landscapes as well as the horticulture industry at large, emphasizing plant anatomy, taxonomic identification, culture requirements, landscape value, proper placement and care, and seasonal interest within gardens and the broader landscape. Students will develop recognition skills of commonly used herbaceous plants in Northeast gardens and planted landscapes according to their scientific classification and, with their new found academic knowledge of said plants, develop plant selection skills – assembling best-fit plants for garden/landscape application based on plant aesthetics, ecology, and sustainability. Classroom learning will be reinforced by practical experiences at local and regional botanic gardens.
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Course Outline
Department
Environmental Conservation and Horticulture
Course Description
This course integrates classroom and hands-on learning towards the identification and utilization of herbaceous annual, biennial, and perennial plants - native and non-indigenous – in commercial and residential ornamental landscapes as well as the horticulture industry at large, emphasizing plant anatomy, taxonomic identification, culture requirements, landscape value, proper placement and care, and seasonal interest within gardens and the broader landscape. Students will develop recognition skills of commonly used herbaceous plants in Northeast gardens and planted landscapes according to their scientific classification and, with their new found academic knowledge of said plants, develop plant selection skills – assembling best-fit plants for garden/landscape application based on plant aesthetics, ecology, and sustainability. Classroom learning will be reinforced by practical experiences at local and regional botanic gardens.
Credit Hours
3Semester(s) Course Will Be Offered
Fall
Course Learning Outcomes
- Define and give examples of relevant terms as they relate to herbaceous annual, biennial, and perennial plant material.
- Identity herbaceous plants using classification criteria (e.g., seasonal characteristics, cultural needs, and landscape uses).
- Apply an identification scheme (e.g., health, leaf arrangement, flower type and morphology) to differentiate herbaceous plants with similar characteristics.
- Recommend herbaceous material based on a variety of aesthetic needs and observed cultural conditions.
Topic Outline
- 1. Introduction to plant classification, morphology, and vocabulary
- a. Nomenclature and taxonomy
- b. Flower and leaf types and their associated morphological characteristics
- c. Common descriptive terms used in botany and plant identification at large to compare and contrast families and specific taxa based on growth habit, morphology, and life cycle
- 2. Introduction to herbaceous plants: ecology and sustainable utilization
- a. Monocots vs. dicots
- b. Differentiating by life cycle
- i. Annual, biennial, and perennial
- c. Plant selection criteria
- i. Planting and flowering times
- ii. Site considerations
- (1) Light and exposure
- (2) Soil (drainage, pH, nutrient availability, and texture)
- (3) Hardiness zone
- iii. Native vs. non-native
- iv. Pests and diseases
- v. Utilization strategies
- (1) Pollinator attractants
- (2) Native plant landscapes
- (3) Aesthetics
- 3. Identification and culture of herbaceous plants in residential and commercial landscapes
- a. Plant lists
- i. Spring and summer annuals and biennials
- ii. Sun perennials (minus grasses)
- iii. Shade perennials (minus grasses)
- iv. Groundcover perennials
- v. Grasses and sedges