Plant ID Group #8

Horticulture 2

Maranta leuconeura

• Prayer Plant– Foliage: simple, oval shape with entire margins;

variegated with blotches of black, pink, or red or leaves; usually 10 spots; 4-8 inches long

– Height: 3-12 inches– Spread: 6-12 inches– Leaf Arrangement: whorled– Exposure: part shade– Landscape Use: container, interiorscape– Unique Characteristic: associated with prayer b/c of

the 10 spots and 10 commandments; leaf color fades with sun

Myrica cerifera

• Wax Myrtle– Foliage: simple, lanceolate shape with serrated margins; semi-

evergreen where the winters are frosty; simple narrow leaves of the wax myrtle range from 1-5 inches in length and about 0.5 inches wide; gray-green to yellow-green

– Flowers: The males are yellow-green catkins that grow up to 1 inch long while the females are small and inconspicuous little bumps that grow into small blue berries, 1/8 inch in diameter, that are held closely to the stem

– Height: 8-12 feet– Spread: 8-12 feet– Form: rounded– Leaf Arrangement: alternate– Exposure: sun– Landscape Use: border, hedge, screen– Unique Characteristic: aromatic leaves when crushed – Zone: 7 to 10

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Nandina domestica

• Heavenly Bamboo or Nandina– Foliage: evergreen, tri-pinnately compound leaves which have

lance shaped leaflets and entire margins– Flowers: large clusters of small white flowers at the end of stems

followed by green berries which ripen to bright red – Height: 5-6 feet– Spread: 3-4 feet– Form: lacy appearance and upright form– Leaf Arrangement: alternate– Exposure: sun– Landscape Use: border, foundation, specimen– Unique Characteristic: foliage makes this a very delicate plant,

interesting vertical form

Nephrolepis exaltata cv.• Boston Fern

– Foliage: simple, lanceolated shape; Long green weeping fronds arise from the crown at the soil surface

– Flowers: none- reproduces from spores or division– Height: 1 to 3 feet– Spread: 2 to 5 feet– Form: weeping– Leaf Arrangement: whorled from crown at soil level– Exposure: shade– Landscape Use: container, hanging baskets,

interiorscape– Unique Characteristic: no leaves only fronds; little

watering or light required

Ophiopogon japonicus• Mondo Grass

– Foliage: evergreen perennial; slender leaves grow from 2-12 in long; rigid and curve back toward the ground and resemble blades of turf grass

– Flowers: small light purple flowers (hidden in grass)– Fruit: blue-black berries in fall– Height: 2 to 12 inches– Spread: 2 to 12 inches– Form: weeping– Leaf Arrangement: whorled from rhizomes at soil

level– Exposure: sun– Landscape Use: border, edging, foundation– Unique Characteristic: reproduction via rhizomes;

much smaller and thinner than the liriope

Osmanthus fortunei• Fortune Tea Olive

– Foliage: evergreen; simple, oval shape with spines; 2-4 inches long

– Flowers: pleasant fragrance; inconspicuous and not showy

– Height: 8-12 feet – Spread: 5-8 feet– Form: tree or shrub; wide as tall and develop a vase

shape with several main trunks typically originating close to the ground

– Leaf Arrangement: opposite/ sub-opposite– Exposure: sun– Landscape Use: border, hedge, screen– Unique Characteristic: painful border; mistaken for

hollies; good tree form plants

Pachysandra terminalis– Japanese Pachysandra– Foliage: evergreen groundcover, simple, obovate

shape with dentate margins– Flowers: creamy white on terminal spikes– Height: 6- 10 inches– Spread: indefinite– Form: ground cover, spreading– Leaf Arrangement: alternate– Landscape Use: groundcover– Exposure: shade– Unique Characteristic: likes shade; no foot traffic

Pesonia sp– Peony– Foliage: perennial; compound, leaflets

elliptical with entire margins– Flowers: various colors, fragrant, May- June– Height: 1-3 feet– Spread: 1-3 feet– Leaf Arrangement: alternate– Landscape Use: border, cut flower– Exposure: sun– Unique Characteristic: wonderful plant for

perennial borders

Pelargonium x hortorum

– Geraniums– Foliage: simple, round shaped, fuzzy leaf with

scalloped margins, horseshoe discoloration on some leaves

– Flowers: red, white, pink flowers on long stems from May to frost

– Height: 8-18 inches– Spread: 12-24 inches– Form: rounded– Leaf Arrangement: alternate– Landscape Use: border, container– Exposure: sun– Unique Characteristic: water very little; pungent smell

Pelargonium peltatum

• Ivy Leaf Geranium– Foliage: simple, star shaped leaves with palmate

veins– Flowers: red, white and pink flowers from May until

frost– Height: 8-18 inches– Spread:12-24 inches– Form: rounded and slightly weeping– Leaf Arrangement: alternating– Landscape Use: border, container, hanging baskets– Exposure: sun– Unique Characteristic: shiny leaves, resembles ivy

plant

Pennisetum alopecuroides• Fountain Grass

– Foliage: perennial grass that grows in a slowly expanding clump; narrow, linear leaves that are flat, 12-20 in long, less than 0.5 in wide, and slightly scabrous

– Flowers: feathery spikes– Height: 2-4 feet – Spread: 2-4 feet– Form: weeping grass with feathery spikes– Leaf Arrangement: whorled from ground– Landscape Use: borders– Exposure: sun– Unique Characteristic: sharp edges on leaves

Peperomia caperata ‘Emerald Ripple’

• Emerald Ripple Peperomia– Foliage: simple, elliptic shape with entire margins, thin

leaf that is rippled– Flowers: light green spike, not important– Height: 8- 12 inches– Spread: 8- 12 inches– Leaf Arrangement: alternate– Landscape Use: container, interiorscape– Exposure: sun– Unique Characteristic: house plant; be careful not to

over water

Peperomia obtusifolia

• Peperomia– Foliage: simple, elliptic shape with entire

margins, thick leaf, scoop shape– Flowers: light green spike, not important– Height: 8- 12 inches– Spread: 8- 12 inches– Leaf Arrangement: alternate– Landscape Use: container, interiorscape– Exposure: sun– Unique Characteristic: house plant

Petunia hybrida

• Petunia– Foliage: fuzzy, pointy shade, simple leaf– Flowers: petals are all connected; found in every color

of the rainbow in solids, contrasting veins or edges, and star patterns. large or small, ruffled, fringed, or double. bloom from spring until frost.

– Height: 6 inches to 18 inches – Spread: 18 inches to 4 feet – Form: creeping– Leaf Arrangement: alternating– Landscape Use: color masses, borders, containers,

hanging baskets or as a seasonal groundcover – Exposure: sun– Unique Characteristic: related to tobacco

Philodendron scandens var oxycardium

• Parlor Ivy– Foliage: simple, cordate shape with entire

margins– Height: 6- 10 inches– Spread: 8- 16 inches– Form: weeping, creeping, and climbing plants– Leaf Arrangement: alternate– Landscape Use: container, hanging baskets– Exposure: part shade– Unique Characteristic: indoor plant

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