Best Practical Horticulture Level 2 - 2016

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Acer griseum

Hint 1

[Paperbark maple]

Decorative peeling bark and red leaves in autumn.

Tree

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Aucuba japonica 'Crotonifolia'

Hint 2

Grows anywhere. Small white flowers. Red berries. Attribute foliage.

Evergreen shrub

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Bergenia cordifolia

Hint 3

[Elephants Ears]

Rhizomatous. f. atropurpurea bottom left. Flower Feb. Propagate: division.

Herbaceous perennial

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Cardamine hirsuta

Hint 4

[Hairy bittercress]

Ephemeral. Explosive seed pods sensitive to touch. Control=hoe, mulch

Weed

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Carex buchananii

Hint 5

Bronze ornamental grass

Comb-out dead leaves. Lift and break in Spring every 3 years.

Herbaceous perennial

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Carex oshimensis 'Evergold'

Hint 6

Propagate by division

Herbaceous

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Eranthis hyemalis

Hint 7

[winter aconite]

Early winter flowering. Propagate: divide immediately after flowering.

Herbaceous perennial

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Eucalyptus gunnii

Hint 8

[Cider gum]

Prefer shelter. Quick-growing. May be coppiced.

Tree

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Galanthus nivalis

Hint 9

[Common snowdrop]

Numerous cultivars including 'Flore pleno' shown. Possible to propagate via leaf cuttings.

Alpine

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Helleborus niger

Hint 10

[Christmas rose, black hellebore]

Dark leaves = woodland plant, flowers tend to look down.

Evergreen

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Helleborus x hybridus

Hint 11

[Christmas or lenten rose]

cv. selected for longer stems and more upright flowers. Propagate seed or division.

Evergreen herbaceous

perennial

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Jasminum nudiflorum

Hint 12

[Winter jasmin]

Long, scandant green stems. Flowers on 2nd year growth. Nudiflorum = flowers without leaf

Deciduous shrub

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Mahonia aquifolium

Hint 13

[Oregon grape]

Flowers January. Apically dominant --> scandant. Drops leaves late spring. Deep shade.

Evergreen shrub

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Mahonia x media 'Charity'

Hint 14

Architectural foliage with large pannicles of fragrant flowers. Edible berries. Propagate: leaf-bud cuttings.

Evergreen shrub

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Mealybug (Pseudococcus spp, Planococcus citri)

Hint 15

Require good greenhouse hygiene. Destroy affected plants. Ladybird Cryptolaemus montrouzieri.

Pest

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Ranunculus repens

Hint 16

[Creeping buttercup]

Weed

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Rosmarinus officinalis

Hint 17

[Rosemary]

High quantities can be toxic. Can prune hard after flowering. Propagte: stem cutting.

Evergreen shrub

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Sarcococca confusa

Hint 18

[Christmas box]

White tubular flowers - pollinated by moths - scent at night. Dry soil, dark position.

Evergreen shrub

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Scale insect

Hint 19

If you get these then give up.

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Taxus baccata

Hint 20

[Common yew]

Dioecious: Male plant generates clouds of pollen. Aril seed toxic ('Taxol') with sweet fruit surround.

Conifer - native to UK

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Thuja occidentalis 'Rheingold'

Hint 21

Feathery mature foliage. New foliage is like Thuja plicata. Turns bronze/red in cold weather. Propagate: semi-ripe cuttings.

Conifer

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Carpinus betulus

Hint 22

[Hornbeam]

Grey fluted bark, saw edged leaves, hop like fruits. Heavy wetsoils. Green catkins late spring to autumn, clusters of winged fruit in autumn. Good for hedging. Propagate: Seed.

Tree (20ft x 12ft)

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Fagus sylvatica

Hint 23

[Common beech]

Wavymargined leaves, glossy green, spreadinglarge tree. Marcescent leaves. Not heavy or wet soil. Hedging (retains copper foliage). Propagate seed (purple produces 50% green)

TREE 35ftx 20ft (11m x 6m) in 20 years

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Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’

Hint 24

[Red-barked Dogwood]

Winter stem colour. Ovate dark green leaves. Flatcymes of white flowers and then white berries in autumn. Best planted in groups, beside water.

Propagation - hardwood cuttings,stem cuttings

Deciduous shrub

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Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’

Hint 25

[Golden-twig dogwood]

Distinctive greenish-yellow stems that lighten in winter. It bears whiteflowers followed by white berries in autumn. Plant alongside Cornus alba. Propagation - hardwood cuttings,stem cuttings

Deciduous shrub

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Hamamelis x intermedia cv (e.g. ‘Jelena’ right, ‘Arnold Promise’ below left)

Hint 26

[Witch hazel] Chinese witch hazel (H mollis) and the Japanese witch hazel (H japonica). Flowers in winter—curled, strappy petals. Most witch hazels have a good shape - open and architectural. Good scent. Propagate – grafted

Deciduous shrub

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Festuca glauca

‘Elijah Blue’ (bottom left)

Hint 27

[Bluefescue] dense evergreen grass with narrow blue-green arching leavesand panicles of violet flushed blue/green flowers. Ideal forcontainers, especially terracotta. Flowering period:June to July; Hardiness: fully hardy. Propagation: division. Evergreen grass.

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Phyllostachys nigra

Hint 28

[Black bamboo] As the finger-thick canes mature, they becomeglossy jet black, showing up well against the frieze of airy evergreen foliage. Moist but not wet soil. Nigra-nigra is extra black. Propagation: division in spring

Herbaceous grass ('woody evergreen shrub'!)

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Taraxacum officinale

Hint 29

[Dandelion] Hundredsof species. A hardy perennial that can grow to a height ofnearly 12 inches. Deeply notched, toothy, spatula-like leavesthat are shiny and hairless. Dandelion stems are capped by bright yellowflowers. The grooved leaves funnel rain to the root. Weed.

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Elymus repens

Hint 30

[Couchgrass]

Rhizomesbecome entangled in clumps of herbaceous perennials and among shrubs and fruitbushes, difficult to remove. Spreads from infested lawns into adjacent borders.

Weed.

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Garden snail (Helixaspera)

Hint 31

Snails leave the veins. Slugs make complete holes. Rasping radula. Tell-tale slime trails.

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Araucaria araucana

Hint 32

[Monkeypuzzle tree] with scale like leaves,sharply pointed, and 15 cm cones. Open spreadingconifer growingto 18m. Usually dioecious.

Introduced to England by Archibald Menzies in1795. Propagation - seed

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Pinus sylvestris

(Small female flower top right

male flowers bottom right)

Hint 33

[Scotspine] is a nativeconifer growingto 30m. Needles are radially arranged in pairs. The only pine native to Britain (Scotland). Uniquely haphazard appearance. Telegraph poles, pit-props, by-products such as resin and tar. Propagation – seed.

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Iris reticulata

e.g. ‘Harmony’ (right),

‘Joyce’ ‘PurpleGem’

Hint 34

Bulbous, not rhizomatous. Well drained soil which bakes in summer. Soak for 24hrs before planting.

Alpine

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Garrya elliptica

Hint 35

[Silk tassle bush]

Garrya elliptica‘James Roof’ is a male form with dark, sea-green, slightly larger leaves andsilver-grey catkins up to 20cm (8in) long. Propagation: semi ripe cuttings/evergreenhardwood cuttings

Evergreen wall shrub

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Primula vulgaris

Pin-eye (bottom left)

Thrum-eye (bottom right)

Hint 36

[Primrose]

• Pin-eyedflower. Femalestigma protrudes above the male anthers

• Thrum-eyedflower. maleanthers clearly visible, the stigma is beneath them

Herbaceous perennial

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Buxus sempervirens

Hint 37

[Box] good for hedging, inconspicuous flowers, can be close clipped for topiary. Very glossy leaves, dark green, ovate.Distinctive scent, not necessarily pleasant. Native - Box Hill in Surrey…Propagation:Semi ripe cuttings

Small tree or evergreen shrub

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Stachys byzantina

Hint 38

[Lamb's ears]

Soiltype: Well-drained/light, Dry, Sandy

Height: 45cmSpread: 60cm

Divide: spring, Flowers mid/late summer.

Propagation: seed or division

Evergreen perennial

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Phalaris arundinacea ‘Picta’

Hint 39

[Gardener’sGarters] is a running rhizomatous grass, a thug. Keep it confined.A vigorous spreading grass with white and green variegated foliage, particularly valuable for brightening shady areas undertrees or in a semi-wild garden.

Herbaceous perennial

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Sasa veitchii

Hint 40

Aspreading bamboo which forms clumps of slender canes, bearing broad leaves,which can turn pale brown on the edges during the winter months. Edges are dead leaf lamina - not variegated. Propagation – divide if you dare

Evergreen shrub

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Vine weevil

Hint 41

Plump white grubs with brown heads eat roots of container plants

•Particularly cyclamen, begonias, primulas, fuchsias, heucheras, strawberries, viburnum, rhododendron. Especially pots.

Insecticide.

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Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’

Hint 42

Deciduous tree, capable of a height of 8m, but usually rather less. The flowers are pink inbud, semi-double, 1cm (½in) across, pendulous, held in small clusters and whitewhen fully opened. 'Autumnalis' flowers in flushes between November andMarch or even April.

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Pulmonaria rubra ‘Redstart’

Hint 43

Clump-forming herbaceous perennial to 40cm, with light green, unspotted leavesand short leafy stems bearing clusters of coral-red flowers from late winter. Position: partial shadeSoil: humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil. Liftand divide large clumps every three to five years.

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Camellia japonica cv (e.g.‘Pink Perfection’)

Hint 44

Shrubwith glossy evergreen leaves, large and elliptic with finely toothedmargins. Acid soil, some shade but needsunlight for flower bud formation, also constant water supply.

Propagation: leaf bud cuttings

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Crocus tommasinianus

Hint 45

Dwarf, deciduous perennials growingfrom a corm, with linear leaves usually with a silvery central stripe, andgoblet-shaped, sometimes fragrant flowers in autumn or early spring. Propagation - seed

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Narcissus (pseudonarcissus and hybrids)

Hint 46

[Lent lily or common , native daffodil].

Shorterthan hybrid bulbs at about 25 cm, more delicate in appearance, sulphur yellowtrumpets, self-seeds. Hybriddaffodils - huge range shown here.

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Hebe ochracea ‘James Stirling’

Hint 47

[Whipcord hebe]

Hardy. 'JamesStirling' is a dense dwarf variety, with glossy stems, almost upright andtightly packed with minimal leaves. This characteristic is shared by several Hebes witha conifer-like appearance described as whipcord.

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Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’ - purple & white, 'Jeanne d’Arc’ - white or ‘Vanguard’ - mauve/blue

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Asplenium scolopendrium

Hint 49

[Hart's tongue fern]

Varying levels of crinkle. But still same species.

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Cyclamen coum

Hint 50

Tuber. Roots from the bottom whereas Cyclamen hederifolium roots from top and sides.

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Plantago lanceolata

Hint 51

[Ribwort plantain, or Narrow Leaf plantain]

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Aubrieta cvs e.g. ‘Elsa Lancaster’

Hint 52

Fullsun. Well-drained/light, DryHeight: 10cmSpread: 60cm. Form wide carpets of colour in late spring and earlysummer. Cut back hard after flowering.

Propagation: seed for species, cvs by cuttings or division. Herbaceous Perennial.

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Iberis sempervirens

Hint 53

[Candytuft].

'Alpine' but really a woody sub shrub. Full sun, free draining.

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Senecio vulgaris

Hint 54

Weed. Ephemeral. Hoe before seeds set.

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Rhus typhina

Hint 55

[Sumach] or [Stags horn sumach]

Great decorative plant but can produce suckers, especially if roots are damaged. 'Tiger eyes' and 'lanceolata'.

Deciduous shrub.

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Ajuga reptans

Hint 56

[Bugle]

Shade. Prefers water meadows.

(reptans = 'creed' or 'spread' like repans).

Herbaceous evergreen perennial.

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Thymus ‘Silver Queen’

Hint 57

[Thyme]

Evergreen woody-based perennials, shrubs or sub-shrubs.

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Prunus laurocerasus ‘Rotundifolia’

Hint 58

[Cherry laurel] or [Round-leafed laurel]

Best as informal hedge since large leaves when cut look brown for a while. Used to shroud views. Evergreen.

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Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’

Hint 59

A great plant. Up to 3, 4 even 5 m high. Fantastic scent. Flowers all summer from before leaves appear.

Remove 25% of stems to base every year to encourage new growth.

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Ranunculus ficaria

Hint 60

[celandine]

Grows from tubers. therefore difficult to eradicate.

Weed.

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Coral Spot

Hint 61

Fungal disease. Especially Acer, Cercis, Magnolia

Prune well. Clean secateurs. Cut-out infected plus 3 inches & burn.

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Cupressus arizonica

Hint 62

1907 from Arizona

Conical tree, upswept branches. Bark flaking purples and reds. Nutty Smell.

Conifer.

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X Cuprocyparis leylandii

Hint 63

[Leyland Cypress]

Fast growing and a sterile intergenerichybrid will not regenerate if pruning cuts into old wood. Cupressus macrocarpa x Xanthocyparis nootkatensis. Propagation by cuttings

Conifer

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Viburnum tinus

Hint 64

Very common winter-flowering shrub. Eaten by Viburnum beetle. Flowers at any mild time Nov to May. Always white flowers.

Evergreen shrub

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Euphorbia characias ssp wulfenii

Hint 65

All Euphorbia are highly poisonous. Native to Euroasia. Herbacious perennial

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Muscari armeniacum

Hint 66

[Grape hyacinth]

Very early blue flower.

Propagate division. Also self-seeds.

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Spiraea japonica ‘Goldflame’

Hint 67

Deciduousshrub Spiraeajaponica 'Goldflame'adds a touch of colour to the border. New growth is bronze-red, turning brightyellow, then eventually mid-green.

Best colour: prune hard before growth in spring.

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Berberis darwinii

Hint 68

Berberis canbe deciduous or evergreen shrubs with spiny shoots bearing simple, oftenspine-toothed leaves, and small yellow or orange flowers in axillary clustersor racemes, followed by small berries.

Almost unique: orange-flowered shrub!

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Vicia faba

Hint 69

[Broad Bean]

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Solanum lycopersicum

Hint 70

[Tomato]

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Aphid

Hint 71

They don't suck. Winged aphids only arrive when plant is dying/colony overpopulated. Up to five generations per day. Parthenogensis normal. Males in Autumn.

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Aesculus hippocastanum

Hint 72

[Horse chestnut]

Parkland tree, not for small gardens. Sticky buds. Candelabras of white flowers. Propagate via conkers.

Deciduous Tree.

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Armeria juniperifolia

Hint 73

[Sea thrift or sea pink]

Tiny ~5cm high. Requires very well drained soil - e.g. cliff tops, sandy.

Alpine

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Sempervivum arachnoideum

Hint 74

[Cobweb house leek]

Grey webs over leaves collect morning dew. Don't allow to get too wet. Huge flower relative to small plant (10cm flower, 2cm plant). Extremely free-draining soil (75-80% grit + leafmould).

Produce little babies - 'offsets'.

Alpine.

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Erodium x variabile

cv. e.g. ‘Bishop’s Form’ (pink)

Hint 75

Looks like a very small geranium (leaves, flowers). Don't allow to get too wet. Leaves approx 1cm diameter.

Alpine.

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Chionodoxa forbesii

Hint 76

Early spring flowers. Beautiful. 8 to 10cm deep bulbs need a little heat in the summer.

Alpine.

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Leucojum aestivum

Hint 77

[Summer snowflake]

Taller than Gelanthus and slightly later flowering. Lots of leaves. Divide.

Herbaceous perennial bulb.

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Pieris ‘Forest Flame’

Hint 78

[Lily of the valley bush] - named because of flowers. Appreciates light shade. Prefers acid (otherwise iron-induced chlorosis). Use sulphur chips or iron sequestrone.

Evergreen shrub so prune after flowering and frosts - May.

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Photinia x fraseri ‘RedRobin’

Hint 79

Light trim after leaves turn green. Best as a free-standing shrub (3 x 4m). Never good as a hedge (no flowers). Prefers acid soild. Evergreen shrub.

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Elaeagnus x ebbingei

Hint 80

Very fragrant tiny flowers in winter. Quick growing and very large plant. Trimming screws it up. Edible berries. Prune after frost and flowering if you must.

Evergreen shrub.

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Fasciation

Hint 81

Random genetic damage from numerous causes: physical damage of the apical meristem, virus, bacterium, solar radiation, mechanical damage. Not all plants susceptible. No harm - but prune out if unsightly. Cytisus, Forsythia, Delphinium, Floxglove, Primula, Euphorbia.