Plant examples - multiples

Taxus baccata (English yew)

a tree with a very long life cycle; an evergreen shrub that will take time to establish roots if transplanted, losing water through the leaves during the interim; prone to root rot and requires improved drainage; an evergreen with reduced leaves which is suitable for screening and hedging and can be tightly clipped for formal garden styles; associated with underplantigs used in English Landscape gardens.; often used a formal hedge; used for hedging; a good long-lived choice for hedging but cannot tolerate being waterlogged; good in carry busy streets for air filtering

Corylus avellana (hazel)

an example of a tree which produces seeds with concentrated nutrients which are collected as a food resource; an example of a monoecious tree with separate male and female flowers on the same plant; an example of a wind pollinated tree; an example of a monoecious plant with separate male and female flowers on the same plant; Produces dry seeds that do not split open, but contain concentrate nutrients that are collected by animals as a food source; sacrifices some of it’s seeds to animals to ensure they will be buried and will germinate; an example of a tree which has recalcitrant seeds; a good tree to manage on site for a formal potager garden using poles to support vegetable and fruit plants

Hedera helix (ivy)

a climber that may need to to initially tied into a wire frame; a climbing plant which can provide shelter and habitats for many birds and insects and are useful vertical features; generates aerial roots that develop from the stem to support it as it climbs; a value source of pollen for pollinators late in the year; a ground cover plant with variegated leaves that can be used in the shade; can provide a habitat, berries, etc for wildlife late in the year; used for stabilisation of steep banks; small animals can find shelter within this plant

Stachys byzantina (lamb’s ear)

an example of a plant featuring a verticillaster flower arrangement; has silvery leaves which reflect back light and can withstand very bright conditions; a plant adapted to dry conditions because of leaves densely covered in silvery hairs which help to trap moist air in the boundary layer; a plant which a verticillaster flower arrangement; an example of a plant with an intrinsically layering and spreading habit, which forms easily as they root at nodes; a tactile choice in the garden for promoting well being; an example of a very tactile plant; a plant with hairs on leaves which reduces the speed of drying winds over the leaf surface

Cardamine hirsuta (hairy bittercress)

an example of a weed ephemeral which has a very short life cycle; a plant featuring seedbeds which spring open at a touch, flinging seeds everywhere; an ephemeral weed that can produce huge amounts of seed; will not be affected by a translocated weedkiller as it is a short-lived ephemeral weed; does well on chalky/lime-rich soil (alkaline); a example of an ephemeral plant; has seed pods that split when touched

Salvia rosmarinus (Rosemary)

an example of a plant which has moved genuses to correct a naming issue; an example of a shrub with a short life; an example of a plant which would struggle if planted in heavy soil which is prone to water logging; suits a dry location as it evolved in a mediterranean environment; a plant that requires good soil drainage to survive winter conditions; a plant with small leaves which help to reduce water loss; a good scent/taste choice for the garden to promote well being

Buxus sempervirens (common box)

an evergreen that is suitable for topiary; associated with Renaissance and Baroque gardens, used in topiary and hedges; can be used to frame or delineate planting areas; an evergreen shrub good for topiary; used for lower hedges

Cosmos bipinnatus (garden cosmos)

an example of a half-hardy annual that needs a longer growing season and must be sown indoors then planted out; a plant with a solitary flower which is attractive enough to draw in pollinators on it’s own; has brightly coloured single flowers which are easy for pollinators to access; an example of a half-hardy annual; a hardy annual that should be planted slightly later in the year than early spring

Fagus sylvatica (European beech)

a long-lived species that suffers stress in fluctuating conditions; a hedge tree that is prone to leaf scorch from flame weeding; if used as a hedge, this is not very tolerant of waterlogged soils; a dramatic native tree used in Picturesque gardens; used for hedging

Ammophila arenaria (marram grass)

has rolled leaves with stomata on the inside of the roll which protects from drying coastal winds with a sheltered boundary layer of humid air; a plant that can be used to stabilise sand dunes; generates a fibrous colonising root structure; used for stabilisation of sand dunes

Buddleja davidii (summer lilac)

an example of a plant featuring panicles of tubular flowers; features tubular flowers which attract butterflies; will do well in alkaline soils; a robust shrub that is reliable under a range of diverse stress conditions

Echinacea purpurea (purple coneflower)

an example of a H5 plant which can within most places in the UK even during severe winters; a tough herbaceous perennial that’s adapted for prairie planting and gravel gardens, as well as perennial meadow plantings; an example of a short-lived perennial; attracts many species of butterflies

Galanthus nivalis (snow drop)

is tolerant of dense shade; an example of a plant that flowers early, using up stored food, then produces leafy growth to photosynthesise and replenish food for next season; useful of deciduous woodland gardens with understory planting; good for a woodland edge planting

Galium aparine (cleaver/sticky weed)

a plant featuring seeds which are transported away by hooking onto fur, clothing, etc; an example of a weed that smothers competitors; (sticky willy) - a plant which has hooked hairs on both stems and leaves which let it grow up and through other plants to where it can distribute its seeds most effectively.; produces seeds which hook onto animals or clothes and are distributed that way

Lamium purpureum (red dead nettle)

an example of a plant which flowers while few other plants have pollen; will provide food for pollinators early in the year; provides pollen for bees for 10 months of the year; in flower for about ten months of the year and is an important early source of pollen for many insects

Lathyrus odoratus (sweet pea)

an example of a hardy annual that can tolerate mild frost; produces seeds with a seed coat that can prevent water entering the seed by keeping the micropyle blocked; has seeds which can be filed or rubbed to weaken it’s seed coat; a good companion plant to runner beans

Limnanthes douglasii (poached egg plant)

a plant which has flowers hat attract overflies; an example of a plant which bright flowers which can be planted with fruit and vegetables to bring in pollinators; has colours which attract bees and hoverflies; a self-seeder that can be planted in vegetable gardens to encourage pollinators

Primula vulgaris (primrose)

an example of a plant with flower parts arranged in fours and fives or multiples of these; an example of a plant which has flower features to attract a specific butterfly; an example of a plant with differing flower shapes to ensure only certain pollen types are accepted; an example of a low growing plant that can put out leaves and flowers very early in the season and is faster than most annuals

Taraxacum officinale (dandelion)

an example of a plant with the classic daisy flower, within the Asteraceae family; an example of a plant featuring seeds which have individual parachutes; a plant which has a deep taproot which requires a translocated weedkiller as the root fragments act as root cuttings.; an example of a wildflower with a rosette of flatten leaves

Ajuga reptans (bugle)

makes an effective shade ground cover; a plant with stolons (runners) which allow it to colonise a large area rapidly making it useful for ground cover.; a good ground cover layer

Betula nigra (black birch)

a tree that tolerates waterlogged soils well; a tree which can draw the eye with a strong vertical line

Calendula officinalis (pot marigold)

an example of a hardy annual plant; a good companion plant for veggie patches; an example of a hardy annual that can be sown in early spring

Camellia japonica (camellia)

an example of a shrub with a single leaf blade; will do well in acidic soils; an acid-loving plant that can do better in neutral soils by adding sequestered iron

Helianthus annuus (sunflower)

an example of a plant featuring a capitulum flower display; a flower needing open sunny conditions, same for all dairy-type flowers; a plant with a capitulum flower arrangement

Ilex aquifolium (holly)

an example of an evergreen shrub; a plant with thickened cuticles and shiny surfaces making them harder to be eaten as food; produces seeds which contain an embryo that is not fully developed when the seed is shed and needs time to germinate

Leontopodium nivale (edelweiss)

requires areas of free-draining soil with winter protection from rain if it is to be grown in a mild wet climate; is a true alpine plant which has flowers and leaves covered in dense hairs which protect it from cold dry air and ultraviolet radiation at high altitudes; an alpine plant which won’t do well in waterlogged winter conditions

Linnaea x grandiflora (abelia)

an example of an inter-specific hybrid; an example of a semi-evergreen shrub; not suitable for hedging as it can’t cope with being clipped repeatedly

Monstera deliciosa (swiss cheese plant)

originates from tropical conditions and needs high humidity; an example of a plant develops a drip tip and huge holes in the leaves to help water run off and reach the roots; generates aerial roots to support it as it climbs and also absorb water from the humid air

Prunus laurocerasus (cherry laurel)

an example of a shrub which can have tender young growth ruined by late frost; can be used as an evergreen hedge which acts as a noise filter; has waxy coatings on leaves that help to reduce moisture loss directly through the leaf cuticle

Zea mays (corn)

a plant which is wind-pollinated and has both male and female flowers on the same plant; has a stilt root which emerges from the stem just above the soil; a plant which uses it’s height to its advantage to ensure good wind pollination

Agapanthus spp (African lily)

a plant featuring flowers in a simple umbel arrangement; a plant which has an umbel flower arrangement

Astilbe arendsii (astilbe)

an example of a plant featuring a panicle flower arrangement; a plant with a panicle flower arrangement

Begonia semperflorens (wax begonia)

a plant featuring a cyme flower arrangement where panicles of flowers open from the top downwards; a plant with a cyme flower arrangement

Berberis darwinii (berberis)

a plant where the whole leaf is adapted to defend the plant from herbivores by having higher seated spiny margins; has leaf prickles to deter predators and people crossing through plantations

Berberis thunbergii f. Atropurpurea (berberis)

an example of a plant with a minor flower colour variation within a species; a good choice for hedging as it grows to a height of 1.5m

Beta Vulgaris (beetroot)

an example of a true biennial; produces a seed with a seed coat that won’t let oxygen into the embryo

Betula pendula (Silver birch)

a tree that has a weeping form; a good tree for a layered planting

Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ (Siberian Bugloss)

keeps it’s variegated leaf colours well in shade; adapted to lower light levels for shade conditions

Calystegia sepium (hedge bindweed)

a perennial weed that fleshy rhizomes that will run under walls and through hedges; A weed that isn’t affected by contact weedkillers, put can be treated with translocated weedkillers

Carpinus betulus (European Hornbeam)

good for hedging and providing a habitat for wildlife; can be used as a pleached tree screening

Cordyline Australis (new zealand cabbage tree)

a tender shrub that can be given winter protection to flower again in future years; used for dot plants in summer bedding schemes

Cornus alba (siberian dogwood)

does well in waterlogged conditions; has red stems which provide interest across seasons

Cornus sanguinea (common dogwood)

a plant which can produce roots via layering, where nodes touch the ground; can tolerate both wet and dry conditions well

Cotoneaster dammeri (bearberry cotoneaster)

Originated in cold windswept conditions so suited to ‘wind tunnel’ environments; a robust shrub originating from mountain regions which can withstand wind-tunnel conditions in difficult microclimates

Cotoneaster franchettii (Franchet’s cotoneaster)

is easy to manage as a hedge and also friendly to wildlife and can help to filter pollution; a plant with hairy leaves that can help filter particulates out of the air

Crataegus monogyna (common hawthorn)

a plant whose thorns act as a defence from predators for birds making their nests in it; a good tree for birds to build nests in

Cynara cardunculus (artichoke thistle)

a good tall plant with massive leaves to add height to a border planting; provides hollow stems for habitats In winter and seeds for finches

Delphinium (Larkspur)

an example of a plant which develops seedcases which split to spread the seeds widely; a good tall plant for consideration in a border planting

Digitalis purpurea (foxglove)

produces thousands of small seeds; an example of a flower which has orthodox seeds

Dipsacus fullonum (wild teasel)

provides seed for birds, particularly goldfinches; provides seed for goldfinches

Dracaena trifasciata (mother in laws tongue)

a plant with xerophytic adaptations to overcome dry conditions, particularly in modern homes; a monocot than be propagated from all or part of a leaf

Dracunculus vulgaris (dragon arum)

a plant which releases a scent resembling rotting meat to attract blowflies; has a scent like rotting meat but grows outdoors in the uk so perhaps doesn’t need this ability

Echinops bannaticus (blue globe thistle)

a plant which attracts bees to pollinate; a good globe-shaped plant for prairie planting

Elymus repens (couch grass)

a plant featuring stems which run under or overground as rhizomes which store food and then produce new plants at their notes; a plant with stems that grow underground putting up shoots and developing roots from their nodes, aka rhizomes.

Eucalyptus gunnii (cider gum)

an example of a tree where the juvenile foliage is different to the adult foliage; an evergreen tree that is prone to shedding branches in winter gales

Genista lydia (Lydian broom)

has small leaves which are shed during a dry summer and the plant can photosynthesise using it’s stems; a plant which has a raceme flower arrangement

Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo)

an example of a species where there is only one within the genus; also produces fruit which needs to be cleared up safely

Hemerocallis (daylily)

an example of a plant which has flower parts arranged in threes or multiples of threes; develops root tubers which store nutrients over winter

Hosta (hosta)

suited to damp shade conditions; a plant which does better if it’s growing point is about 2.5cm below ground level

Hydrangea macrophylla (hydrangea)

a plant featuring flowers with bracts acting as supplementary petals to attract pollinators to the less visible fertile flowers; can be improved with doses of aluminium sulphate to replace the nutrient that cannot absorb on alkaline soils

Hylotelephium spectacle (ice plant)

a plant featuring flowers in a compound umbel arrangement; a plant commonly grown in UK gardens which has succulent leaves and is very drought tolerant

Impatiens walleriana (busy lizzie)

has fleshy seed pods; an example of a tender perennial

Iris germanica (bearded iris)

Always planted with the rhizome in the surface to allow the sun to reach it and promote flowering.; a plant which has thick, fleshy rhizomes that grow on or very close to the soil surface where they need to be baked by the sun to promote flowering

Iris sibirica (Iris)

(sibirian Iris) - a good general plant selection for prairie planting; grows well in seasonally wet ditches

Juglans nigra (black walnut)

a plant which has leaves/roots which produce compounds that enter the soil and inhibit the growth of other competing plants nearby (allelopathy); a tree with a tap root that is difficult to transplant due to having a taproot

Lonicera peliclymenum (honeysuckle)

a plant which supports itself by twining around over plants; a woody climber that twines to trees to reach light

Magnolia grandiflora (magnolia)

an example of a tree featuring flowers with a platform structure to assist crawling insects to visit and pollinate them.; a plant where the stigma matures first and is pollinated before the plant produces its own pollen

Papaver spp (poppy)

an example of a plant which has tiny seeds which can be shaken out of a seed pod by the wind; has some of the smallest seeds

Prunus ‘Kansan’ (japanese cherry)

a tree that can spread via suckers when shallow roots are disturbed or damaged; a tree which has one massive show of flowers in early spring to act as a magnet to pollinators

Pyracantha spp (n/a)

(pyracantha) a plant whose thorns and spines can deter people from climbing walls or fences; can provide clear horizontal planes in a harden design

Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac)

a flower with roots that run underground to produce suckers and new colonies of plant; a plant which spreads via suckering and is difficult to control

Rubus fruticosus (bramble)

a plant featuring stems that can root at the tip; spreads by arching stems that produce adventitious roots where they touch the ground

Rumex obtusifolius (broad-leaved dock)

a perennial weed that has a deep taproot; a plant whose seed remains in the soil bank for 40 years and can germinate at any time during that period

Salix (Willow)

A thin-barked tree that is prone to sun scald, where the sun causes cells to become active in winter, but are then killed when the sun sets; has an extensive root system which places a high demand on water in the soil, so should not be planted near a house as it may cause subsidence

Sambucus nigra (Elder)

an example of a tree featuring flowers in a corymb arrangement; a tree which has a corymb flower arrangement

Sedum (stonecrop)

can be planted in a green roof on buildings to slow stormwater flow; can be a good plant to be used on a green roof to aid summer cooling

Senecio jacobaea (Ragwort)

deadly to livestock and classified as an ‘injurious weed’ in the Weeds Act 1959; a plant which has a monophagous relationship with a moth (cinnabar moth) which eats its leaves

Solanum lycopersicum (tomato)

produces a fruit which must be consumed so that seeds can be dispersed and ready to germinate; produces seeds with a seed coat that produces chemical inhibitors which prevent the growth of the embryo

Ulex europaeus (Gorse)

an example of a plant featuring seed pods which fire seeds away from the parent plant by propulsion; has tissues that dry out at different rates, setting up a tension in its seed pods that eventually causes them to twist and split open.

Wisteria sinensis (Chinese wisteria)

a plant which due to its climbing ability can be very decorative particularly for covering vertical structures; a climbing tree that is pruned to keep in check and promote flowering