All Plants Lab

• very herbaceous plants

• feels rubbery

• can be fragrant

Begonia semperflorens-cultorum Waxleaf Begonia Begoniaceae

• very long petioles

• usually bicolors

  • green, red, white, pink color hues

Caladium bicolor Caladium Araceae

• upright erect

Capsicum annuum Ornamental Pepper Solanaceae

• simple leaf

• weakly branched

  • mounding plant

Catharanthus roseus Vinca Apocynaceae

• simple leaf

• grows from a central mound

Evolvulus glomeratus subsp. grandiflorus Blue Daze Convolvulaceae

• flowers are open in the day

  • close at night

Gazania rigens Gazania Asteraceae

• heat tolerant

• will re-seed

• strong branching capacity

Gomphrena globosa Globe Amaranth Amaranthaceae

• pubescent

• composite flower

Helianthus annuus Common Sunflower Asteraceae

• light serrations to the leaves

Impatiens walleriana Impatiens Balsaminaceae

• very herbaceous

Portulaca grandiflora Rose Moss Portulacaceae

• herbaceous leaf

• star like flower

Pentas lanceolata Pentas Rubiaceae

• prostrate grower

• flowers all summer

Portulaca oleracea Purslane Portulacaceae

• alternate arrangement

• toxic plant

• leaf is similar to papaya

Ricinus communis Castor Bean Euphorbiaceae

• daisy like flower

  • center button is raised

Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima Black-Eyed Susan Asteraceae

• white-grey dusty appearance

• only yellow flower

Senecio cineraria Dusty Miller Asteraceae

• obovate to elliptical leaves

• different leaf patterns

• white-blue flowers

  • cut when seen

Plectranthus scutellarioides Coleus Lamiaceae

• pubescent

• 5-6ft tall

  • must be pruned

Tithonia rotundifolia Mexican Sunflower Asteraceae

• one leaf that is deeply divided/lobed

  • similar to a clover

• interesting flower

  • has a spike on the back, works as a nectarine guide

Aquilegia spp. Columbines Ranunculaceae

• linear foliage (known as strap leaf)

• can survive the cold a little

• leaves are held erect from the stem

• cottage garden style plant

Centaurea cyanus Bachelor’s-Button Asteraceae

• plumes are pretty small

  • cut flowers can be long

• seeds are hard, black, and glossy

• obovate leaves and impressed veins

Celosia argentea Celosia Amaranthaceae

• petals to flowers tend to hang out

• put on really long seed pods

Cleome hassleriana Spider Flower Capparaceae

• looks like a fern/parsley

• flowers will be:

  • white

  • blue-purple

  • pink-purple

• foliage becomes delicate as it matures

Consolida ambigua Larkspur Ranunculaceae

• three to five feet tall

• variety of colors

Cosmos bipinnatus Fern-Leaf Cosmos Asteraceae

• wildflower

Gaillardia pulchella Blanket Flower Asteraceae

• obovate foliage

• flower is closed

  • various colors

• does not like the cold or heat

Helichrysum bracteatum Strawflower Asteraceae

• somewhat cold hardy

• 3ft tall with flowers

Nicotiana alata Flowering Tobacco Solanaceae

• smell is distinct

• huge pollinator plant

Ocimum spp. Basil Lamiaceae

• flowers a lot

  • through the hottest time of the summers

• various colors

Osteospermum spp. African Daisy Asteraceae

• distinct red flower

• different varieties

Pelargonium x hortorum Geranium Geraniaceae

• pubescent foliage

• unkept appearance

• any color

• very large leaves compared to similar plants

Petunia x hybrida Petunia Solanaceae

• herbaceous and smooth foliage

• any color

• very small leaves

Calibrachoa spp. Million-Bells Solanaceae

• reduced/no petiole

• five-petaled flower

• simple to obovate foliage

Phlox drummondii Annual Phlox Polemoniaceae

• single flower types

  • larger flower

• distinct foliage

Tagetes patula Dwarf French Marigold Asteraceae

• ever blooming flower

  • small flower

• very distinct foliage

Tagetes erecta African Marigold Asteraceae

• distinct foliage

  • edible tastes like pepper

• CAN BE VARIEGATED

• sprawling growth on the ground

Tropaeolum majus Nasturtium Tropaeolaceae

• stiff and erect foliage when young

• different types of flowers

  • will create flowers from side stems

Zinnia elegans Zinnia Asteraceae

• flowers reliably

• hot pink flower

• tendrils

Antigonon leptopus Coral Vine Polygonaceae

• no tendrils

• toxic to pollinators

• DISTINCT flower

Aristolochia elegans Calico Vine Aristolochiaceae

• shades of orange and red

• alternate in arrangement

  • simple leaf

• new growth is bright lime green

  • old growth is darker green

Bignonia capreolata Cross Vine Bignoniaceae

• shades of yellow

• seed pods hold well on plant

• tender plant

• will die back and come back

Callaeum macroptera Butterfly Vine Malpighiaceae

• trifoliate leaf

  • 90 degree angle on the petiole

• delicate flower

  • blue, pink, and white

Clematis spp. Clematis Vines Ranunculaceae

• entire plant is pubescent

  • scratchy leaf

• male and female flower on same plant but not perfect

• alternate arrangement

Cucurbita pepo Gourds and Pumpkins Cucurbitaceae

• top of leaf is green

• bottom of leaf is purple

  • along with stem and sometimes top of leaf during winter

• hard seed structure

Lablab purpureus Hyacinth Bean Fabaceae

• leaf is offset at an angle

• holdfast climbing structure

  • they stick on the wall like a gecko

• heteroblastic behavior

  • as it ages it will change the structure

Ficus pumila Climbing Fig Moraceae

• brown color on stem

• only yellow coloring on flower

  • similar to tree yellow bells

  • very small

• long internodes and thin stem

Gelsemium sempervirens Carolina Jessamine Gelsemiaceae

• heteroblastic

  • when young it has lots of lobes on leaves

  • when older the size grows and lobe indention decreases

• extremely invasive

• imported from Europe but native to China

Hedera helix English Ivy Araliaceae

• very invasive

• grows extremely quickly

• alternate arrangement

• flower can be purple, pink, blue, white

  • perfectly round with lines

Ipomoea purpurea Common Morning Glory Convolvulaceae

• purple, white, red flowers

• woody

• dark green foliage

Mandevilla x amabilis Mandevilla Apocynaceae

• very sour fruit

• interesting leaves

Passiflora spp. Passionflowers Passifloraceae

• orange flower

• alternate arrangement

• serrated leaf

Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides Mexican Flame Vine Asteraceae

• winged petiole

• lightly serrated

• orange to yellow flowers

Thunbergia alata Black-Eyed Susan Vine Acanthaceae

• wine in its raw form

• edible fruit

• lots of different types

Vitis spp. Grape Vines Vitaceae

• susceptible to rust fungi

  • spots on leaves

• can be lobed margins

• very distinct feel

Alcea rosea Hollyhocks Malvaceae

• used for cut flower

• linear to lanceolate foliage

• alternate to whorled foliage

• weak

Antirrhinum majus Snapdragon Plantaginaceae

• grown for colors not as much the food

• yellow, green, white, red, orange, etc.

  • rainbow

• sounds like celery when cracked in half

• prominent midrib

• grown for foliage only

• persist year round

Beta vulgaris var. cicla Ornamental Swiss Chard Chenopodiaceae

• no real flower

  • but has a four petaled flower

• grown for purple foliage

• harvested as small greens to be eaten

• green venation

Brassica juncea Giant Mustard Brassicaceae

• specific variety

  • will not grow big cabbage head

• large obovate leaf

  • rough ends of the leaf

• glaucus coating

• white, green, purple

• top five cool season crops

• edible BEOFRE it flowers

• used as mass plantings

Brassica oleracea var. acephala Ornamental Cabbage or Kale Brassicaceae

• orange or yellow flower

  • sometimes a mix

• simplified flower or constant spiral

Calendula officinalis Pot Marigold Asteraceae

• rarely used as singular plantings

• comes from a flattened tuber

• distinct flower

• beautiful colors

  • red, white, pink

Cyclamen persicum Florist’s Cyclamen Primulaceae

• distinct “urchin-like” flower

  • neon-purple

• prickles on back of foliage

• highly lobed and serrated

• heavy glaucous coating

• heavy pollinator plant

• edible like an artichoke

Cynara cardunculus Cardoon Asteraceae

• swollen nodes

  • like really large

• lanceolate to oblanceolate foliage

• five petals on flower

  • looks serrated

• pink, white, reds or mixes/two-toned colors

Dianthus chinensis China Pinks Caryophyllaceae

• blue-green appearance

• flower will be orange and yellow

  • breeding breakthroughs led to different colors

Eschscholzia californica California Poppy Papaveraceae

• break midrib leaks white sap

• green to purple colors

• small-ish foliage

• will form a head

Lactuca sativa Lettuce Asteraceae

• can grown on trellises

  • if not it clumps and branches heavily

• vines

• sweet smell

Lathyrus odoratus Annual Sweet Pea Fabaceae

• linear to lanceolate foliage

• baby snap dragons

• NOT BLUEBONNETS IGNORE THE BACK

• very distinct and pretty flower

Linaria spp. Annual Toadflax Plantaginaceae

• four petaled flower

• leaf branching capacity

• white, reds, blues, pinks

• almost like a groundcover annual

  • mass plant them

Lobularia maritima Sweet Alyssum Brassicaceae

• compound leaf arrangement

• maroon variety

• basal rosette

• second year will flower

Lupinus texensis Texas Bluebonnet Fabaceae

• heavily ungulated foliage

• feels rubbery but not pubescent

• defined midrib

• used as linear pieces in floral design

• nice smell

• does not tolerate heat at all

Matthiola incana Stock Brassicaceae

• make different seed pods

• legal to grow

  • illegal to cut and make them into opium

• islandic versions commonly sold as cut flowers

• one head has thousands of seeds

Papaver spp. Poppies Papaveraceae

• grows from basal rosettle

• ungulated

• rainbow variation

• need double planting to get mass flowering

• does not branch

Primula x polyantha Polyanthus Primrose Primulaceae

• flower is silky smooth

• distinct flower

• many many different colors

• edible flowers

• new variety has a version which resembles a peony

Viola x wittrockiana Pansy Violaceae

• prostrate growing habit

• wrinkled feel on leaves

• somewhat variegated

  • reverts back to green

• mint, salvia are the same family

Ajuga reptans Bugleweed Lamiaceae

• simple leaf

  • succulent leaf (full of water)

  • feel leaf and it will break on you

• leaf is smooth

• leaf can be variegated or unvariegated

• will not be weedy

• prostrate groundcover

• grow very well in baskets/hanging pots

• HUGE pollinator attractor

Aptenia cordifolia Hearts-And-Flowers Aizoaceae

• suberizes quickly

• serrated foliage

• petiole have red characteristic

• not being grown for the flower

• does not respond well to trampling

  • responds well to shearing

• alternate to a whorled arrangement

Ardisia japonica Japanese Ardisia Myrsinaceae

• has prickles

  • downward facing

• very very small foliage

• comes back every year

• very weird root system

• roots are weird

  • form small “grape” like structures on roots

  • commonly known as sugar babies

Asparagus densiflorus ‘Sprengeri’ Asparagus Fern Asparagaceae

• can tolerate full shade

• full sun will burn it

  • especially very hot afternoon sun

• anything can be variegated

Aspidistra elatior Cast Iron Plant Asparagaceae

• very small foliage

• bring flies (pollinator)

• flower is more prized than the seed pod

Euonymus fortunei Wintercreeper Euonymus Celastraceae

• most sold plant in big stores

• leaves come in different colors

  • lime green

  • dark green

  • purple

  • all three

Ipomoea batatas Sweet Potato Convolvulaceae

• different types of varieties

• one to two foot long leaves\

• gets anthracnose

Liriope muscari Liriope Asparagaceae

• flower starts white and goes to yellow

• very sweet sap

• very invasive

Lonicera japonica Japanese Honeysuckle Caprifoliaceae

• want to prune before first freeze

• roots are thick herbaceous

• comes back reliably every year

• little tiny flowers

  • sessile (no petiole)

• rubbery leaves

Tradescantia pallida Setcreasea Commelinaceae

• exfoliating subsentence

• grows reliably but gets killed back by freezes

• can comes with yellow spots on leaves

  • can be “wrinkled”

• tolerates shade more than sun

• yellow composite flower

  • branched flower

  • flowers in the fall

Ligularia spp. Ligularia Asteraceae

• red stem on internode area

• flowers A LOT

  • during hottest time of the month

  • yellow flowers

• forms a nice dense mat

Sphagneticola trilobata Wedelia Asteraceae

• can be a groundcover bed

  • more grown as a potted plant

• grows edible berries

  • most loved

• best planted in falls

Fragaria x ananassa Strawberry Rosaceae

• grows like arching canes

• sets berries

• white five petaled flower

• THORNS

Rubus spp. Blackberries Rosaceae

• somewhat serrated margin

• new growth is heavily pubescents

• spores on back of leaves

Cyrtomium falcatum Holly Fern Dryopteridaceae

• alternate arrangement

  • very fragile

• do not come back after freezes

• make great living plants inside

• also known as fish bone fern

Nephrolepis exaltata Boston Fern Dryopteridaceae

• very thick cuticle

• leaf will crack when folded

• does create flowers

  • rare

Trachelospermum asiaticum Asian Jasmine Apocynaceae

• very herbaceous

• distinct blue/purple flower

• does not suberize quickly

• only outside in the gardens

Vinca major Big Periwinkle Apocynaceae

• very tough needles

  • very hard

• glaucous coating

• very big when mature

• once it flowers the plant will die shortly after

  • branched panicle

• basal rossette

  • grows at the base as a rose

Agave americana Century Plant Asparagaceae

• as it grows it will TWIRL

• spines grow upward

  • will cut

• flowers straight up

  • panicle growth straight up

• basal rosette growth

  • blue or green growth

  • blue is the glaucous coating

Dasylirion spp. Sotol Asparagaceae

• completely smooth margin

• very stiff foliage

• parallel veination

• branched panicle as flower

• cracks when folded

Yucca spp. Yucca Asparagaceae

• swollen bottom

• foliage grows all from the top HENCE COMMON NAME

  • smooth margins

• grows year-round in the valley

• prone to overwatering and root rot

Beaucarnea recurvata Ponytail Palm Asparagaceae

• tons of cultivars

• very stiff and hard

  • will break easily

• very cold sensitive

• spreads through rhizotomous growth

Sansevieria trifasciata Snake Plant Asparagaceae

• very distinct smell

• fleshy

• does not seed

• panicled flowering

• spreads through rhizotomous growth

• indented

  • when you squish it the liquid comes out

Aloe vera Aloe Vera Xanthorrhoeaceae

• some-what fleshy

• thin foliage

• very drought-tolerant

• flowering stems are much taller than the actual plant

• self-clean

  • get rid of dead foliage

Bulbine frutescens Bulbine Xanthorrhoeaceae

• very tough foliage

• solid amount of flowering

• distinct seed pods

• when it experiences drought stress it’ll change to red color

  • as well as cold weather

Hesperaloe parviflora Red Yucca Asparagaceae

• yellow, orange, red flowers

• most common type of cacti

• SETS FRUIT

  • edible for wildlife and humans

Opuntia spp. Prickly Pear Cacti Cactaceae

• grows in cylindrical growth

• spines hurt and burn

• small fruits

  • elongated raspberries

  • edible

Cylindropuntia spp. Cholla Cactaceae

• huge central spines

  • are recurved

• in the center its full of glaucids

• flowers occur at the central top

• yellow seed pods

Echinocactus spp. Barrel Cacti Cactaceae