Organic Gardening and Plant Glossary

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A Basic Guide to Organic Gardening and Plant Terminology

Gardening can be a lot harder if you don't understand the basic terms.  We have created a "working" gardening glossary below with all the basic terms and definitions you need to know for gardening and about plants. If you would like to see us add terms then please add them in the comments section at the bottom.

Acre - A measure of land totaling 43,560 square feet. A square acre is 208.75 feet on each side.

Annual - Plants that last one year.  One year means from seed to full bloom and then back to seeding.  If you get an annual that is 5 months old...it’s only got about seven months until it seeds.

Alien Plant- This is a plant that is not native to the area.  It is a plant from some where else.

Arboretum - A large area of trees and shrubs that have been grown with a purpose.  Most arboretums and created for educational of scientific purposes.

Axil - The under side of where the leaf forms between the leaf and stem.

Bark - The tough outer covering of the woody stems of trees and shrubs.  It includes all tissues outside the vascular cambium. (The wood)

Biennial - A plant that only lives for two years rather than one year of an annual.  Typically, biennials produce flowers and seeds in their second year.

Blade - A thin leaf.

Bract - A scale leaf like structure that grows below, and is often mistaken for part of, a flower or cluster of flowers. Colored bracts often attract “good bugs” such as pollinators. Poinsettias and Dogwoods are examples of plants with easy to find bracts.

Bud - The early formation of a flower on a plant, tree or shrub.  These sometime turn into fruits and vegetables depending on the plant.

Cold Hardy - A plant capable of tolerating cold temperatures such as evergreens.

Conifer - A tree that bears cones and has needle like leaves.  These trees typically stay green all year around.

Cultivar - A plant selected and then cultivated because it showed traits uncommon to its species.

Deciduous - Plants that shed their leaves each year to avoid severe weather such as cold or draught.  Trees whose leaves change colors during the fall and then fall off are deciduous plants/trees.

Evergreens - Typically trees that stay green year around and do not lose their leaves.  Evergreens are mostly trees with needles or very thin leaves.

Herbaceous - A plant that contains no woody tissue.  Most herbaceous plants are annual and perennials.  Seasonal flowers are a great example of herbaceous plants.

Hybrid - A plant or group of plants that have crossbred with similar species or varieties.

Inflorescence - A axis that contains many flowers known as a flower cluster.

Native Plants - Plants that grow naturally in a given area.  When trying to decide what to grow in your garden or yard, check what plants are native to your area.

Needles - A long, thin,  pointy, stiff leaf.

Node - A point of a stem where multiple branches or flowers grow.

Panicle - A loose, airy, multi-branched cluster of flowers or type of inflorescence.

Perennial - A plant that grows for many years.  Perennials typically die back during the winter months and sprout new growth during the spring and summer months.

Pistil - The seed-bearing organ of a flower, consisting of the ovary, stigma, and style.

Shrub - A woody low growing plant typically with multiple stems.

Square Acre - A measure of land 208.75 feet on each side totaling 43,560 square feet.

Tree - A woody perennial with a single long stem, and trunk, and bark with few or no branches on the lower part.

Wildflower - Typically a native herbaceous plant that grows indiscriminately.

Woody Plant - A plant with lots of woody parts and bark that does not die back during the cold season.  Most woody plants are trees and shrubs.

We are always adding terms to our organic gardening glossary so please add any suggestions below.

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