Plant characteristics AWS
Plant characteristics When encountering an unknown plant, it is often its large-scale features are which give the first clue as to its identity. Some examples of plant characteristics which can help in identification are considered in the table below:
Size – it is important to note whether quoted sizes refer height and spread after a fixed number of years – for example, 3, 5, 10 years or size at maturit, all of which will reflect the rate of growth of the plant with some being naturally slow or fast growing. Also the environment will affect size, in particular the availability of light and shade. Shape – this can enable identification at a distance particularly for trees and shrubs. Habit – many cultivars have been selected which depart from the normal structure of the original species. Preferred habitat – taking note of the habitat in which a plant is found (e.g. light conditions, soil moisture content and pH) can narrow the range of possible plants.
Characteristic Herbaceous perennial size (Final height and spread)
Shrub
Tree
Shape
Habit
Preferred habitat
Ball-shaped Pyramidal Conical Prostrate Fastigiate Columnar Weeping Woodland, dappled shade Moist soil, full sun Dry soil, full sun Acid soil
Small Geranium oxonianum ‘Wargrave Pink’ (45 cm x 45 cm) Spiraea x bumalda ‘Anthony Waterer’ (60 cm x 60 cm) Acer griseum (6 m x 6 m)
Medium Anthriscus sylvestris ‘Ravenswing’ (1 m x 45 cm)
Large Verbascum olympicum (2 m x 60 cm)
Viburnum tinus Philadelphus ‘Eve Price’ ‘Virginal’ (2 m x 2 m) (4 m x 4 m)
Robinia Platanus x pseudoacacia hispanica ‘Frisia’ (20 m x 6 m) (12 m x 6 m) Hydrangea macrophylla Liquidamber styraciflua Pittosporum tenuifolium Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. repens Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’ Populus nigra ‘Italica’ Betula pendula ‘Tristis’ Acer palmatum Taxodium distichum Cistus x corbariensis Parrotia persica
Size – it is important to note whether quoted sizes refer height and spread after a fixed number of years – for example, 3, 5, 10 years or size at maturit, all of which will reflect the rate of growth of the plant with some being naturally slow or fast growing. Also the environment will affect size, in particular the availability of light and shade. Shape – this can enable identification at a distance particularly for trees and shrubs. Habit – many cultivars have been selected which depart from the normal structure of the original species. Preferred habitat – taking note of the habitat in which a plant is found (e.g. light conditions, soil moisture content and pH) can narrow the range of possible plants.
Characteristic Herbaceous perennial size (Final height and spread)
Shrub
Tree
Shape
Habit
Preferred habitat
Ball-shaped Pyramidal Conical Prostrate Fastigiate Columnar Weeping Woodland, dappled shade Moist soil, full sun Dry soil, full sun Acid soil
Small Geranium oxonianum ‘Wargrave Pink’ (45 cm x 45 cm) Spiraea x bumalda ‘Anthony Waterer’ (60 cm x 60 cm) Acer griseum (6 m x 6 m)
Medium Anthriscus sylvestris ‘Ravenswing’ (1 m x 45 cm)
Large Verbascum olympicum (2 m x 60 cm)
Viburnum tinus Philadelphus ‘Eve Price’ ‘Virginal’ (2 m x 2 m) (4 m x 4 m)
Robinia Platanus x pseudoacacia hispanica ‘Frisia’ (20 m x 6 m) (12 m x 6 m) Hydrangea macrophylla Liquidamber styraciflua Pittosporum tenuifolium Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. repens Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’ Populus nigra ‘Italica’ Betula pendula ‘Tristis’ Acer palmatum Taxodium distichum Cistus x corbariensis Parrotia persica
