Copy of `Parker County Master Gardener Association`

The wordlist doesn't exist anymore, or, the website doesn't exist anymore. On this page you can find a copy of the original information. The information may have been taken offline because it is outdated.

Parker County Master Gardener Association Category: Agriculture and Industry > Herbiculture Date & country: 27/01/2014, USA Words: 444

Perianth Segment
See tepal.

Pericarp
The wall of a fruit.

Perithecium
Receptacle that contains spores.

Perlite
Granular volcanic rock which when expanded by a heating process forms light granules. Used to improve the aeration in potting soil, no nutrient value. Perlite is a good addition to container potting mixes, to promote moisture retention while allowing good drainage.

Perfoliate
Paired leaves that fuse around the stem.

Peltate
Term used to describe a leaf that has its stalk attached to the center of the leaf (example

Pendulous
To hang. Inclined or hanging downward.

Perennial
A non-woody plant that grows and lives for more than two years often will live for three years or more under normal conditions. Perennials usually produce one flower crop each year, lasting anywhere from a week to a month or longer.

Pedicel
The stalk of an individual flower.

Peduncle
The main stem of a flower or flower cluster.

Pegging Down
This is a time consuming method but well worth the display and generally done in the fall. Instead of pruning, spread the runners and fasten them to the soil with wire loops. Basically you are training the plant horizontally. Note: A very effective way to increase flower production on Bonbon & Hybrid Perpetual roses that send up long shoots with oily flowers on the end.

Pass Along Plants
Plants that are shared between friends and not easily found in catalogs. Usually some plant from an older garden.

Pathogen
A disease-causing organism, usually microscopic.

Peat Moss
The partially decomposed remains of various mosses. This is a good water retentive addition to the soil but tends to add to the acidity of the soil. (Peat sedges (United States) or sphagnum mosses (Canada).

Pebble Tray
A tray filled with pebbles to create humidity in the environment. Continual evaporation will take place up and around the plants.

Ovule
Female reproductive element within the ovary which, when fertilized, becomes a seed.

Palmate Leaf
Five or more lobes arising from one point (hand-like).

Panicle
A loosely branched flower head.

Parasitic Plant
A plant that lives on and acquires its nutrients from another plant. This often results in declined vigor or death of the host plant.

Parterre
A flat area decorated with flowerbeds, often in elaborate shapes and usually outlined with a low hedge, intended to be viewed from overhead.

Over Seeding
Planting on top of an existing garden or lawn. (Examples - rye grass over lawns for winter, wildflower seeds in meadows).

Overwinter
To provide conditions that enable plants to live through the winter.

Ornamental
A plant that is grown strictly for its foliage or flower rather than for food or any other economic use (example

Osmosis
Diffusion through a semi-permeable membrane; thus moisture is taken up by roots and carried from cell to cell throughout the plant.

Ovary
The part of the female organ of the flower, which contains the ovules.

Over Potting
Repotting a plant into a pot that is too large to allow successful establishment. The roots may die from too much moisture.

Organic Gardening
The method of gardening utilizing only materials derived from living things (examples: composts and manures).

Organic Material (Organic Matter)
Any material that originated as a living organism (examples: peat moss, compost, manure). It is carbon-based material capable of undergoing decomposition and decay.

Open Pollinated
Any plant that has been pollinated in the field, in direct contrast to hybrid varieties that will grow true to variety, the plants produced will be true to the parents.

Opposite
Leaves or buds that are borne in pairs along the stem. Compare alternate.

Orangery
A building, usually with large and numerous windows, built to house potted orange trees during the winter, the trees are moved outside during the warmer months.

Organic Fertilizer
A fertilizer containing carbon compounds.

Offset
A young plantlet that appears on a mature plant. An offset can generally be detached and used for propagation (examples - Spider Plants, Walking Iris).

Obelisk
An upright, four-sided tapered pillar that terminates in a pyramid; it may be inscribed or plain, and it is often placed prominently in the center of a pool, at the crown of a hill or at the end of a terrace walk.

Obovate
The reverse of ovate; oval with the point of attachment at the small end.

Node
The part of a stem from which a leaf or new branch starts to grow.

Nose
The tip of a bulb.

Nurse Grass
A quick-growing grass, temporary grass included in some lawn-seed mixtures to give rapid coverage to protect the more permanent grasses from soil erosion and other adverse conditions.

Nurseryman
One who is state certified to practice growing techniques of plant material making the proper selection for specific needs.

Nematode
One of a group of very small wormlike creatures (example

Neutral Soil
This is neither acid nor alkaline: pH 6.5

Nitrates
Certain salts of nitric acid, which are used as oxidizing agents in the manufacture of fertilizers.

Nitrogen (N)
(Major Nutrient) Foliage becomes increasingly yellow in color as the nitrogen deficiency symptoms progress. At flowering time, nitrogen moves out of leaf tissue and concentrates in blossoms or fruit. Older leaves wither and die.

Nitrogen Carrier
A material, usually a fertilizer that contains the element nitrogen.

Natural Layering
The spontaneous rooting of stems in contact with the ground.

Naturalize
To plant randomly, without a pattern. The idea is to create the effect that the plants grew in that space without human help (example

Naturalized
Plants that will behave like native plants in a given geological region. Bulbs naturalize nicely and lend themselves to a blooming statement.

Nectar
The sweet fluid produced by glands on flowers that attract pollinators such as hummingbirds or honeybees, for whom it is a source of energy.

Multicolored
A flower bearing at least three distinctly different colors.

Multi-Purpose Compost
A peat-based compost that can be used for seed sowing, potting up plants and for filling hanging baskets and other containers.

Mutation
Any change in a plant that will lead to a new feature. Fortunately or unfortunately, this can be inherited.

Native Plant
Any plant that occurs and grows naturally in a specific region or locality.

Mosaic Virus
A type of virus that produces a mosaic pattern or mottling of the foliage. It also causes squash and other fruits of vegetables to have a mottled appearance. Fruit is still edible.

Mother Bulb
A mature bulb that has developed offset bulbs.

Mother Plant
A plant from which propagations are taken.

Mouth
The open end of a bell-shaped or tubular flower.

Mulch
Any loose material placed over the soil to control weeds and conserve soil moisture. Usually this is a coarse organic matter (examples - leaves, clippings, or bark) but plastic sheeting and other commercial products can also be used.

Morphology
The science that deals with the form and structure of plants.

Moist Soil Conditions
Achieved when the soil is allowed to dry slightly (feels dry when finger is inserted about 1-inch) before watering.

Mollusca
Snails, slugs, clams.

Monocotyledon
A plant with a single seed leaf (example

Monoecious
A plant that bears both male and female flowers.

Mixed Border
Various selections in plantings, with care and planning, this can be very attractive. If it is haphazard, it can be unattractive and unpleasing to the eye. A mixed border is a grouping that combines several types of plants, such as ornamental trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, bulbs and groundcovers.

Mist Propagation
The ideal method of propagation in a greenhouse or place with good circulation, using automatic misters.

Microorganisms
Animals and plants that are too small to be seen clearly with the naked eye but are the soil enablers helping to improve the dirt.

Midrib
The central rib or vein of a leaf or other organ.

Mildew
A fungus. Two common types are downy and powdery. It leaves a white coating on the leaves and is common to crepe myrtle, zinnias, grapes, bee balm, roses, etc. It shows up in cool, wet weather. Drip irrigation can prevent some occurrence. Plant disease resistant varieties.

Meristem Root Zone
A major internal part of a root, this is at the tip and manufactures new cells; it is an area of cell division and growth.

Microclimate
Variations of the climate within a given area, usually influenced by hills, hollows, structures or proximity to bodies of water.

Melting Out
A condition in which herbaceous plants suddenly collapses, wither up and die. Sometimes the dead tissue is slimy to the touch.

Medium Light
For houseplants, south window in summer, 200 to 500 foot-candles. Medium light for houseplants outdoors means minimal direct sun (in the early morning).

Maturation Root Zone
Zone where the cells of a root undergo changes to become specific tissues, such as epidermis, cortex or vascular tissue.

Magnesium
(Major Nutrient) Symptoms vary among plant species, but plant growth is rigid with leaves curling upward when there is magnesium deficiency.

Manganese
(Minor Nutrient) Leaf yellowing occurs when there is manganese deficiency.

Marginal Plant
Plants that will grow on the edges of ponds or lakes and when cultivated, will make nice plants around a water garden.

Linear
Very narrow with parallel sides.

Lobe
A partial division or segment of a leaf or other organ.

Low Light
For houseplants, north window, and 75 to 200-foot candles. Low light for houseplants outdoors means no direct sun.

Lifting
Digging up and removing a plant from the soil.

Light
Movable part of a cold frame.

Ligule
A protruding structure from the upper surface of the leaf where the blade and the sheath are joined. This structure may be membranous, a fringe of hairs or a membrane with hairs. The ligule can vary in both shape and size and may also be absent.

Lime
Ground limestone used to add calcium to the soil and to raise its pH level or make it more alkaline. Dolomite lime adds both calcium and magnesium.

Keel
A ridge growth on a part of a plant, like the keel of a boat.

Knot Garden
A small, rectangular garden, developed in Tudor times that consists of a geometric pattern, or knot, laid out in dwarf plants such as boxwood, rosemary or yaupon hollies.

Lanceolate
Spear-shaped.

Lanky
Spindly growth

Larva
The immature stage of some insects, popularly known as a caterpillar, maggot or grub.

Leaf
One of the lateral outgrowths of a stem of a plant.

Iron Chlorosis
An iron deficiency most common in acid-loving plants. Leaves turn a yellow-green color, while the veins of the leaves stay dark green.

Irrigation
The process of applying water to a plant.

Island Bed
A freestanding garden bed that can be viewed from all sides.

Joint
The point on the stem where a leaf or bud arises. (Node).

Insect Vectors
Insects that carry and distribute disease-causing microorganisms.

Intercropping
A way of maximizing production from vegetable beds. Vegetables that are spaced relatively far apart such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts do not fully occupy the bed early in their season. The bed space between the plants can be used to grow a quick-maturing crop such as radishes or lettuce that will be harvested and gone by the time larger plants begin to cover those spaces.

Internodes
The part of the stem between one node and another.

Iron
(Minor Nutrient) Leaves turn bright yellow and show green veins, most prominently on the newest growth when there is iron deficiency. This symptom is most common in alkaline soil where the pH is well above 7.0.

Hydraulic Seeding
A method of sowing grass seed by spraying it in a stream of water.

Hyphae
The threadlike filaments that form the vegetative part of a fungus.

Imbricate
Closely overlapping.

Impeller
The part of a water pump that moves the water.