top of page

Horticulture Glossary and Landscape Terms Defined

This glossary gives you real definitions for terms you will hear in plant consultations, service proposals, and design layouts. These are not textbook definitions — they are field-applied explanations you will actually understand. Whether you are a homeowner, landscaper, or garden center employee, knowing these terms will help you speak the language of the landscape.

Section 1 — Core Horticulture Terms You Should Know

Annual: A plant that lives for one growing season. It grows, flowers, and dies in the same year. Must be replanted every season.

Perennial: A plant that comes back year after year, typically dying back in winter and re-emerging in spring.

Deciduous: A plant that loses its leaves in the fall or winter. Common in flowering trees and shrubs.

Evergreen: A plant that keeps foliage all year. Includes conifers like arborvitae, and broadleaf types like holly.

Softscape: The living part of the landscape — plants, mulch, soil, and bed materials.

Hardscape: The structural elements in a yard — patios, walls, walkways, edging, and stone features.

Transplant Shock: A plant's natural response to being moved. Causes temporary wilt, leaf drop, or slowed growth.

Mulch: Organic or synthetic material spread over beds to retain moisture, block weeds, and stabilize soil.

Compost: Decomposed organic matter used to improve soil structure and nutrient content.

Root Ball: The mass of soil and roots surrounding a nursery-grown plant. Must be installed at the proper depth.

Girdling Roots: Roots that wrap around a plant’s base or trunk, eventually choking it out.

pH: A measure of soil acidity or alkalinity. Ranges from 0 (very acidic) to 14 (very alkaline). Most plants prefer a slightly acidic pH between 6 and 7.

Drainage: How quickly water moves through soil. Poor drainage causes root rot. Fast drainage can dry roots too quickly.

Loam: Ideal soil blend with good structure. A mix of sand, silt, and clay that retains moisture while draining well.

Clay Soil: Dense and slow-draining. Common in compacted areas. Often needs amendment before planting.

Sun Exposure: How much light a location receives:

  • Full sun: 6 or more hours of direct light

  • Partial sun: 4 to 6 hours

  • Shade: Less than 4 hours

Dieback: The death of plant tips or stems. Often caused by root issues, winter damage, or fungal stress.

Frost Heave: When soil expansion from freezing lifts shallow-rooted plants out of the ground.

Deer Pressure: The likelihood of deer feeding on landscape plants. High-pressure zones require resistant varieties.

Zone (Hardiness Zone): A classification based on the average minimum winter temperature. Determines what plants will survive long-term. NJ is mostly Zone 6 and 7.

Section 2 — Design and Maintenance Terms

Backbone Plant: A large shrub or tree used to anchor a design. Provides height, structure, or privacy.

Filler Plant: A mid-size plant used between larger anchor plants. Adds bulk, color, or seasonality.

Groundcover: Low-growing plants that spread across the soil surface. Used to reduce weeds and hold soil.

Layering: A design strategy that arranges plants by height from back to front to create depth.

Massing: Grouping plants of the same type together for visual impact.

Airflow: Space between plants that allows wind and air to move freely, preventing fungal issues.

Edge Definition: The line or material that separates your planting bed from the lawn or other surfaces.

Thinning: Selective removal of branches or shoots to reduce density, improve air circulation, or shape.

Deadheading: Removing spent flowers to encourage more blooms and tidy the plant.

Cutback: Heavily reducing a perennial’s size after bloom or at season end to trigger healthy regrowth.

Woody Plant: A plant that develops permanent stems or branches, such as trees, shrubs, and evergreens.

Herbaceous Plant: A plant with soft, green stems that typically die back in winter.

Hard Prune: Removing a significant amount of a plant’s size, usually done in early spring or late winter.

Selective Prune: Targeted cutting of specific branches for shape or health, not mass removal.

Root Prune: Trimming roots, usually during transplant or for controlling growth in containers.

Section 3 — Quick-Use Abbreviations and Field Phrases

B&B (Balled and Burlapped): Plants sold with soil-wrapped roots in burlap and wire baskets.

C/T (Container): Plant sold in a plastic or decorative container. Common in nurseries.

Caliper: The diameter of a tree trunk, typically measured six inches above the base.

Flush: A period of new leaf or flower growth.

Leggy: A plant that has grown tall and bare, often from too little light or pruning.

Tight Habit: A plant that grows compact and dense without sprawling.

Open Growth: A loose or airy plant form, sometimes desirable for style or airflow.

Spent: A bloom or shoot that is done growing or dying off.

Staking: Supporting young or newly planted trees with wooden or metal stakes.

Harden Off: Transitioning a greenhouse plant to outdoor conditions by gradually increasing sun and wind exposure.

Sucker Growth: Shoots that sprout from the base or root zone of a plant, often unwanted.

bottom of page