How to use the Plant Toolbox
Looking for the glossary?
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Search
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- You can use the search box to find plants.
- Search results are displayed as you type.
- You can click on a plant or a tag to see your results.
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Find a Plant
- This is the tool you use to find a plant that suits your needs.
- By choosing from the filters, you can narrow the results until you have exactly the plant you're looking for.
- More Detailed Directions
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Print a Plant Profile
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Identify a Plant
- This is the tool to use if you have a plant, but you want to know what it is.
- You use the filters to pick attributes your plant has, and the results are plants that have those characteristics.
- Toward the top of the results page, you will see which filters you have chosen:
- You can click the
to un-select that filter.
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Tags
- You can also find plant using tags.
- Here are some tags
- If you click on one, you will be shown all the plants that have that tag.
- For example, clicking on the #butterflies tag shows all the plants that are tagged #butterflies.
- You can click the
to un-select that tag.
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Scientific / Common name
- You can choose to display your results by scientific or common name by using this switch
- You can choose to display your results by scientific or common name by using this switch
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Mobile
- If you are on a mobile device (phone or tablet), clicking this
will show you the navigation options, and this icon
will expand the menus so you can see them.
- If you are on a mobile device (phone or tablet), clicking this
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Invasive Species Determination
The following sites are referenced
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NC State Horticulture Invasive Species Assessment
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NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Noxious Weeds
Glossary
Looking for an extensive glossary? See the NC Extension Gardener Handbook Glossary
Term | Definition |
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Appendage | A part of a plant that is a modification of a stem, root. or leaf. |
Attracts | What beneficial insects or birds the plant attracts. |
Available Space To Plant | Measured in feet, the allotted space in a landscape in which to place a plant. |
Bark Attachment | The appearance of bark and how tight or loose it is to the trunks of woody plants. |
Bark Color | The color of the outer bark of a woody plant. |
Bark Plate Shape | The shape of flat sections of bark separated by furrows. |
Design Feature | The design function of a plant in the landscape. |
Flower Bloom Time | The season in which flowers are in bloom. |
Flower Color | The primary color (or colors) of the petals, or sometimes other structures like sepals, tepals, or reproductive organs of the flowers. |
Flower Inflorescence |
A grouping or cluster of flowers on a stem in various formations. |
Flower Petals | The number of individual petals on a single flower. |
Flower Shape | The form and anatomy of the individual blooms on a plant. |
Flower Size | How large the individual blossoms are in inches. |
Flower Value To Gardener | The positive characteristics the flowers of a plant bring to the gardener. |
Fruit Color | The color the fruit appears at maturity. |
Fruit Display Harvest Time | The time of the year when fruits would be showy and/or when they would be ready to harvest. |
Fruit Length | The average length of the fruiting body in inches. |
Fruit Type | The structure developed from a ripened ovary, or ovaries, of a plant. |
Fruit Value To Gardener | The positive characteristics the fruits of a plant bring to the gardener. |
Fruit Width | The average width of the fruiting body in inches. |
Growth Rate | How fast a plant grows. This is a factor of light, nutrients, water, and temperature. |
Habit | Shape, form, and appearance of a plant. |
Landscape Location | Places in the landscape that might be influenced by different environmental factors. |
Landscape Theme | Gardens defined by a particular geographical style, certain identifiable plant characteristics, or color palette. |
Leaf Arrangement | How leaves are positioned on the stems of plants. |
Leaf Characteristics | What type and how long leaves stay on a plant. |
Leaf Color | The color or colors of the blades of the leaves during the growing season. |
Leaf Fall Color | The color the leaves turn in autumn. Not all plants have a change of color with the seasons. |
Leaf Feel | How the leaf feels to the touch. |
Leaf Hairs Present | If there are hairs on any surface of the leaf. |
Leaf Length | The average length of the blade of the leaf in inches. |
Leaf Margin | The shape of the edge of the leaf blade. |
Leaf Shape |
The varying shapes of individual leaf blades. |
Leaf Type | The form and number of leaf blades which differ greatly among plants. |
Leaf Value To Gardener | The positive characteristics leaves of a plant bring to the gardener. |
Leaf Width | The average width of the blade of the leaf in inches. |
Light | The amount of sunlight required for optimum plant health. |
Maintenance | The amount of activity required to keep a plant in top condition. |
Nc Region | North Carolina is divided into three regions Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal, different plants thrive in these different regions. |
Plant Type | There are many different types of plants and some plants can be categorized by more than one type. |
Problems | Factors to consider when choosing a plant that may cause issues in the landscape depending on location and use. |
Resistance To Challenges | Concerns in the landscape and the environment to which a plant is particularly resistant to. |
Soil Drainage | How well water drains out of soil after a reasonable amount of time. |
Soil Ph | A measure of acidity or alkalinity in the soil that is optimum for plant growth. |
Soil Texture | The type of soil(s) that provide optimum growing conditions for the plant. |
Stem Color | The color of the stems and twigs of a plant. |
Texture | The perceived surface quality of the plant compared to other surrounding plants. |
USDA Zone | A geographically-defined zone which tells which plants are capable of growing defined by the plants' ability to withstand the zone's minimum temperatures. |