Plant Terminology 101- the Cheat Sheet for beginner plant parents

Buckle-up folks, this is a long one. Feel free to do a quick ctrl-f to find exactly what you're after.

Beginning your plant journey can feel intimidating, especially when people start throwing around Latin words left and right. We promise you don't need to learn a new language just to have some greenery in your life, but understanding the more common planty jargon can help tremendously with grasping the do's and don'ts of plant care.

 With that in mind, we've made you a quick glossary for all the most common houseplant terminology to help put your mind at ease and guide you into your future as a horticulturist!

Classifications and Naming Conventions

Plant names and classifications might seem the most complex part of getting a plant- this is where the Latin comes in to full effect. However, they do follow a relatively simple structure, and it can be helpful to understand.

Family- Large groupings of plants based on shared traits such as structure, growth pattern, and fruits. Common families include Araceae, Marantaceae, and Orchidaceae. Lots of plants within a family will have similar care requirements, so knowing the family can help you look after your plant without googling!

Genus/Genera- The next step down from Family, Genera group closely related species of plants. This is like a plant's surname, and most plants within a genus will have highly similar care requirements. Monstera, Philodendron, and Euphorbia are all common genera

Species- Species is the most specific identification that most people will worry about. Plants within a species are hugely similar in structure and genetics, and are able to reproduce. Different species within a Genus may have differing colourations, shape, and size, but within a single species, these will not vary much.

Variety- Small but noticeable differences in a species may result in Varieties. These will be very small differences, such as leaf colour, not different enough to be classified as their own species.

Cultivar- Cultivars are man-made variants. These are not found in the wild, but were specifically created by us through selective breeding.

Common Name- Common names are created outside of scientific classification. These can vary across locations, and names may repeat themself across different species. For example, 'money plant' could refer to the tree Pachira Aquatica, or the succulent Pilea Peperomoides. These are vastly different plants, but they are both said to bring wealth to their owner.

Common Example:

Scientific names follow a set structure: Genus Species 'Variant'. Family and common names are not included in the structure but are helpful to know.

Other common classification terminology:

Aroid- a common term for plants in the Araceae family such as monstera, philodendron, and anthurium

Epiphyte- Epiphytes are non-parasitic plants that grow on the surface of another plant. Monstera, Tillandsia, and many orchids are all epiphytes. It can be helpful to understand whether your plant is an epiphyte, as this may affect its ideal growing conditions in your house.

Succulents- Succulents are plants with thick, fleshy parts designed to hold on to moisture for long periods of time. They are used to dry and sunny conditions. Several families contain genus classed as succulents, and even more have what are considered semi-succulents.

Cacti- All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti. Cacti is just another name for plants that belong to the Cactaceae family, originating in the Americas.

Carnivorous- Carnivorous plants extract their nutrients from consuming animals, generally small bugs such as flies. Several genera are considered carnivorous, and it is essential to know whether your plant is one of them because of their specialised care requirements.

Phew, that was a lot of information to digest! It may feel intense, but understanding the terms we use to classify plants is going to give you a great basis for plant care.

Positioning and Care

Full Sun- Direct, harsh sun can reach your plant. This is mostly found in South and West facing windows in the summer-time.

Bright Indirect Light- The dream light! Bright, ambient light but without the harshness of direct sun rays. Found mostly in East-facing windows, or stepped back in a room with South or West-facing windows.

Low Light- The trickiest of lights to work with, but not impossible. Think dark, shaded spots- anywhere far away from the windows. Key here is that there is still some natural light.

Trailing- Plants that dangle! Perfect for hanging from hooks or popping up on a shelf. 

Climbing- Plants that naturally look for a surface to attach themself to. Lots of trailing plants are actually climbers if you give them a pole.

Shingling- A sub-group of climbers, shingling plants lay their leaves flat against the vertical surface, often overlapping and resembling roof shingles. A wide, flat, vertical surface is a must.

Crawling- Crawling plants naturally grow along their habitat floor, anchoring themselves in the ground as they go. Providing them a trough or bowl planter to give them the space to crawl will help them out a lot.

Humidity- The water content in the air. The best way to achieve a higher humidity is placing your plant in a bathroom. Fun fact- spraying or misting leaves is a bit of a myth and won't do much to raise overall humidity.

Overwatering- Overwatering means a plant has had too much moisture around it's roots for too long. This could be from watering too frequently, incorrect soil mix, or the plant being too cold/dark.

Root Rot- Root rot is a condition stemming from over-watering in which the roots of a plant quite literally rot away. They'll look dark, mushy, and may have a smell.

Underwatering- A plant has sat dry for too long. Similar to over-watering, this might not mean you need to water more, but could instead mean a change in situation is required. 

Plant appearance and Structure

Variegation- Marks of a different colour on a plant, can be resulting from mutations. Lots of variegated plants are considered rare and desirable, driving their price-point up.

Petiole- the piece of stalk joining a leaf and the main stem.

Node- The section of stem where leaves form. The node where new growth is forming is called the 'growth-point'

Internode- The section of stem between two nodes.

Foliage- The leaves of a plant. Most houseplants are grown for their foliage, unlike outdoor plants which are often selected for their flowers.

Potting

Hydrophobic- Soil that's been left to dry out for a long time can become hydrophobic. Think rainstorms in the desert- water just flows over the dry earth. To properly water hydophobic soil you'll need to sit it in a bowl of water until fully hydrated.

Cover/inner pots- Inner pots are the plastic pots with drainage that most plants are sold in. Cover pots are the decorative outer pots, generally without drainage.

Top-dress- A covering of a different susbtrate on the top layer of soil. Often used as a decorative cover, to retain moisture, or prevent pests within the soil.

Aerial/terrestrial/water Roots- Roots grown in different mediums will have a different structure. Aerial roots naturally grow off certain plants such as Monstera, hoping to anchor the plants to a growing surface.

Grafting- Fusing two different plants together to grow as one, most commonly done to grow more successful fruit crops or for decorative purposes.

Propagate- Breeding a plant using a parent plant, most commonly via stem cuttings.

Root-bound- A term used when the roots of a plant are cramped in the pot, often circling around and poking out the drainage holes. If we call something root-bound, it's definitely time for a repot!

Bonsai- A Japanese art of growing miniature trees. Any tree species can be bonsai-d, indoor or outdoor.

Kokedama- Another Japanese form of growing plants- this time by wrapping the root ball in packed mud or moss, and often then hanging.

Mounted- Mounted plants are attached directly to a surface such as wood or cork, often with a moss covering to preserve moisture. You will often see staghon ferns and orchids grown this way.

Terrarium- A small, enclosed ecosystem, typically made in a glass vessel.

Outdoor

Annual- Annual plants complete their life-cycle within one year. The next generation is reliant on germinating from seeds

Biennial- Plants with a two-year life-cycle. Seeds will occur in the second year, and then the plant will die.

Perennial- A plant that lives for more than two years. They may die back over the winter, but will regrow from the roots in the spring.

Deciduous- A tree/shrub that loses it's leaves annually in the winter.

Evergreen- A tree/shrub that retains it's leaves all year.

Hardy- Plants that are capable of surviving outside through the winter period, cold-tolerant.

Tender- Plants that will not survive a frost or cold spell and will die outside during the winter.

Dormancy- The plant equivalent of hibernation. Plants will reduce their growth and potentially lose above-ground foliage to preserve strength. Some indoor plants also require a regular dormancy period to prolong their lifespan.

Alpines- Hardy, low-lying plants originating from mountainous regions. Often used in rockeries, containers, and shed-roof arrangements due to their tolerance of shallow, poor-quality soil.