LANDSCAPE PLANTS I
HORTICULTURE 211, Fall 2008
Lectures: Monday 11:30 - 12:20 in A101 PSS (Plant and Soil Sciences Building)
Wednesday 11:30 - 12:20 in A101 PSS
Lab Sections: Sec 1 Wednesday 12:40-3:30 in A158 PSS; Sec 2 Thursday 3:00-5:50 in A158 PSS;
Sec 3 Friday 9:10-12:00 in A158 PSS;.
Instructor: Jesse L. Saylor; A45 Plant and Soil Sci. Bldg; Please use my Cell (749-6180).
Office Hours by Appointment: See me before or after lecture or lab for appointment.
Course web Site: www.msuplants.com
Teaching Assistants: To be announced.
Course Objectives:
1. To be able to identify over 250 plants: shade trees, narrow-leaved evergreens, shrubs, woody
vines, herbs, ornamental grasses, and selected herbaceous perennials. This includes knowing the
scientific name(s), selected cultivars, common name(s), and the plant family. Identification involves
seeing parts of or the whole plant.
2. To develop an appreciation for the great diversity and beauty of ornamental landscape plants.
3. To be able to select plants for specific purposes and site conditions. This includes knowing the
environmental requirements of specific plants, their desirable and undesirable characteristics, their landscape
uses, and major insect and disease problems.
4. To be familiar with selected reference books, source guides, and other resources.
5. To be familiar with the use of keys for identification of plant material.
Required Textbooks: (Except for the lab manual, the same books are used in Hrt 211 and 212)
1. Armitage, Allen M. 1997 (2nd ed.). Herbaceous Perennial Plants: A Treatise on Their Identification,
Culture, and Garden Attributes. Stipes Publishing, 204 West University Ave., Champaign, IL 61820. A
standard reference that is essential for your personal library. Armitage has interesting personal comments.
1141 pages, $64.35 SB/434/.A76/1997
2. Armitage, Allen M. 2001. Armitage’s Manual Of Annuals, Biennials, and Half-Hardy Perennials. Timber
Press Inc., The Haseltine Building, 133 S.W. Second Ave., Suite 450, Portland OR 97204. The first
comprehensive reference covering these plants. A good companion to Herbaceous Perennial Plants. Add
Specialty Cut Flowers (see Recommended books, reference no. 1) to complete the set. 539 pages, $39.95
SB/422/.A66/2001
3. Dirr, Michael A. l998 (5th ed.). Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental
Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses. Stipes Publishing Co., 10-12 Chester St., Champaign, IL
61820. A standard reference that is essential for your personal library. Includes detailed descriptive lists of
cultivars. Dirr’s personal opinions make it interesting. 1187 pages + 38 introductory pages.
(paperbound), $56.80 folio SB/435/.D56/1998
4. Saylor, Jesse L. 2008 (33nd Ed.). Landscape Plants I. Available only at Student Book Store(SBS), 417
East Grand River, in East Lansing. Phone (517)351-4210. This manual is essential for lectures and lab
walks. Includes bed maps of the annual, perennial, and Beal gardens. $23.29
5. Stearn, William T. 1996 (2002 reprinting). Stearn’s Dictionary of Plant Names for Gardeners: A
Handbook on the Origin and Meaning of the Botanical Names of Some Cultivated Plants. Timber Press Inc.,
The Haseltine Building, 133 S.W. Second Ave., Suite 450, Portland OR 97204. Best book for meanings of
latin names and terms. Dr. Stearn also has written the standard reference book on Botanical Latin if you
want to find more on Greek and Latin terms, prefixes, suffixes, geographical words, etc. 363 pages
(paperbound), $19.95 QK/11/.S6/1996 Has several reprints since 1996, but not available all the time.
Highly Recommended CD-ROM Set used in lecture:
1. Saylor, Jesse, and MSU Board of Trustees. 2008 (Version 3.6). SaylorPlants: Landscape Plant
Encyclopedia. Contains 8 Cd’s with over 27,000 photos (in 3 sizes, thumbnail to full screen) of both
Woody (trees, shrubs, vines, ground covers) and Herbaceous Plants (annuals, biennials, perennials),
including Weeds and House Plants. Includes pronunciation of all the Latin names. Includes an extensive
plant selection screen that allows selection by hardiness, flower and fruit colors, and many use categories.
Has a Quiz Form and a Slide Show feature which can be limited to flowers only, fruit only, form only etc.
Used in class lectures. Program runs on IBM compatible computers with Windows 2000, XP, or Vista.
Available only from the Student Book Store(SBS) www.sbsmsu.com, 421 East Grand River, in East
Lansing. Phone (517)351-4210. $55.00 per set. Includes free updates. Update 2.7 handed out in class.
1. Recommended References stocked at Student Book Store(SBS) www.sbsmsu.com, 421 E. Grand
River, East Lansing
Annuals and Perennials:
1. Armitage, Allen M. and Judy M. Laushman. 2003 (2nd. ed.). Specialty Cut Flowers: The Production of
Annuals, Perennials, Bulbs, and Woody Plants for Fresh and Dried Cut Flowers. Timber Press Inc., The
Haseltine Building, 133 S.W. Second Ave., Suite 450, Portland OR 97204. Includes grower comments. Has
descriptions of many plants that are in flower shops and floral arrangements, but not in his Annual or
Perennial books. 586 pages. $39.95 SB/405/.A68/2003
z2. Ellis, Barbara W. 1999. Taylor's Guide to Annuals. Houghton Mifflin Co., 2 Park Street, Boston, MA
02108. 441 pages. $23.00
3. Ellis, Barbara W. 2000. Taylor's Guide to Perennials. Houghton Mifflin Co., 2 Park Street, Boston, MA
02108. 490 pages. $23.00
4. Sinton, Nan, and David C. Michener. 2001. Taylor's Guide to Ground Covers. Houghton Mifflin Co.
2 Park Street, Boston, MA 02108. 495 pages. $23.00
Bulbs: (Usually includes plants with bulbs, corms, tubers, and rhizomes.)
1. Ellis, Barbara W. 2001. Taylor's Guide to Bulbs. Houghton Mifflin Co., 2 Park Street, Boston, MA
02108. 439 pages. $23.00
2. Schneider, Alfred F. 1981. Park's Success with Bulbs. Geo. W. Park Seed Co., Inc., S.C. Hwy. 254 N.,
Greenwood, S.C. 29647. 171 pages. $13.00
Herbs: (Herb books include annuals, perennials, and some woody plants)
1. Buchanan, Rita, editor. 1995. Taylor's Guide to Herbs. Houghton Mifflin Co., 2 Park Street, Boston,
MA 02108. 453 pages. $21.00
2. Foster, Gertrude B. and Rosemary F. Louden. 1980. Park's Success with Herbs. Geo. W. Park Seed Co.
Inc., S.C. Hwy. 254 N., Greenwood, SC 29647. 192 pages. $11.00 SB/351/.H5/F625
Trees and Shrubs:
1. Barnes, Burton V. and Warren H. Wagner, Jr. 2004 (Rev. and Updated). Michigan Trees: A Guide to the
Trees of the Great Lakes Region. Revised and enlarged edition of Charles Herbert Otis's Michigan Trees.
The University of Michigan Press, P.O. Box ll04, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Excellent line drawings of
Michigan trees, with detailed descriptions, habitat, and ecology info. 448 pages (paperbound). $19.95.
QK/167/.B27
2. Dirr, Michael A. l978. Photographic Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Form and Function in the
Landscape. Stipes Publishing Co., 10-12 Chester St., Champaign, IL 61820. 378 pages (paperbound).
$30.40. folio SB/435/.D57/1978
3. Farrar, John Laird. 1995 (2000 printing). Trees of the Northern U.S. and Canada. Fitzhenry and
Whiteside Limited, 195 Allstate Parkway, Markham, Ontario L34 4T8, and the Canadian Forest Service.
Also available from Iowa State Press, Ames, Iowa 50014 One of the best tree books available. It has
detailed descriptions and great color photos. It also covers trees across Canada, which includes western
trees, many of which are cultivated. It has notes on how to identify many cultivated species that don’t have
full treatment. 502 pages. $56.99. QK/485/.F37/1995
4. Fisher, Kathleen 2000. Taylor's Guide to Shrubs. Houghton Mifflin Co., 2 Park Street, Boston, MA
02108. 441 pages. $23.00
5. Phillips, Roger. l978. Trees of North America and Europe. Random House Inc., 201 E. 50th St., New
York, NY 10022. 224 pages (paperbound). $29.95 QK/477.2/.I4/P45/1978
6. Symonds, George W.D. 1958. The Tree Identification Book. William Morrow & Co., Inc., 105
Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016. 273 pages (paperbound). Covers native and some cultivated plants,
with comparison pages of similar plants (by leaves, stems, flowers), and then Master pages for each plant.
Out of Print. folio QK/482/.S9/1958
7. Symonds, George W.D. 1963. The Shrub Identification Book, William Morrow & Co., Inc., 105
Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016. 379 pages (paperbound). Covers native and some cultivated plants,
with comparison pages of similar plants (by leaves, stems, flowers), and then Master pages for each plant.
$22.00 QK/482/.S89/1963
8. Viertel, Arthur T. 1970. Trees, Shrubs and Vines: A Pictorial Guide to the Ornamental Woody Plants of
the Northern United States Exclusive of Conifers. Syracuse University Press, 1011 E.Water St., Syracuse,
NY 13210. About 266 pages (paperbound). Good guide to identify plants by leaves. $19.95 QK/481/.V5/1970
Other Study Materials:
Laboratories:
1. You must attend the lab section you are assigned to. You may not skip between lab sections or attend
multiple lab sections.
2. Lab sessions meet and are conducted outdoors regardless of weather conditions. Please dress
appropriately for the sometimes unpredictable Michigan weather.
3. Recommended Supplies: A 10x or 15x hand lens is helpful for looking at flowers, etc.
Grading Procedures
970 points 150 per exam
4.0 = 873 (90%) 135
3.5 = 825 (85%) 128
3.0 = 776 (80%) 120
2.5 = 728 (75%) 113
2.0 = 679 (70%) 105
1.5 = 631 (65%) 98
1.0 = 582 (60%) 90
1. Lecture Exam # 1 = 150
2. Lecture Exam # 2 = 150
3. Lecture Exam # 3 = 150
4. Lecture Quizzes = 50 (may or may not be given)
5. Herbarium Tour = 20
6. Lab Exam # 1 = 150
7. Lab Exam # 2 = 150
8. Lab Exam # 3 = 150
Total Points = 970
1. The lecture exams will cumulative. The questions will usually be matching and true and false. Sample
exams from previous years are on the web site.
2. The laboratory identification exams will also be cumulative..
3. Questions on any exam must be answered by using only those plants discussed in this class.
4. Information given during lecture or laboratory sessions has preference over that obtained from
any book, bulletin, or catalog. This includes plant names.
5. Complete credit will not be given for misspelled plant names, either common or scientific names.
All scientific names must be underlined.
6. You will be responsible for any information about or identification of plants not on the plant list if they
were discussed in any lecture or laboratory.
7. No Make-Up Laboratory Exams will be given.
8. Make-Up Lecture Exams are only given with the instructor's approval prior to the time of the regularly
scheduled exam. The questions will usually be short answer and essay.
9. There will be a lecture exam review before each lecture exam. For lab exams, since plants may vary in
their availability and condition, there will be a separate Lab Exam list handed out before each lab exam.
The first lab exam on herbaceous plants will be an indoor exam, with cuttings. These plants will not be
on the woody lab exams.
The woody plant lab exams will be outdoors on campus and East Lansing.
The second woody outdoor lab exam is cumulative for the woody plants.
10. Class emails will be sent to you about the lecture and lab exam times and locations.
If you use a different email address than the msu.edu one assigned to you, you are expected to have that
email forwarded to your preferred address.
Fall 211 Course Schedule Lectures and Laboratories
1st Week (Aug 25-29; (Classes begin Mon. Aug. 25)
Mon. Aug. 25 = Unit 51 (Herbs 1) Anacardiaceae, Araliaceae, Boraginaceae, Geraniaceae, Labiatae,
Rubiaceae, Verbenaceae
Wed. Aug. 27 = Unit 52 (Herbs 2) Labiatae
Lab 1 = Plant Walk No. 1 (Units 51-52)
2nd Week (Sept. 1-5; Mon. Sept. 1 is Labor Day Holiday)
Mon. Sept. 1 = Labor Day Holiday (No Campus classes)
Wed. Sept. 3 = Unit 53 (Perennials) Fumariaceae, Geraniaceae, Papaveraceae, Ranunculaceae,
Saxifragaceae, Violaceae
Unit 54 (Perennials) Campanulaceae, Compositae, Malvaceae, Onagaraceae, Saxifragaceae,
Solanaceae
Lab 2 = Plant Walk No. 2-3 (Units 53-56)
3rd Week (Sept. 8-12)
Mon. Sept. 8 = Unit 55 (Perennials and Ornamental Vegetables) Campanulaceae, Capparaceae,
Caryophyllaceae, Crassulaceae, Cruciferae, Plumbaginaceae
Wed. Sept. 10 = Unit 56 (Compositae 1) Compositae
Lab 3 = Plant Walk No. 4 (Units 57-58, 59-62)
4th Week (Sept. 15-19)
Mon. Sept. 15 = Unit 57 (Compositae 2) Compositae
Wed. Sept. 17 = Unit 58 (Ornamental Grasses) Araceae, Cyperaceae, Gramineae, Juncaceae
Lab 4 = Lab Exam # 1 (Units 51-62)
5th Week (Sept. 22-26)
Mon. Sept. 22 = Unit 1 Araliaceae, Menispermaceae, Ulmaceae, Vitaceae
Unit 2 Elaeagnaceae, Eucommiaceae, Moraceae, Nyssaceae, Platanaceae, Sapindaceae,
Simaroubaceae, Tiliaceae
Wed. Sept. 24 = Lecture exam # 1 (Units 51-58) Date may change if needed
Lab 5 = Plant Walk No. 5 (Units 1-2)
6th Week (Sept. 29 - Oct.3)
Mon. Sept. 29 = Unit 3 Cercidiphyllaceae, Clethraceae, Juglandaceae, Rhamnaceae, Rutaceae,
Staphyleaceae
Wed. Oct. 1 = Unit 4 Actinidiaceae, Leguminosae
Lab 6 = Plant Walk No. 6 (Units 3-4)
7th Week (Oct. 6-10)
Mon. Oct. 6 = Unit 5 Aceraceae
Wed. Oct. 8 = Unit 6 Betulaceae
Lab 7 = Plant Walk No. 7 (Units 5-6)
8th Week (Oct. 13-17)
Mon. Oct. 13 = Unit 7 Anacardiaceae, Celastraceae
Wed. Oct. 15 = Unit 8 Annonaceae, Aristolochiaceae, Bignoniaceae, Lardizabalaceae, Lauraceae,
Verbenaceae
Lab 8 = Plant Walk No. 8 (Units 7-8)
9th Week (Oct. 20-24)
Mon. Oct. 20 = Plant Keys and Winter Id
Wed. Oct. 22 = Unit 9 Fagaceae
Lab 9 = Lab Exam # 2 (Units 1-8)
10th Week (Oct. 27-31)
Mon. Oct. 27 = Unit 10 Ginkgoaceae, Salicaceae, Tamaricaceae, Theaceae
Wed. Oct. 29 = Lecture exam # 2 (Units 1-8) Date may change if needed
Lab 10 = Plant Walk No. 9 (Units 9-10)
11th Week (Nov. 3-7)
Mon. Nov. 3 = Unit 11 Pinaceae
Wed. Nov. 5 = Unit 12 Pinaceae, Taxodiaceae
11. Plant Walk No. 10 (Units 11-12)
12th Week (Nov. 10-14)
Mon. Nov. 10 = Unit 13 Cupressaceae
Wed. Nov. 12 = Unit 14 Taxaceae
Lab 12 = Plant Walk No. 11 (Units 13-14)
13th Week (Nov. 17-21)
Mon. Nov. 17 = Unit 59 (Annuals and Horticultural Annuals) Apocynaceae, Balsaminaceae,
Caryophyllaceae, Compositae, Cruciferae, Geraniaceae, Portulacaceae, Scrophulariaceae,
Solanaceae, Verbenaceae
= Unit 60 (Annuals and Horticultural Annuals) Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Compositae,
Labiatae, Solanaceae
Wed. Nov. 19 Unit 61 (Perennials) Euphorbiaceae, Linaceae, Polemoniaceae,Tropaeolaceae
Lab 13 = Lab Exam # 3 (Units 1-14)
14th Week (Nov. 24-28) (Thurs.-Fri., Nov. 27-28 is Thanksgiving Holiday)
Mon. Nov. 24 = Unit 62 (Rock Gardens) Cruciferae, Lythraceae, Plumbaginaceae, Saxifragaceae
Wed. Nov. 26 = Class cancelled
14. No Lab Walk
15th Week (Dec. 1-5)
Mon. Dec. 1 = Unit 62 (continued)
Wed. Dec. 3 = Lecture Exam # 3 (Units 1-14, 59-62)
Lab15 = Keys and Winter Id; Herbarium Tour
16th Week (Dec. 8-12) (Finals Week) There is no Final Exam in Hrt 211