HORT 131: Herbaceous Perennial and Annual Identification Syllabus

HORT 131: Herbaceous Perennial and Annual Identification (3 credits). In this class, students learn to identify and use many common and some not-so-common ornamental herbaceous annual and perennial plants. After completing this class students will have practiced identifying by scientific name and common name over 200 herbaceous annual and perennial plants in the field, and will have studied common uses for these plants, and practiced selecting plants for different landscape applications. Students will use online resources and databases to aid in the identification of herbaceous annual and perennial plants and to research their characteristics and cultural needs.

Prerequisites: None

Instructor

Margaret C Hoffman, Ph.D.
Program Coordinator, Landscape Contracting Major
Assistant Professor

Department of Plant Science
306 Tyson Building
University Park, PA 16802

Phone (Office): 814-863-6167
E-mail: mch7@psu.edu or use Canvas Inbox

Course Overview

This class utilizes web-based resources and in-person labs. We will use Canvas to access course materials including online quizzes and exams, study materials including the course website, and additional assignments and lessons. Much of this course is self-paced using these web-based resources. To be successful in this course, you will need to use at the very least your two hours of class time, or an equivalent period, working with these resources. The coursework is the heaviest during the first ⅔ of the semester.

For the in-person labs, we will be taking plant walks all over campus and downtown State College identifying plants and their uses. We will introduce most of the covered plants during these walks. Online materials will also cover plants we cannot see, mostly because they are spring or early summer flowering plants or they were not used on campus or in downtown plantings this year.

For the first six weeks, we will be introducing new plants, 30–45 or so each week. Your primary task for this period will be to memorize the common and scientific names and learn to recognize and identify these plants in photographs and in the field.

The online lessons for each of the first six weeks include a list of new plants for the week and links to photos and information about each plant. You are expected to study the information about each plant, learn the common and scientific name (spelling counts!), and enough about the characteristics of the plant to be able to identify it from photographs and in the field. The web page for each plant has the scientific name(s) you are expected to learn. In some cases, the required name will only be the genus, in others there will also be one or more species required, and in a few cases, there may also be required cultivars. Although it is most important to learn the names and identities of the plants first, you are also responsible for information about the plant's use and culture, including whether the plant is native, naturalized, or potentially invasive (this information can usually be found in the USDA Plants Database. You will need to learn the preferred climate and growing conditions, and plant and flower color and form.

For the first three weeks in addition to the weekly new plant list, online lessons will cover how plants are named and how to determine if you have the correct currently accepted scientific name, plant identifying characteristics, and plant families. In weeks four to six, online lessons will cover other important characteristics like native status and hardiness zone.

The second half of the class is devoted to studying the selection and use of the plants studied. We will meet in person for each lab and may depending on the topic and weather go for a campus walk. Each week, we will evaluate various landscape uses like container plantings, annual and perennial beds, etc. Online quizzes will continue to include plant ID but will also include plant characteristics. There will be three design and use assignments.

Week fourteen, we will have another online exam that will include both plant ID and plant characteristics and use questions.

Finally, in the last week of the course, we will have presentations where either individually or as a group you will present one of your three design and selection projects to the class during the lab period.

For more information on grading, assignments, and weekly activities, see the syllabus and weekly online lessons schedule.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• identify, describe, and name many common herbaceous annuals and perennials
• give examples of how these plants can be used in the landscape and will have practiced selecting annual and herbaceous perennials for specific landscape applications
• familiarize with some common problems and limitations to using these plants and will be able to diagnose and suggest possible solutions to problems with these plants in the landscape

Class Meetings and Attendance Policy

Monday and Wednesday 8 a.m. – 8:50 a.m.

There are no regular formal class meetings during the Monday and Wednesday lecture periods. Lecture lessons are online. I will be available to assist students with class materials during the scheduled lecture periods. Study materials are online. It is expected that you will spend the lecture period or an equivalent time working with these materials.

Tuesday 9:05 a.m. – 11 a.m., Section 1 lab — meet in 123 Headhouse #1

Thursday 9:05 a.m. – 11 a.m., Section 2 lab — in 123 Headhouse #1

We will meet in person during the lab. Lab attendance is essential to most students' success in this class. Attendance in labs is expected particularly during the first eight weeks unless you have made arrangements in advance (or unless you are ill). For the first eight weeks of the semester, we will be doing a field walk. There will be a plant ID quiz at the start of each field walk except during the week of the field exam. There will be a total of six field ID quizzes. The lowest score of the six will be dropped. There will be no make-up field quizzes for unexcused absences. Both lab periods are the same so if you know you must miss your lab for whatever reason, attend the other section for that week. We will be going out regardless of the weather so dress appropriately.

You will be responsible for making up all the missed work. If you miss a lab ID quiz or Canvas online quiz or assignment, it will be graded as a zero. Assessments cannot be made-up, except for illness, a university-recognized activity, or a family emergency. In these cases, prior notification and documentation are required.

Course Schedule

For due dates, refer to the Course Summary on the Syllabus page in Canvas.

Course Materials

There is no required text for this course. You can find all the information you need for this class in Canvas and with other online resources.

Optional

ISBN: 978-0789419439
Brickell, C., & Zuk, J. D. (Eds.). (1997). The American Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants (1st ed.). DK Publishing, Inc.

This is a good book and a useful resource. If you are one of those folks who prefers a good book to study from I would recommend you purchase this. It can be obtained relatively inexpensively on Amazon or any other online bookseller. You can often find used copies and older editions which are pretty complete.

Assignments

The assignments include lesson exercises, online quizzes and online exams, and field quizzes and exams. Check Canvas for the requirements and due dates.

Online Quizzes and Exams

Online quizzes in Canvas are open-book and can be done as many times as you want. Only the highest score will be recorded. There will be two online exams drawn from the quiz questions. The exams will be open resource (book, web, etc.) but unlike the quizzes, you will only have two attempts to take the exam. As with the quizzes, the highest score of your two attempts will count for your grade.

Lab Assignments

The lab assignments include field ID quizzes and a field ID exam. Make sure you attend the lab activities in order to be successful in this course. Every lab starts with a field quiz and students should have plant flash cards ready for the lab plant ID walks.

Other Assignments

There will be three plant selection and use assignments. These are either individual or self-selected group (up to three students) assignments. The last week of the class will be presentations where each student or group will present, explain, and defend their plant choices for one of the class assignments.

Grading Policy

The following table is the grading criteria for the course.

The following table is the grading scheme for the course.

Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information.

Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please see "Graduation" under World Campus Student Resources.