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NALP Horticultural Tech study materials
NALP Horticultural Tech study resources

NALP Horticultural Tech practice questions

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Question 1Horticultural Practices

A landscape crew needs to establish a new cool-season lawn and wants the fastest uniform germination. Which practice best supports this goal?

  1. Keep the seedbed consistently moist with light, frequent irrigation Correct answer.
  2. Apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer at seeding
  3. Sow seed deeply to protect it from birds
  4. Delay irrigation until seedlings reach two inches

Explanation

Grass seed must absorb water to germinate, and the surface layer dries quickly, so light frequent irrigation keeps the seed zone moist without washing seed away. Deep sowing and delayed watering both slow or prevent germination because the seed lacks sufficient moisture and light exposure.

Question 2Horticultural Practices

Which soil texture generally holds the most plant-available water and cation exchange capacity?

  1. Gravel
  2. Silty clay
  3. Coarse sand
  4. Loamy soil Correct answer.

Explanation

Loam balances sand, silt, and clay so it retains water and nutrients while still draining and aerating roots. Pure sands drain too fast, gravel holds almost nothing, and heavy clay binds water too tightly for easy uptake.

Question 3Horticultural Practices

When planting a bare-root deciduous tree, which practice best promotes successful establishment?

  1. Set the root flare at or slightly above grade Correct answer.
  2. Pack the soil firmly to eliminate all air spaces
  3. Amend the backfill heavily with compost
  4. Bury the graft union below the soil line

Explanation

The root flare must sit at or slightly above the soil surface so the trunk is not buried, which invites rot and girdling roots. Heavy amendments and compaction discourage roots from spreading into native soil.

Question 4Horticultural Practices

Which pruning cut removes a branch back to the branch collar without leaving a stub?

  1. Heading cut
  2. Thinning cut Correct answer.
  3. Topping cut
  4. Shearing cut

Explanation

A thinning cut removes an entire branch at its point of origin, allowing the tree to seal the wound at the branch collar. Heading and shearing cuts leave stubs or stimulate dense regrowth, and topping is a damaging practice.

Question 5Horticultural Practices

A grower wants to propagate a named cultivar that must remain genetically identical. Which method is most appropriate?

  1. Softwood stem cuttings Correct answer.
  2. Open pollination
  3. Random seedling selection
  4. Seed collection from the parent plant

Explanation

Vegetative propagation such as stem cuttings produces clones that retain the cultivar's traits. Seeds result from recombination, so seedlings vary and cannot be relied upon to match the parent.

Question 6Horticultural Practices

Which fertilizer analysis represents the highest proportion of phosphorus?

  1. 20-5-10
  2. 15-15-15
  3. 10-10-10
  4. 5-20-10 Correct answer.

Explanation

The middle number in a fertilizer analysis indicates the percentage of available phosphate, so 5-20-10 has the largest phosphorus share. The other blends have lower middle values relative to their total content.

Question 7Horticultural Practices

Which irrigation practice most reduces water lost to evaporation and runoff in a shrub bed?

  1. Misting the foliage each afternoon
  2. Flooding the bed once weekly
  3. Overhead sprinkling at midday
  4. Drip irrigation applied early in the morning Correct answer.

Explanation

Drip irrigation delivers water slowly to the root zone, and morning application limits evaporative loss while foliage dries before evening. Overhead and midday methods waste water and promote foliar disease.

Question 8Horticultural Practices

Which tool is best suited for cutting a trench edge on a lawn border?

  1. Half-moon edger Correct answer.
  2. Leaf rake
  3. Broadcast spreader
  4. Pruning saw

Explanation

A half-moon edger has a flat blade designed to slice a clean vertical edge along turf borders. Rakes, spreaders, and pruning saws serve unrelated tasks and cannot produce a crisp edge line.

Question 9Horticultural Practices

A soil test reports a pH of 5.2 for a lawn that prefers near-neutral conditions. Which amendment most directly raises pH?

  1. Aluminum sulfate
  2. Ammonium sulfate
  3. Ground limestone Correct answer.
  4. Elemental sulfur

Explanation

Ground limestone neutralizes soil acidity and raises pH toward neutral. Sulfur and aluminum sulfate lower pH, and ammonium sulfate is an acidifying nitrogen source.

Question 10Horticultural Practices

A newly installed landscape bed shows wilting despite wet soil two days after planting. What is the most likely cause?

  1. Too much shade
  2. Severe drought stress
  3. Excess phosphorus
  4. Transplant shock with reduced root uptake Correct answer.

Explanation

Freshly planted stock loses much of its root system, so it cannot absorb enough water even when soil is moist, producing wilting known as transplant shock. Drought is unlikely because the soil is wet, and shade or phosphorus would not cause this pattern.

Question 11Horticultural Practices

Which mowing practice best maintains a healthy cool-season lawn during summer?

  1. Mowing with a dull blade to reduce stress
  2. Removing no more than one-third of the blade height per cut Correct answer.
  3. Cutting very short to conserve water
  4. Scalping to reduce mowing frequency

Explanation

The one-third rule keeps enough leaf area for photosynthesis while avoiding shock from heavy removal. Scalping and dull blades weaken turf and increase disease and water loss.

Question 12Horticultural Practices

A client wants low-maintenance color in a dry, sunny bed. Which plant selection approach is most sound?

  1. Select shade-loving plants and irrigate heavily
  2. Pick tropical plants that need constant moisture
  3. Choose species labeled for drought tolerance and full sun Correct answer.
  4. Plant annuals that require daily watering

Explanation

Matching plant selection to the site's light and moisture conditions reduces irrigation and maintenance needs. Choosing plants unsuited to dry sun forces heavy watering and increases failure.

Question 13Horticultural Practices

Which symptom pattern most strongly suggests nitrogen deficiency in a shrub?

  1. Yellowing of older, lower leaves first Correct answer.
  2. White powdery coating on upper leaves
  3. Purple veins on new leaves
  4. Brown leaf margins on new growth

Explanation

Nitrogen is mobile in the plant, so deficiency appears first as yellowing of older leaves as the plant moves nitrogen to new growth. Purple veins suggest phosphorus issues, and powdery coatings indicate disease.

Question 14Horticultural Practices

A grower needs to control a severe aphid infestation on ornamental shrubs with minimal impact on beneficial insects. Which approach is most appropriate?

  1. No action, since aphids never cause damage
  2. Horticultural oil or insecticidal soap targeted at the pests Correct answer.
  3. Broad-spectrum insecticide applied preventively
  4. Systemic granules applied to all beds

Explanation

Targeted contact products like horticultural oil or insecticidal soap suppress soft-bodied pests such as aphids while sparing many beneficials. Broad-spectrum and blanket systemic treatments disrupt natural enemies.

Question 15Horticultural Practices

Which practice best reduces the spread of soil-borne fungal pathogens in a nursery?

  1. Overhead watering to wash spores away
  2. Reusing containers without cleaning
  3. Crowding plants to save space
  4. Sanitizing pots and tools between batches Correct answer.

Explanation

Sanitizing containers and tools removes inoculum that would otherwise infect new plants. Reusing dirty pots, splashing water, and crowding all favor pathogen spread.

Question 16Horticultural Practices

A property has a slope where runoff erodes soil into a storm drain. Which practice best addresses this problem?

  1. Remove all vegetation to speed drainage
  2. Increase overhead irrigation
  3. Pave the slope with concrete
  4. Install a vegetated swale or bioswale Correct answer.

Explanation

A vegetated swale slows runoff and allows infiltration and filtration, reducing erosion and pollutant transport. Bare soil, paving, and added irrigation worsen runoff or erosion.

Question 17Horticultural Practices

Which timing is generally best for pruning most spring-flowering shrubs that bloom on old wood?

  1. In midsummer during heat
  2. Immediately after flowering Correct answer.
  3. In early autumn before dormancy
  4. In late winter before bloom

Explanation

Shrubs that flower on old wood set buds the previous season, so pruning right after bloom removes spent flowers without sacrificing next year's buds. Late-winter pruning would remove the flower buds before they open.

Question 18Horticultural Practices

Which irrigation schedule best supports deep root development in established trees?

  1. Daily light sprinkling
  2. Watering only the foliage
  3. Infrequent, deep soaking of the root zone Correct answer.
  4. Continuous misting of the trunk

Explanation

Infrequent deep watering wets the full root zone and encourages roots to grow downward. Shallow daily sprinkling and misting keep moisture near the surface and promote weak, shallow roots.

Question 19Horticultural Practices

A lawn shows circular patches of tan grass with dark margins that enlarge rapidly in humid weather. Which cause is most consistent with these signs?

  1. Iron chlorosis
  2. Brown patch disease Correct answer.
  3. Mower scalping
  4. Dollar spot fungus

Explanation

Brown patch produces roughly circular blighted patches with dark margins that expand quickly under warm, humid conditions. Dollar spot causes smaller spots, chlorosis causes yellowing, and scalping causes uniform thinning.

Question 20Horticultural Practices

Which container medium property most affects how often a potted plant needs watering?

  1. Its color
  2. Its weight when dry
  3. Its brand name
  4. Its water-holding capacity and drainage Correct answer.

Explanation

Water-holding capacity and drainage determine how long moisture remains available and how quickly excess drains, directly setting irrigation frequency. Color, branding, and dry weight do not govern moisture dynamics.

Question 21Horticultural Practices

A landscaper must choose between two mulches: fresh wood chips and aged bark. Which factor most influences the choice for a bed adjacent to a building?

  1. Aged bark is less likely to tie up nitrogen at the surface and is more fire-resistant Correct answer.
  2. Fresh chips are always better for plant health
  3. Aged bark dissolves completely in one season
  4. Fresh chips repel all insects

Explanation

Aged bark is more stable at the soil surface and less likely to immobilize nitrogen, and it is generally more fire-resistant than fresh, resinous chips. Claims that fresh chips repel all insects or that bark dissolves in one season are inaccurate.

Question 22Horticultural Practices

A planting plan calls for a shrub that tolerates both periodic flooding and short drought. Which soil condition should the designer prioritize?

  1. Pure sand with no organic content
  2. A raised bed of gravel only
  3. Compacted clay with no drainage
  4. Well-drained loam with organic matter Correct answer.

Explanation

Well-drained loam with organic matter buffers both excess and deficit moisture, supporting roots through wet and dry periods. Compacted clay, pure sand, and gravel-only beds fail one or both extremes.

Question 23Horticultural Practices

A turf manager notices that a fertilizer application produced dark green growth but also increased disease and thatch. Which nutrient is most likely over-applied?

  1. Calcium
  2. Phosphorus
  3. Potassium
  4. Nitrogen Correct answer.

Explanation

Excess nitrogen drives lush, succulent growth that is more susceptible to disease and builds thatch. Phosphorus, potassium, and calcium do not typically cause this combination of symptoms.

Question 24Horticultural Practices

A client wants a design that reduces long-term water use without sacrificing visual interest. Which strategy best achieves this?

  1. Use only plants that require daily irrigation
  2. Plant a single species across the entire site
  3. Group plants by water needs into hydrozones Correct answer.
  4. Install a single overhead sprinkler zone

Explanation

Hydrozoning places plants with similar water needs together so irrigation can be tailored, reducing waste while maintaining diverse plantings. Monocultures and uniform irrigation ignore differing needs.

Question 25Horticultural Practices

A nursery crop shows stunted growth, yellowing between veins on new leaves, and a soil pH of 7.8. Which interpretation is most reasonable?

  1. Iron deficiency induced by high pH Correct answer.
  2. Nitrogen deficiency caused by low pH
  3. Excess potassium causing leaf burn
  4. Phosphorus toxicity

Explanation

High pH reduces iron availability, producing interveinal yellowing on new growth because iron is immobile in the plant. Low pH and excess potassium or phosphorus do not fit the described pattern.

Question 26Horticultural Practices

A landscape crew is installing a planting bed and must decide how deeply to till before adding organic matter. Which depth is generally recommended for preparing a new shrub bed in compacted subsoil?

  1. Till to a depth of 600 mm or more to break the hardpan
  2. Till to a depth of 250 to 300 mm, incorporating amendments throughout Correct answer.
  3. Do not till at all; place amendments only in the planting hole
  4. Till to a depth of 150 to 200 mm, working only the surface layer

Explanation

Root-zone preparation for new beds typically involves loosening soil to roughly 250 to 300 mm so that organic matter is blended through the depth roots will explore. Deeper ripping may be needed for severe hardpan but is not routine bed preparation, and amending only the planting hole encourages roots to stay within a small pocket.

Question 27Horticultural Practices

A technician is calibrating a backpack sprayer before applying a selective herbicide to a turf area. Which step should be completed first to determine the actual output rate?

  1. Mix the herbicide at double strength so less carrier volume is required
  2. Increase nozzle pressure to the maximum setting to shorten application time
  3. Measure the spray volume delivered over a known area at the intended walking pace Correct answer.
  4. Add the full tank mix and spray the whole site, then adjust on the next application

Explanation

Calibration begins by measuring how much spray the equipment delivers over a measured area while walking at the intended pace, which establishes the true output rate. Only after that baseline is known can the applicator adjust speed, pressure, or nozzle size to deliver the labeled rate.

Question 28Horticultural Practices

A homeowner asks how to plant a container-grown tree so it establishes well. Which practice best supports rapid root establishment?

  1. Amend the backfill heavily with peat moss and pack it firmly around the root ball
  2. Dig a narrow hole just wider than the root ball and backfill with native soil
  3. Set the root flare slightly below grade and mound soil over the trunk base
  4. Plant the root flare at or slightly above grade in a hole two to three times the root ball width Correct answer.

Explanation

Trees establish best when the root flare sits at or slightly above the surrounding grade and the planting hole is wide enough to loosen soil for lateral root growth. A broad, shallow hole backfilled with native soil avoids settling and keeps the flare visible.

Question 29Horticultural Practices

A gardener wants to propagate a named cultivar of evergreen shrub that must remain genetically identical to the parent. Which method is most appropriate?

  1. Collect and sow open-pollinated seed from the parent plant
  2. Graft seedling rootstock and allow it to sucker freely
  3. Divide the shrub clump into several sections
  4. Take semi-hardwood stem cuttings and root them under mist Correct answer.

Explanation

Vegetative propagation such as semi-hardwood cuttings produces clonal offspring that retain the cultivar's characteristics. Seed from open pollination recombines genes and yields variable offspring, so it cannot be relied on to reproduce a named cultivar.

Question 30Horticultural Practices

A landscape manager is scheduling renovation of a cool-season lawn that has become thin and weed-infested. Which sequence best supports successful overseeding?

  1. Reduce competition by aerating or dethatching, overseed, and keep the seedbed moist until establishment Correct answer.
  2. Mow the lawn very short and overseed without any soil disturbance or watering
  3. Apply a preemergence herbicide, then overseed the same day for uniform coverage
  4. Overseed into the existing stand, then apply nitrogen heavily to push new seedlings

Explanation

Overseeding succeeds when competition from the existing stand is reduced through aeration or dethatching and the seedbed is kept consistently moist during germination. Seed-to-soil contact and moisture are the limiting factors for new seedlings.

Question 31Horticultural Practices

A client's irrigation system runs a fixed schedule regardless of weather. Which upgrade most directly reduces outdoor water use while maintaining plant health?

  1. Increase pressure at the pump to improve distribution uniformity
  2. Add more heads to each zone to increase coverage overlap
  3. Replace the controller with a weather-based or soil-moisture-based controller Correct answer.
  4. Shorten each cycle and run the system twice as many days per week

Explanation

Weather-based or soil-moisture-based controllers adjust run times to actual evaporative demand, which cuts waste from irrigating when plants do not need water. Scheduling intelligence addresses overwatering more directly than hardware changes alone.

Question 32Horticultural Practices

A nursery grower notices that seedlings in a flat are tall, pale, and spindly while light levels and temperature are adequate. Which adjustment is most appropriate?

  1. Reduce plant spacing to increase humidity around seedlings
  2. Increase nitrogen concentration in the fertilizer solution
  3. Lower the day and night temperatures further
  4. Decrease nitrogen and increase light or air movement to encourage stockier growth Correct answer.

Explanation

Stretching with pale foliage under adequate light usually reflects excessive nitrogen or insufficient air movement, producing soft, elongated growth. Reducing nitrogen and improving light exposure or airflow promotes compact, well-hardened seedlings.

Question 33Horticultural Practices

A technician must decide between a contact and a systemic insecticide for a pest feeding inside curled new growth. Which property most favors choosing the systemic product?

  1. It has no restricted-entry interval after application
  2. It remains on the leaf surface and kills insects on contact
  3. It breaks down immediately in sunlight, reducing residues
  4. It is absorbed and translocated within plant tissue to reach hidden feeders Correct answer.

Explanation

Systemic insecticides move into and through plant tissue, so insects feeding in curled or sheltered growth ingest the active ingredient. Contact materials depend on direct spray coverage, which is unreliable when the pest is concealed.

Question 34Horticultural Practices

A landscape designer is specifying plants for a bed beneath a large deciduous tree where soil is dry and shaded. Which plant attribute is most important to match to this site?

  1. Preference for consistently moist, rich soil
  2. Susceptibility to powdery mildew in humid weather
  3. Requirement for full sun for at least six hours
  4. Tolerance of dry shade and competition from tree roots Correct answer.

Explanation

Under a mature tree, plants face both reduced light and root competition for water and nutrients, so dry-shade tolerance is the key matching trait. Selecting species adapted to those conditions reduces irrigation demand and plant loss.

Question 35Horticultural Practices

A grower is mixing a soilless container medium and wants to improve drainage and aeration for a crop sensitive to root rot. Which component adjustment best achieves this?

  1. Increase the proportion of composted bark fines that hold water
  2. Raise the peat fraction to increase water retention
  3. Increase the proportion of perlite or coarse bark to raise air-filled porosity Correct answer.
  4. Add more coir to increase the medium's water-holding capacity

Explanation

Perlite and coarse bark create large pores that drain freely and maintain air-filled porosity, which reduces the risk of waterlogged roots. Water-retentive components such as peat, coir, or fine compost increase holding capacity instead of drainage.

Question 36Horticultural Practices

A planting crew is mulching a bed around newly planted shrubs. Which application practice best protects plant health?

  1. Spread mulch 50 to 75 mm deep, keeping it pulled back from the trunk Correct answer.
  2. Use fresh, uncomposted manure as the sole mulch layer
  3. Apply a thin 10 mm layer so the soil surface stays visible
  4. Pile mulch against the stems to insulate the crown

Explanation

A moderate mulch depth of roughly 50 to 75 mm conserves moisture and moderates soil temperature while keeping mulch away from stems prevents crown rot and rodent damage. Mulch should never be mounded against the trunk.

Question 37Horticultural Practices

A manager is reviewing a fertilizer program for a mixed landscape and wants to reduce nitrogen leaching on sandy soil. Which approach is most effective?

  1. Irrigate heavily immediately after each application
  2. Apply all nitrogen at once in early spring at a high rate
  3. Use slow-release or split applications at moderate rates through the season Correct answer.
  4. Apply nitrogen only in late autumn before dormancy

Explanation

Sandy soils have low nutrient-holding capacity, so slow-release products or split applications at moderate rates keep nitrogen available without a large flush that leaches below the root zone. Timing applications to active growth further improves uptake.

Question 38Horticultural Practices

A landscaper is comparing two planting sites: one with heavy clay and one with sandy loam. Which statement correctly describes how these soils differ in water management?

  1. Sandy loam holds more plant-available water and drains more slowly than clay
  2. Clay drains quickly because its particles are larger than sand particles
  3. Both soils have identical water-holding capacity and only differ in color
  4. Clay holds more plant-available water but drains slowly and has less air-filled porosity Correct answer.

Explanation

Clay particles are small and have large surface area, so clay soils retain more water but drain slowly and hold less air than sandy loam. This difference drives irrigation and aeration decisions for each site.

Question 39Horticultural Practices

A grower observes that a block of container plants dries unevenly, with edge rows drying much faster than interior rows. Which factor best explains the pattern and guides a corrective action?

  1. Edge plants receive more reflected light and airflow, so grouping pots or adding perimeter irrigation evens moisture loss Correct answer.
  2. Edge plants have larger root systems that consume water faster than interior plants
  3. Interior plants are overwatered because irrigation overlaps too much in the center
  4. The medium in edge containers has a different composition from interior containers

Explanation

Plants on the perimeter of a block are exposed to more wind and reflected light, raising evapotranspiration and drying them faster than sheltered interior plants. Grouping pots tightly or adding perimeter irrigation reduces the disparity.

Question 40Horticultural Practices

A site has compacted fill soil with poor infiltration. A designer must choose a treatment that improves long-term rooting conditions rather than only relieving surface symptoms. Which approach is most appropriate?

  1. Apply a thin topdressing of sand each year without loosening the profile
  2. Increase irrigation frequency to keep the surface wet
  3. Plant shallow-rooted groundcover and rely on it to break up compaction
  4. Subsoil to fracture the compacted layer and incorporate organic matter, then protect the area from traffic Correct answer.

Explanation

Compaction limits both water infiltration and root penetration, so mechanical loosening of the compacted layer combined with organic matter addresses the root-zone limitation. Protecting the treated area from renewed traffic preserves the improvement over time.

Question 41Plant Identification and Selection

Which genus is the source of the common culinary herb rosemary?

  1. Salvia
  2. Lavandula
  3. Rosmarinus Correct answer.
  4. Thymus

Explanation

Rosemary is Rosmarinus officinalis, a woody Mediterranean evergreen with needle-like leaves and blue flowers. Salvia, Thymus, and Lavandula are related Lamiaceae genera but are distinct herbs. Some taxonomists now place rosemary in Salvia, but Rosmarinus remains the standard horticultural name.

Question 42Plant Identification and Selection

A client wants a shade-tolerant evergreen groundcover for a dry site under mature oaks. Which selection best fits?

  1. Lobelia cardinalis
  2. Monarda didyma
  3. Liriope muscari Correct answer.
  4. Asclepias tuberosa

Explanation

Liriope muscari tolerates dry shade and competes well with tree roots, forming a dense evergreen clump. The other three are herbaceous perennials adapted to moist or sunny conditions. Matching drought and shade tolerance to site conditions is a core selection skill.

Question 43Plant Identification and Selection

Which leaf arrangement describes leaves attached singly at each node on alternating sides of the stem?

  1. Opposite
  2. Alternate Correct answer.
  3. Whorled
  4. Fascicled

Explanation

Alternate arrangement places one leaf per node, with successive leaves offset on the stem. Opposite means two leaves per node, and whorled means three or more. This basic phyllotaxy distinction is the first step in many identification keys.

Question 44Plant Identification and Selection

A tree has opposite, pinnately compound leaves and produces samaras in paired clusters. Which genus is most consistent?

  1. Ulmus
  2. Quercus
  3. Fraxinus Correct answer.
  4. Acer

Explanation

Fraxinus (ash) is characterized by opposite, pinnately compound leaves and winged samaras borne in clusters. Quercus and Ulmus have alternate leaves, and Acer leaves are opposite but typically simple and palmately lobed. Combining leaf arrangement with fruit type narrows the identification.

Question 45Plant Identification and Selection

Which species is a native North American perennial valued for its tolerance of wet soils and its use in rain gardens?

  1. Sedum spectabile
  2. Iris sibirica
  3. Caltha palustris Correct answer.
  4. Hemerocallis fulva

Explanation

Caltha palustris, marsh marigold, is a North American native perennial that thrives in saturated soils and is widely used in rain gardens and pond margins. Sedum requires sharp drainage, and the others are not native to North America. Selecting natives suited to hydric soils supports both function and ecology.

Question 46Plant Identification and Selection

Which conifer bears needles in flat sprays with white stomatal bands beneath and small, fleshy red arils?

  1. Picea abies
  2. Taxus baccata Correct answer.
  3. Tsuga canadensis
  4. Pinus strobus

Explanation

Taxus species have flat, dark green needles with pale stomatal bands below and produce a fleshy red aril around the seed. Pinus and Picea have needles in fascicles or attached singly on pegs, and Tsuga has small cones rather than arils. The aril is a diagnostic feature of Taxus.

Question 47Plant Identification and Selection

Which term describes a plant that completes its life cycle in one growing season and dies after setting seed?

  1. Annual Correct answer.
  2. Perennial
  3. Monocarpic
  4. Biennial

Explanation

An annual germinates, flowers, sets seed, and dies within a single growing season. Biennials require two seasons, and perennials live for multiple years. Monocarpic plants flower once but may take many years, so it is not equivalent to annual.

Question 48Plant Identification and Selection

A specimen has square stems, opposite aromatic leaves, and two-lipped flowers in whorls. Which family does it belong to?

  1. Asteraceae
  2. Rosaceae
  3. Lamiaceae Correct answer.
  4. Fabaceae

Explanation

Square stems, opposite aromatic leaves, and two-lipped flowers are classic Lamiaceae features shared by mint, sage, and basil. Asteraceae have composite flower heads, Rosaceae typically have five-petaled flowers, and Fabaceae bear legume pods. Recognizing family-level traits speeds identification.

Question 49Plant Identification and Selection

Which cultivar group of Acer palmatum is prized for finely dissected, lace-like leaves?

  1. Atropurpureum
  2. Sango-kaku
  3. Bloodgood
  4. Dissectum Correct answer.

Explanation

The Dissectum group of Japanese maple is defined by deeply divided, lacy leaves and a mounding habit. Atropurpureum refers to red-purple foliage, Bloodgood is a red cultivar, and Sango-kaku is the coral-bark maple. Cultivar groups describe distinct ornamental traits.

Question 50Plant Identification and Selection

Which plant is a bulbous spring ephemeral that goes dormant by early summer and is suitable for naturalizing under deciduous trees?

  1. Narcissus pseudonarcissus Correct answer.
  2. Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro'
  3. Paeonia lactiflora
  4. Hosta sieboldiana

Explanation

Narcissus is a true bulb that flowers in spring, then dies back and goes dormant by early summer, making it ideal for naturalizing under deciduous trees before canopy leaf-out. Hostas, daylilies, and peonies are herbaceous perennials that remain active through summer. Spring ephemeral bulbs exploit light before the canopy closes.