In this course, you will examine the characteristics of common landscape plants to determine how to distinguish them. There is a particular descriptive language that is used when talking about plant traits, which takes practice to learn. By starting with a small set of traits and expanding it as you examine more plants, you will be able to better identify the plants that you encounter.

You will also examine some common landscape plants to develop your understanding of botanical illustration and how it can be used to aid in identification. The combination of illustrations and technical descriptions is a foundational skill that will be used to build your knowledge of plants that are useful in the constructed environment.

Finally, you will apply this new language to create and use an identification key; this tool is the industry standard for determining the identity of an unknown plant. These specific tools and takeaways will prove crucial as you start your career or strive to reach your personal goals in your local landscape and beyond.