Plant Groups
Plant names can be overwhelming because common names, cultivars, and regional labels overlap. The simplest starting point is the major botanical group.
Major Groups
Section titled “Major Groups”| Group | What defines it | Common kinds |
|---|---|---|
| Flowering plants | Produce flowers and enclosed seeds | Trees, grasses, orchids, vegetables, herbs, palms |
| Conifers | Usually cone-bearing woody plants | Pines, cypresses, junipers, cedars, firs |
| Ferns and fern allies | Reproduce by spores, not flowers | Boston fern, tree fern, horsetail, clubmoss |
| Cycads and ginkgo | Ancient seed plants with distinctive forms | Sago palm, zamia, ginkgo |
| Bryophytes | Small non-vascular plants | Mosses, liverworts, hornworts |
| Algae and aquatic plant-like organisms | Photosynthetic aquatic organisms | Seaweeds, pond algae, phytoplankton |
Practical Cross-Categories
Section titled “Practical Cross-Categories”Many plants belong to more than one practical category. A lemon tree is a flowering plant, a fruit tree, a container plant in cold regions, and an evergreen landscape plant in warm regions. A basil plant is a flowering plant, a herb, an annual crop, and a pollinator plant when allowed to bloom.
Use the botanical group to understand reproduction and structure. Use the gardening category to choose care.