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similar to those used to culture other ornamental plants. Habitat restoration and enhancement projects include a diversity of plant types and sizes to ensure that a heterogeneous architecture is created to attract an assemblage of native animals ( Ma et al
Web sites such as the University of Connecticut (UConn) Plant Database allow large volumes of information and images to be stored, published and accessed by users for the purpose of informed decision-making. Sorting information on the World Wide Web (Web) can be difficult, especially for novice users and those interested in quick results. The advent of Internet search and retrieval software fosters the creation of interactive decision support systems. The Plant Selector was designed to complement the UConn Plant Database plant encyclopedia by allowing Web site users to generate lists of woody ornamental plants that match specific criteria. On completion of an HTML-based search form by users, a Web-enabled database is searched and lists of matching plants are presented for review. To facilitate analysis of the Plant Selector's efficacy, an online questionnaire was implemented to solicit user feedback. Survey data from 426 responses to the online evaluation tool were analyzed both to understand user demographics and gauge satisfaction with the Plant Selector module. Survey data revealed that most Plant Selector users are between 40 to 65 years of age and homeowners with minimal horticultural experience. A large percentage of Web site visitors (68%) is located across the United States beyond Connecticut and the New England region. The great majority of survey respondents (65%) use this tool to select plants for the home landscape. Most (77%) either agree or strongly agree that the Plant Selector is easy to use and delivers results that are useful (66%), while 70% agree or strongly agree that the categories used by the Plant Selector are sufficient. The survey results in general suggest that Web-based decision support systems may serve useful roles in the field of horticulture education.
Five species of tropical ornamental plants—artillery fern (Pilea serpyllacea), pleomele (Dracaena reflexa), fishtail palm (Caryota mitis), areca palm (Dypsis lutescens), and sunshine palm (Veitchia mcdanielsii)—were grown in containers under full sun, 55% shade, or 73% shade. They were fertilized every 6 months with Osmocote Plus 15-9-12 (15N-4P-10K) at rates of 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 g/pot (0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.1, and 1.3 oz/pot). For pleomele and the three palm species, optimum shoot dry weights and color ratings were similar among the three light intensities tested. However, artillery fern grown in full sun required fertilizer rates at least 50% higher for optimum shoot dry weight and color than under 55% or 73% shade. Light intensit × fertilizer rate interactions were highly significant for pilea and fishtail palm color and dry weight and sunshine palm and pleomele color.
temperature conditions ( Garner and Björkman, 1996 ). Nevertheless, during ornamental plant production, the application of plant growth regulators (PGRs) is still the most commonly used tool for achieving an effective reduction in plant height ( Latimer, 1992
those basic blends (data not shown). Conclusions Growing media composed of locally available compost and BS supported the growth of annual (vinca), perennial (verbena), and woody ornamental (shantung maple) plants as well as or better than a traditional
Coconut fiber dust (coir) is being used as a peat substitute or amendment to potting mixes with varied results. However, its microbial composition and compatibility with beneficial microbes that might be added to growth media in the nursery, such as mycorrhizal fungi, has not been determined. In this study, coir was amended to a peat-based medium (15%, 30%, 45%, and 60% by volume) to determine its effects on growth of several ornamental plants and on the formation and function of the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Glomus intraradices. Mycorrhizae formed as well, and usually better, in all the coir-amended peat treatments as in peat alone. The magnitude of growth enhancement due to mycorrhizae was small for the plants tested in these media compared to that which usually occurs in soil-based media. In this experiment, plant growth responses appeared to be independent of level of mycorrhizal colonization and were plant species dependent. Consistent growth enhancement from mycorrhizae only occurred with marigold (Tagetes patula). With germander (Teucrium fruticans), growth was depressed with mycorrhizal inoculation in the medium composed of 60% coir. Growth of lavender (Lavandula augustifolia) was depressed in all coir-amended media, with or without AM inoculation, compared to the nonamended control. These results confirm previous reports of varied response of plant species to coir, and indicate the lack of any detrimental effects of coir on mycorrhiza formation.
fertilization practices, irrigation strategies, alternative landscape plant species (e.g., native ornamentals instead of turfgrass, plants requiring low water input), and structural features (e.g., swales, green roofs, rain gardens). However, the impacts of
vegetative growth in stock plants of selected herbaceous ornamental species, thereby enhancing rooting of cuttings harvested from those stock plants. Materials and methods Three experiments were conducted. Expt. 1 was started 9 Feb 2022, Expt. 2 was
environmental stewardship, by reducing weedy to invasive plant spread, behooves all involved. The ornamentals industry is a key source of nonnative species escaping from cultivation ( Lehan et al., 2013 ; Pysek et al., 2011 ; Reichard and White, 2001 ; van
Container production of ornamental plants requires large amounts of nitrogen (N) and other nutrients due to N-binding by pine bark and related substrate components, as well as extensive leaching that typically occurs in well-drained substrates