LOUISIANA LANDSCAPE
HORTICULTURE A-M EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 2025 RATED A+ FOR
SUCCESS
Acid Soil - ANSWERSoil with a pH of less than 7.0. Agricultural lime is used to raise the
pH and correct a very acid soil condition.
Acre - ANSWERA land containing 43,560 square feet and measuring approximately
210' x 210' square
Actual - ANSWERThe part of the formula of any product, containing several ingredients,
which refers to a specific ingredient. For example, a 5-pound box of a general purpose
plant food (10-10-10) would have 10% nitrogen, 10% phosphate and 10% potassium.
10% of 5lbs is 1/2lb . Therefore, the actual content of the three major ingredients in the
mixture is 1/2 lb each.
Adventitious Root or Shoot - ANSWERProduced on stem tissue after removal from the
mother plant. These tissues developed on cuttings are identical to those found during
seedling development.
Alkaline Soil - ANSWERSoil with a pH of more than 7.0. The pH of Alkaline soils are
reduced by the application of iron sulfate, aluminum or large amounts of sawdust, peat
moss, or ground pine bark.
Annual Plant - ANSWERA plant living one year or less, usually planted in spring after
the last frost and dying at time of killing frost. During this time, the plant grows, blooms,
produces seeds and dies.
Anther - ANSWERThe upper part of a stamen that produces pollen.
Apical Dominance - ANSWERThe suppression of growth of lateral buds by the terminal
bud of a stem.
Arboretum - ANSWERAn area devoted to the display of a variety of living trees and
shrubs for study and comparison.
Asexual - ANSWERWithout sex; refers to reproduction not involving the fusion of
gametes.
Auxin - ANSWERA plant hormone that influences and regulates plant growth.
, Balled and Burlapped - ANSWERPlant prepared for transplanting by digging them so
that the soil adjacent to the roots remains undisturbed; the ball of earth is then wrapped
in burlap or similar mesh fabric.
Bare Root - ANSWERIn the winter or early spring, many varieties of deciduous plants
are sold with their roots bare. Dormant plants dug from the soil have their roots cleaned
and trimmed, and are prevented from drying out until the time they should be planted.
Bedding Plants - ANSWERRefers to small plants sold in flats or packs. They many be
planted in beds, borders or wherever desired.
Biennial - ANSWERA plant that produces a rosette of leaves the first year of its life, and
sets flowers, fruit and seeds the second year and then dies. Ex: beet carrot, sweet
william.
Binomal - ANSWERA system of naming plants using two names. First name is the
genus and the second the species. Botanical or scientific name.
Biodegradable - ANSWERAny material than can be readily decomposed in the soil by
the action of each microorganisms as bacteria and fungi.
Bolting - ANSWERThe production of a seed stalk by vegetative plants such as
ornamental cabbage, spinach, lettuce or radish. Bolting by vegetable crops is
undesirable. Bolting usually occurs when days are long and temperatures are warm.
Broadcasting - ANSWERScattering a material such as fertilizer or seed evenly over a
soil surface.
Bud - ANSWERAn embryonic stem tip bearing young leaves, one or more flowers or
both leaves and flowers.
Bulb - ANSWERA bud, usually subterranean, consisting of a short, thick stem emitting
roots from below and bearing overlapping, scalelike leaves.
Caliper - ANSWERIn landscape and nursery usage, the diameter of a tree measured six
inches above the groundline if up to a four-inch caliper; larger caliper trees are
measured twelve inches above the groundline. In forestry, the caliper is measured for
and a half feet above groundline.
Cambium Layer - ANSWERThe layer of actively dividing mass between the outer bark
and the inner wood of woody plants.
Capillary Action - ANSWERThe attraction of soil particles to water molecules, causing
an up or downward movement of the water into the soil. Becoming popular in container
watering.
HORTICULTURE A-M EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 2025 RATED A+ FOR
SUCCESS
Acid Soil - ANSWERSoil with a pH of less than 7.0. Agricultural lime is used to raise the
pH and correct a very acid soil condition.
Acre - ANSWERA land containing 43,560 square feet and measuring approximately
210' x 210' square
Actual - ANSWERThe part of the formula of any product, containing several ingredients,
which refers to a specific ingredient. For example, a 5-pound box of a general purpose
plant food (10-10-10) would have 10% nitrogen, 10% phosphate and 10% potassium.
10% of 5lbs is 1/2lb . Therefore, the actual content of the three major ingredients in the
mixture is 1/2 lb each.
Adventitious Root or Shoot - ANSWERProduced on stem tissue after removal from the
mother plant. These tissues developed on cuttings are identical to those found during
seedling development.
Alkaline Soil - ANSWERSoil with a pH of more than 7.0. The pH of Alkaline soils are
reduced by the application of iron sulfate, aluminum or large amounts of sawdust, peat
moss, or ground pine bark.
Annual Plant - ANSWERA plant living one year or less, usually planted in spring after
the last frost and dying at time of killing frost. During this time, the plant grows, blooms,
produces seeds and dies.
Anther - ANSWERThe upper part of a stamen that produces pollen.
Apical Dominance - ANSWERThe suppression of growth of lateral buds by the terminal
bud of a stem.
Arboretum - ANSWERAn area devoted to the display of a variety of living trees and
shrubs for study and comparison.
Asexual - ANSWERWithout sex; refers to reproduction not involving the fusion of
gametes.
Auxin - ANSWERA plant hormone that influences and regulates plant growth.
, Balled and Burlapped - ANSWERPlant prepared for transplanting by digging them so
that the soil adjacent to the roots remains undisturbed; the ball of earth is then wrapped
in burlap or similar mesh fabric.
Bare Root - ANSWERIn the winter or early spring, many varieties of deciduous plants
are sold with their roots bare. Dormant plants dug from the soil have their roots cleaned
and trimmed, and are prevented from drying out until the time they should be planted.
Bedding Plants - ANSWERRefers to small plants sold in flats or packs. They many be
planted in beds, borders or wherever desired.
Biennial - ANSWERA plant that produces a rosette of leaves the first year of its life, and
sets flowers, fruit and seeds the second year and then dies. Ex: beet carrot, sweet
william.
Binomal - ANSWERA system of naming plants using two names. First name is the
genus and the second the species. Botanical or scientific name.
Biodegradable - ANSWERAny material than can be readily decomposed in the soil by
the action of each microorganisms as bacteria and fungi.
Bolting - ANSWERThe production of a seed stalk by vegetative plants such as
ornamental cabbage, spinach, lettuce or radish. Bolting by vegetable crops is
undesirable. Bolting usually occurs when days are long and temperatures are warm.
Broadcasting - ANSWERScattering a material such as fertilizer or seed evenly over a
soil surface.
Bud - ANSWERAn embryonic stem tip bearing young leaves, one or more flowers or
both leaves and flowers.
Bulb - ANSWERA bud, usually subterranean, consisting of a short, thick stem emitting
roots from below and bearing overlapping, scalelike leaves.
Caliper - ANSWERIn landscape and nursery usage, the diameter of a tree measured six
inches above the groundline if up to a four-inch caliper; larger caliper trees are
measured twelve inches above the groundline. In forestry, the caliper is measured for
and a half feet above groundline.
Cambium Layer - ANSWERThe layer of actively dividing mass between the outer bark
and the inner wood of woody plants.
Capillary Action - ANSWERThe attraction of soil particles to water molecules, causing
an up or downward movement of the water into the soil. Becoming popular in container
watering.
