FLOWERING SHRUBS

Study Flowering Shrubs

Learn the scope and nature of flowering shrubs. Understand the broad groups of woody flowering shrubs and the shared characteristics of each of those groups. In doing so you build a framework for identifying different shrubs and knowing how to plant, establish and care for shrubberies.

There is a system to how plants are classified and named. Plants that are closely related will generally share both visual characteristics and similar growth requirements. To a large degree, you can identify what plants are by the appearance of their leaves, flowers, stems and even seeds. 

Lesson Structure

There are 9 lessons in this course:

1. Scope and Nature of Flowering Shrubs
   • Why Grow Shrubs
   • Choosing Appropriate Shrubs
   • Classification and Naming
   • Shrub Nomenclature
   • How the Genus Rosa is Split Up
   • Broad Rules when Writing Plant Names
   • Ranks of Classification
   • Dicotyledons and Monocotyledons
   • Dahgren System for grouping families into orders
   • Cronquist System
   • Continuing Change
   • Rosids
   • Order Rosales
   • Order Malphigiales
   • Order Sapindales
   • Order Malvales
   • Order Saxifragales
   • Asterids (Asteranae)
   • Myrtles (Myrtiflorae)
   • Solanales
   • Cornales
   • Dipsacales
   • Boraginales
   • Rules for Identifying Plants
   • Botanical Key Concept
2. How to Establish and Care for Shrubs
   • Choosing Shrubs
   • Preparing the Garden
   • Consider the Site
   • Getting Soil Ready
   • Time of Planting
   • Planting Shrubs
   • Staking
   • Shrub Maintenance
   • Good Hygeine
   • Watering
   • Nutrition
   • Mulching
   • Pruning
   • Inspecting for Pest and Disease
   • Common Problems - pests, diseases, environmental issues, weeds
   • Controlling Pest and Disease
   • Working with the Space Available
   • Controlling Roots
   • Controlling plant growth
3. The Rosids
   • Superorder Rosanae - fabids, Malvids & others
   • Rosaceae : Chenomeles, Cotoneaster, Kerria, Pyracantha, Rosa, Spiraea
   • Rhamnaceae : Ceonothus
   • Eleagnaceae : Eleagnus
   • Saxifragaceae – Deutzia, Hydrangea,
   • Celastraceae – Euonymus
   • Euphorbaceae – Codiaeum
   • Hypericaceae – Hypericum
   • Cistaceae -Cistus
   • Malvaceae – Hibiscus
   • Thymelaceae - Daphne, Pimelea
   • Rutaceae -Boronia, Choisya, Coleonema,Correa, Crowea, Fortunella, Murraya
4. The Asterids -Superorder Asteranae
   • Introduction to Asteranae: Lamids & Campanulids
   • Differences between Asterids and Rosids
   • Asterid Shrub Families
   • Acanthaceae - Justicia/Beloperone, Barleria, Pachystachus, Aphelandra, (Order Lamiales)
   • Lamiaceae -Lavendula, Ocimum (Basil), Prostanthera, Salvia, Rosmarinus, Westringia, Leonotis, Prostanthera (Order Lamiales)
   • Scrophulariaceae -Hebe, Eremophila, Myoporum, Veronica (Order Lamiales)
   • Verbenaceae -Aloysia, Clerodendrum, Duranta, Lantana, Verbena (Order Lamiales)
   • Oleaceae – Forsythia, Ligustrum, Jasminum, Syringia (Order Lamiales)
   • Rubiaceae – Bouvardia, Coprosma, Gardenia, Luculia, Musseanda, Pentas (Order Gentiales)
5. Ericales
   • Introduction
   • Ericaceae -Andromeda, Rhododendron (includes Azaleas), Calluna, Erica, Kalmia, Pieris, and Vaccinium (Blueberry).
   • Theaceae - Camellia, Gordonia, and Stewartia.
   • Clethraceae - Clethra
   • Syracaceae - Halesia and Styrax
6. Myrtiflorae Shrubs
   • Introduction
   • Lythraceae – Cuphea, Pomegranate
   • Myrtaceae - Bauera, Callistemon/Melaleuca, Leptospermum and others
   • Melastomaceae – Tibouchina, Melastoma, Medinilla, Osbeckia
   • Onagraceae – Fuchsia
7. Shrubs from Corniflorae and Solaniflorae
   • Introduction
   • Caprifoliaceae -Abelia, Kolkwitzia, Lonicera, Viburnum, Weigelia (Order Dipscales, Superorder Cornifloae)
   • Hydrangea (Order Cornales)
   • Boraginaceae – Heliotropum (Superorder Solaniflorae)
   • Solanaceae - Browallia, Brunfelsia, Cestrum, Solanum (superorder Solaniflorae)
8. Other Important Shrubs
   • Berberidaceae -Berberis, Mahonia, Nandina
   • Buxaceae – Buxus
   • Fabaceae – Genista, Pultenaea, Acacia
   • Plumbaginaceae – Ceratostigma (Plumbago)
   • Polygalaceae – Polygala
   • Proteaceae – Banksia, Grevillea, Protea
9. Plant Selection and Design

Aims

• Discuss the scientific classification, scope and nature of shrubs, and compare some of the differences in appearance characteristics between important plant orders and families that encompass horticulturally significant shrubs.
• Describe different techniques used to prepare for planting, plant, nurture and maintain shrubs in different horticultural situations.
• Identify and describe a variety of different commonly grown flowering shrubs that are related to roses, in that they are on occasion classified into the taxonomic order Rosales or the superorder Rosanae.
• Identify and describe a variety of different commonly grown flowering shrubs that are related to lavender, in that they are on occasion classified into the taxonomic superorder Asteranae.
• Identify and describe a variety of different commonly grown flowering shrubs that are related to rhododendrons, in that they are on occasion classified into the taxonomic order Ericales.
• Identify and describe a variety of different commonly grown flowering shrubs that are related to Leptospermums, in that they are on occasion classified into the taxonomic order Rosales or the superorder Myrtiflorae.
• Identify and describe a variety of different commonly grown flowering shrubs that are related to Viburnum and Cestrum, in that they are on occasion classified into the taxonomic orders superorders Corniflorae or Solaniflorae.
• Identify and describe a variety of different commonly grown flowering shrubs that are from significant plant families not studied earlier in this course.
• Select appropriate shrubs and explain how to use them in different places.

This course focuses growing your plant knowledge of woody flowering shrubs. This is a massive are of study though. There are tens of thousands of different cultivars of woody flowering shrubs that are propagated, sold in nurseries, then planted and cared for in gardens and other landscapes. The course is designed to give you a broad framework to understand shrubs, then build your knowledge beyond your studies.

This course has a particular focus on the following plant families and genera:

• Rosaceae - Chenomeles (Cydonia), Cotoneaster, Kerria, Pyracantha, Rosa, Spiraea
• Rhamnaceae– Ceonothus
• Eleagnaceae – Eleagnus
• Saxifragaceae – Deutzia, Escallonia, Hydrangea, Philadelphus
• Celastraceae – Euonymus 
• Euphorbaceae – Euphorbia, Codiaeum 
• Hypericaceae – Hypericum 
• Rutaceae - Boronia, Choysia, Coleonema (Diosma), Correa, Crowea, Ptilotheca/Eriostemon, Murraya, Fortunella Acanthaceae - Justicia/Beloperone 
• Lamiaceae -Lavendula, Ocimum (Basil), Salvia, Rosmarinus, Leonotis
• Scrophulariaceae -Hebe 
• Verbenaceae -Aloysia,Clerodendrum 
• Oleaceae – Forsythia 
• Rubiaceae – Bouvardia, Coprosma, Gardenia, Luculia 
• Ericaceae – Andromeda, Azalea/Rhododendron, Calluna, Erica, Kalmia, Pieris
• Theaceae – Camellia
• Epacridaceae – Epacris
• Lythraceae – Cuphea, pomegranate
• Myrtaceae - Bauera, Callistemon/Melaleuca, Leptospermum, 
• Melastomaceae – Tibouchina
• Onagraceae – Fuchsia
• Caprifoliaceae -Abelia, Kolkwitzia, Lonicera, Viburnum, Weigelia
• Cornaceae - Aucuba
• Boraginaceae – Heliotropum 
• Solanaceae - Browallia, Brunfelsia, Cestrum, Solanum 
• Berberidaceae -Berberis, Mahonia, Nandina
• Buxaceae – Buxus 
• Fabaceae – Genista, Pultenaea, Acacia
• Plumbaginaceae – Ceratostigma (Plumbago)
• Polygalaceae – Polygala
• Proteaceae – Banksia, Grevillea, Protea