Instructor:
Dr. Jon T. Lindstrom
312 Plant Sciences Building
575-2645
tranell@uark.edu

Teaching Assistants:
Billy Fleming
Miles Jandrasevic
Chris Phillips


Office Hours: Tuesday, 8:30-10:00 AM. Feel free to contact me by e-mail, phone or in
person to set up an alternative time. You are welcome to stop by my office without an appointment.

Credits: 3 hours

Class Times:
Lectures: POSC 0211A (auditorium) Monday and Wednesday 11:30 AM-12:20 PM
Labs: The following lab sections are offered:
Th 11:00 AM-12:50 PM, Section 1, Plant Sciences (PTSC) 007
F 10:30 AM-12:20 PM Section 2, AGRI 315B

All students MUST enroll in 1 lab section and the lecture.

Goals: To develop knowledge of the plant material available for use in the
landscape in Arkansas and elsewhere; to understand where and when to use different
types of plant material.

Objectives: Identify 206 woody landscape plants by both scientific, common and family name. Describe
the landscape uses of these plants. Describe the landscape characteristics for these plants.

Texts: Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, 5th edition, 1998 by Michael A. Dirr.
ISBN 0-87563-795-7

This is the required text for the course. Anyone continuing his or her
career in Landscape Architecture or Horticulture will use this reference
often. This text is at the Union Bookstore. It is also
available from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. Note a new
edition of the book will most likely be available in 2009.

For those interested in pictures, the book, Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs, by
Michael A. Dirr (1997) has color pictures of about 75% of the plants covered in the class. Dirr's
other book, Dirr's Trees and Shrubs for Warm Climates, also covers many of the plants you
learn in this class. I would also like to recommend the book Bringing Nature Home: How Native
Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens by Douglas Tallamy. This book is especially appropriate
for students interested in using native plants in the landscape.

You will also need a packet of summary sheets for the class.
These are available by e-mail from the instructor. Each summary sheet has
been printed with the name, family, size group and plant type for each plant
covered in the class. Each sheet also contains pertinent information about the
particular plant on the sheet. Please print out the summary sheet and place these
sheets in a three-ring notebook. You may also maintain your notebook on a computer,
should this be easier for you. However, notebook checks will be by paper only.

For identification of certain woody plants, a magnifying glass is very
helpful. I would suggest a 10X magnifying glass. You may also consider
using a digital camera to take pictures of the plants covered in the class.
These pictures can be used to fulfill the notebook requirements as well as
a review for the quizzes and exams.

A clipboard (provided in class) is required for ID quizzes and exams.

 

GRADING

 

11 ID quizzes (drop two lowest quiz scores), so 9 x 100	100 points each	900 points
11 landscape characteristics quizzes (drop two lowest quiz scores) so 9 x 75	75 points each	675 points
landscape characteristics midterm		200 points
plant identification midterm		150 points
plant identification final		150 points
landscape characteristics final		200 points
13 lab exercises	10 points each	130 points
notebook		206 points
Total points possible		2611 points

Note: +/- grades will not be given in this class. Grading scale subject to change should
it be necessary to cancel a graded activity due to unforeseen circumstances.

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Quizzes: Weekly quizzes, both ID and landscape characteristic (sample landscape quiz),
are cumulative, emphasis will be placed on the most recent plants. ID quizzes will
take place during the lab and landscape characteristic quizzes will given during
the lecture. All quizzes are “closed book,” i.e. no keys, notes, etc. Students
who cheat on quizzes will receive a zero for that quiz. For the weekly ID quizzes
you will need to know the scientific name, the common name and the plant family name
for each unknown sample. You will also need to SPELL the scientific and family names correctly.
Clipboards (provided) are required for ID quizzes.

Midterms: There is a landscape characteristics midterm scheduled for Oct. 15, 2008
during the lecture. There is a plant ID midterm scheduled for the labs Oct. 16-17, 2008.
Students who cheat on the midterms will receive a zero on the midterms.

Finals: Two finals are given in this class. The first is the the plant ID final and it is
scheduled for the last week of class (Dec. 3rd-Dec. 9th).
You will need to sign up for it. It will be approximately one hour in length.
You must sign up for the Plant ID final by Dec. 3rd., 2008. The ID final is oral and
is given during a walk around the campus and surrounding area.
The landscape characteristic final is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 17th from
10:00 AM-12 noon. Students who cheat on the final(s) will receive a zero on the final(s).
The instructor is not responsible for the assignment of the date for the final
exam. This is done by the registrar's office.

Notebook: For each plant covered in this class you will need to provide a picture. Space is
available on each summary sheet for this requirement. If you need more room, use the back of the
sheet. These pictures will help you first learn the plants and then will help you review the
plants prior to the quizzes and mid-terms. Notebooks will be checked in lab approximately every
three weeks. Each completed summary sheet is worth at most 1 point. Pictures may be obtained
by copying those on the web site or by using your own digital camera. Pictures must
be attached to the appropriate page to receive credit. See the course calendar for details on due dates.
If you forget to bring your notebook to lab you will have until 1 PM the afternoon of the lab to
get the information to me to be checked. After that time, no credt will be given for those
summary sheets. CHECK DUE DATES

Conflicts: Legitimate conflicts with the midterms must be brought to my
attention one week before the exam (barring true emergencies). I allow make-up
quizzes only if you are absent due to documented, official, university business. Any
make-up quiz must be completed within three business days of your return. It has been my
experience that most students end up dropping the make-up quiz as it turns out to be
one of their lowest grades. It is important for you to remember that I drop your two lowest
plant ID quiz scores and your two lowest landscape characteristics quiz scores when I
calculate your grade.

Labs: Labs meet as indicated above. Labs involve walking. They are not canceled due to weather
(unless the University of Arkansas is officially closed). Come prepared if it is raining, snowing,
etc., etc. Labs are two hours in length. In all labs be prepared to hike 2-3 miles on occasion (not
every lab will be this long). Remember too that the plant ID quizzes will be given during the lab.
A clipboard and pencil will be useful in lab to take notes as we look at the plants. Note also that there
are 13, 10-point lab exercises scheduled during the semester. These exercises can only be
accomplished during the lab for which they are scheduled and cannot be made up.

Attendance: Attendance is required at lecture and lab, except by prior arrangement with
the instructor. Not attending lecture and lab is a good way to fail this
course. If the University is officially closed then the class or lab will not
meet. Please do not switch lab sections.

Inclement Weather Policy: If the University is officially closed then the class or lab
will not meet.

Academic Honesty Policy: The guidelines given in the University of Arkansas
Catalogue of Studies will be followed in regards to academic honesty. Also see
statements on cheating in the quiz and test sections.

 References: The following books and magazines might be helpful. They are in Mullins Library.

Clark, G. Thomas. 1981. Winter Twigs of Arkansas.
Dirr, Michael A. 1997. Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs.
Dirr, Michael A. 1998. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, 5th edition.
Flint, Harrison. 1997. Landscape Plants for Eastern North America, 2nd
edition. (plant forms were obtained from this text)
Halfacre, R. Gordon. 1989. Landscape Plants of the Southeast, 5th edition.
Jacobson, Arthur Lee. 1996. North American Landscape Trees.

American Nurseryman, Nursery Management and Production,
Horticulture, The American Gardener, Flower and Garden,
Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, Arnoldia, The Arkansas Gardener

These are available in Mullins Library.

A note on how this course works.

Plant materials courses require self-motivation for success. The grade
you receive in this class will largely be dependent on the amount of work you decide to put in to it.
Studying together with a group can be an effective way to learn these plants.
Each week on Wednesday, new plant material will be available for study in room 304 of the Plant
Science Building (Undergraduate Study Room). You will be tested on this material the following
Wednesday (landscape characteristics) and the Thursday or Friday following (plant ID). It is to
your benefit to review these plants as soon as possible; review the text and fill out your notebooks.
HORT 3103 requires much memorization. This course also begins quickly and it can be
difficult to catch up. Please see me if you find yourself struggling with the course material.
Do not procrastinate in this class, it is difficult to learn all the plants the night before
(or morning of!) the quizzes. A little bit of review each day is a better way to do it.

Learning to spell the names can be challenging. In the past some students have found
success by repeatedly writing the scientific names on a piece of paper. Other students
make index cards where one side has the scientific name and the other side has the
common name and family name. This facebook group: I love me some Liriodendron: Plant Dorks UNITE!
can be a valuable source for hints on how to study plants.

In this class your final grade is dependent on the number of points you accumulate over the
course of the semester. All points are good.

If you want to request reasonable accommodations for this class due to a disability, you must
first register with the Center for Educational Access (CEA) and hand-deliver an official
Accommodation Letter from the EA to me during my office hours or after class.

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PLEASE DO NOT COLLECT YOUR OWN PLANT SAMPLES. SOME OF THE PLANTS COVERED
IN THIS CLASS ARE SMALL SPECIMENS AND ARE UNABLE TO WITHSTAND COLLECTION PRESSURE. 

COURSE CALENDAR
(as with everything in life, subject to change)

DATE ACTIVITY
Aug 25 Lect 1: Introduction/Objectives, Welcome to My World
Aug 27 Lect 2: How and What to look at with Trees and Shrubs
Aug 28-29 Lab: List One Plant Walk, Lab Exercise 1.

Sept 1 Lect 1: Labor Day, no class
Sept 3 Lect 2: Names and Taxonomy, List One plants in the landscape
Sept 4-5 Lab: List Two Plant Walk, Lab Exercise 2

Shade Trees

Sept 8 Lect 1: List Two plants in the landscape
Sept 10 Lect 2: List One and List Two plants landscape characteristics quiz, List Three introduction
Sept 11-12 Lab: List One and List Two Plant ID quiz, List Three Plant Walk, Lab Exercise 3

Sept 15 Lect 1: List Three plants in the landscape
Sept 17 Lect 2: List Three plants landscape characteristics quiz, List Four introduction
Sept 18-19 Lab: List Three Plant ID quiz, List Four Plant Walk, Lab Exercise 4

Sept 22 Lect 1: List Four plants in the landscape
Sept 24 Lect 2: List Four plants landscape characteristics quiz, List Five introduction
Sept 25-26 Lab: List Four Plant ID quiz, List Five Plant Walk, Lab Exercise 5, Pictures for Lists 1, 2 and 3
are due in lab

Ornamental Flowering Trees

Sept 29 Lect 1: List Five plants in the landscape
Oct 1 Lect 2: List Five plants landscape characteristics quiz, List Six introduction
Oct 2-3 Lab: List Five Plant ID quiz, List Six Plant Walk, Lab Exercise 6

Oct 6 Lect 1: List Six plants in the landscape
Oct 8 Lect 2: List Six plants landscape characteristics quiz, List Seven introduction
Oct 9-10 Lab: List Six Plant ID quiz, List Seven Plant Walk, Pictures for Lists 4, 5 and 6 are due in lab,
Lab Exercise 7

Shrubs

Oct 13 Lect 1: List Seven plants in the landscape
Oct 15 Lect 2: Landscape Characteristics Midterm (Lists 1-7)
Oct 16-17 Lab: Plant ID Midterm (Lists 1-7) List Eight Plant Walk

Oct 20 Lect 1: List Eight plants in the landscape
Oct 22 Lect 2: List Eight landscape characteristics quiz, List Nine introduction
Oct 23-24 Lab: List Eight Plant ID quiz, List Nine Plant Walk, Lab Exercise 8

Oct 27 Lect 1: List Nine plants in the landscape
Oct 29 Lect 2: List Nine landscape characteristics quiz, List Ten introduction
Oct 30-31-26 Lab: List Nine Plant ID quiz, List Ten Plant Walk, Lab Exercise 9

Evergreens

Nov 3 Lect 1: List Ten plants in the landscape
Nov 5 Lect 2: List Ten landscape characteristics quiz, List Eleven introduction
Nov 6-7 Lab: List Ten Plant ID quiz, List Eleven Plant Walk, Pictures for Lists 7, 8, 9 and 10
are due in the lab, Lab Exercise 10

Nov 10 Lect 1: List Eleven plants in the landscape
Nov 12 Lect 2: List Eleven landscape characteristics quiz, List Twelve introduction
Nov 13-14 Lab: List Eleven Plant ID quiz, List Twelve Plant Walk, Lab Exercise 11

Hollies and Broadleaf Evergreens

Nov 17 Lect 1: List Twelve plants in the landscape
Nov 19 Lect 2: List Twelve landscape characteristics quiz, List Thirteen introduction
Nov 20-21 Lab: List Twelve plant ID quiz, List Thirteen Plant Walk, Pictures for Lists 11 and 12 are due in lab,
Lab Exercise 12

Nov 24 Lect 1: List Thirteen plants in the landscape
Nov 26 Lect 2: No class
Nov 27-28 Lab: No lab, Happy Thanksgiving

Dec 1 Lect 1: List Thirteen plants landscape characteristics quiz, List Fourteen Introduction
Dec 3 Lect 2: List Fourteen plants in the landscape, Course Evaluation, Last day to sign up for ID final.
Dec 4-5 Lab: List Thirteen plant ID quiz, List Fourteen Plant Walk, Lab Exercise 13

Dec3-Dec 9 Plant ID final given (150 points)

Dec 8 Lect 1: Last Class, Final Review, Pictures for Lists 13 and 14 due in lecture
Dec 9 Last day to take Plant ID final. Last day of classes.

Dec 17 Landscape Characteristics Final Exam (200 points)10:00 AM-12 noon

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