LARE LARE Plants and Planting Design 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which term describes a plant that completes its entire life cycle within one growing season?
- Perennial
- Annual (Correct answer)
- Biennial
- Ephemeral
Correct answer: Annual
An annual completes germination, growth, flowering, seed set, and death within a single growing season.
Question 2: On a LARE planting plan, what does a plant's 'caliper' measurement refer to?
- Height of the tree at maturity
- Diameter of the trunk measured 6 inches above ground (Correct answer)
- Width of the root ball
- Spread of the canopy at planting
Correct answer: Diameter of the trunk measured 6 inches above ground
Caliper is the trunk diameter of a tree, typically measured 6 inches above the ground for trees up to 4-inch caliper.
Question 3: Which USDA hardiness zone system do US landscape architects primarily reference when selecting plants for cold tolerance?
- AHS Heat Zone Map
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (Correct answer)
- Sunset Western Garden Zones
- Ecoregion Classification System
Correct answer: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, based on average annual minimum temperatures, is the standard reference for cold tolerance in plant selection.
Question 4: What is a 'climax community' in the context of landscape succession?
- The first plants to colonize a disturbed site
- The stable, long-term plant community that develops after succession (Correct answer)
- A planting design that mimics natural woodland edges
- A community dominated by annual wildflowers
Correct answer: The stable, long-term plant community that develops after succession
A climax community is the stable, self-perpetuating plant community that represents the endpoint of ecological succession in a given region.
Question 5: Which planting zone specification best ensures plant survival when installing trees in urban heat islands?
- Select plants rated one zone warmer than the site's USDA zone (Correct answer)
- Select plants rated one zone cooler than the site's USDA zone
- Always use native species regardless of heat tolerance
- Use only evergreen species for maximum shade
Correct answer: Select plants rated one zone warmer than the site's USDA zone
Urban heat islands elevate temperatures, so specifying plants rated for one zone warmer provides resilience against the higher ambient heat.
Question 6: In planting design, what is the primary benefit of specifying a 'B&B' (balled and burlapped) tree over a container-grown tree of the same species?
- Lower cost per unit
- Larger available sizes for established specimens (Correct answer)
- Faster establishment after transplanting
- Greater variety of species available
Correct answer: Larger available sizes for established specimens
B&B trees are available in larger caliper sizes than container-grown trees, making them preferable when an immediate, established appearance is required.
LARE LARE Plants and Planting Design 1
Which term describes a plant that completes its entire life cycle within one growing season?