Classification: Family Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family), Genus Clematis, Species x jackmanii (hybrid)

Arrangement: Opposite

Composition: Compound, usually trifoliate (three leaflets)

Margin: Entire

Length of Leaf: Leaflets 1-3 inches (2.5-7.6 cm)

Width of Leaf: Leaflets 0.5-2 inches (1.3-5 cm)

Size of Leaf: Medium (overall leaf)

Texture of Leaf: Smooth

Color of Leaf: Green

Plant Width and Height: 10-15 feet (3-4.5 m) long (climbing vine), 3-6 feet (0.9-1.8 m) wide

Flower Season and Flower Color: Early summer to early fall; large, often four-petaled flowers in deep purple (cultivars in white, pink, red, blue)

Sun Exposure: Full sun for flowers, partial shade for roots ("feet in the shade, head in the sun")

Growth Rate: Medium to fast

Hardiness Zone: USDA Zones 4-8

Most Used: Climbing vine on trellises, arbors, pergolas, fences, walls, can also ramble over shrubs or groundcover

Classification: Family Cornaceae (Dogwood Family), Genus Cornus, Species florida

Arrangement: Opposite

Composition: Simple leaf

Margin: Entire (often wavy)

Length of Leaf: 3-6 inches (7.6-15 cm)

Width of Leaf: 2-4 inches (5-10 cm)

Size of Leaf: Medium

Texture of Leaf: Smooth to slightly hairy, distinct arcuate venation

Color of Leaf: Green; reddish-purple fall color

Plant Width and Height: 15-30 feet (4.5-9 m) tall and wide

Flower Season and Flower Color: Spring (April-May); small, greenish-yellow true flowers surrounded by four showy white, pink, or red bracts

Sun Exposure: Partial shade to full sun (prefers partial shade, especially in southern climates)

Growth Rate: Slow to medium

Hardiness Zone: USDA Zones 5-9

Most Used: Specimen tree, understory tree, woodland gardens, near patios

Classification: Family Cupressaceae (Cypress Family), Genus x Cupressocyparis, Species leylandii (hybrid)

Arrangement: Scalelike leaves, densely arranged on flattened sprays

Composition: Scale-like leaves, distinct from typical broad leaves

Margin: Entire

Length of Leaf: Very small, overlapping scales

Width of Leaf: Very narrow

Size of Leaf: Small, scale-like

Texture of Leaf: Soft, feathery, evergreen

Color of Leaf: Green to blue-green

Plant Width and Height: 50-70 feet (15-21 m) tall, 15-25 feet (4.5-7.6 m) wide

Flower Season and Flower Color: Inconspicuous cones

Sun Exposure: Full sun

Growth Rate: Fast

Hardiness Zone: USDA Zones 6-10

Most Used: Privacy screen, hedge, windbreak, specimen tree (requires significant space and pruning)

Classification: Family Celastraceae (Staff-Tree Family), Genus Euonymus, Species alata

Arrangement: Opposite

Composition: Simple leaf

Margin: Fine serrations

Length of Leaf: 1-3 inches (2.5-7.6 cm)

Width of Leaf: 0.5-1.5 inches (1.3-3.8 cm)

Size of Leaf: Small to medium

Texture of Leaf: Smooth

Color of Leaf: Green; brilliant fiery red to purplish-red fall color (distinctive winged stems)

Plant Width and Height: 10-20 feet (3-6 m) tall and wide (can be smaller with dwarf cultivars)

Flower Season and Flower Color: Late spring; small, inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers

Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

Growth Rate: Medium

Hardiness Zone: USDA Zones 4-8

Most Used: Specimen shrub, hedge, mass planting, fall color accent (note: invasive in some regions)

Classification: Family Asparagaceae, Genus Dracaena (various species, e.g., D. fragrans, D. marginata)

Arrangement: Variable; often spirally arranged, clustered at stem tips, or along stems

Composition: Simple, typically long, linear or strap-like

Margin: Entire

Length of Leaf: Highly variable by species, from 6 inches to several feet

Width of Leaf: Highly variable by species, from narrow to several inches wide

Size of Leaf: Small to very large

Texture of Leaf: Smooth, often leathery

Color of Leaf: Green, often variegated with stripes of yellow, red, or pink

Plant Width and Height: Highly variable by species, from 1 foot to 10+ feet tall; 1-5 feet wide

Flower Season and Flower Color: Infrequent indoors; small, often fragrant white or yellowish flowers on spikes

Sun Exposure: Bright indirect light to low light (varies by species; direct sun can scorch)

Growth Rate: Slow to medium

Hardiness Zone: USDA Zones 9-11 (indoors elsewhere)

Most Used: Houseplant, indoor accent plant, air purifier

Classification: Family Asteraceae (Daisy Family), Genus Echinacea, Species purpurea

Arrangement: Basal leaves in a rosette, stem leaves alternate

Composition: Simple leaf

Margin: Serrate or entire

Length of Leaf: 3-8 inches (7.6-20 cm)

Width of Leaf: 2-4 inches (5-10 cm)

Size of Leaf: Medium to large (basal)

Texture of Leaf: Coarse, somewhat hairy

Color of Leaf: Green

Plant Width and Height: 2-4 feet (0.6-1.2 m) tall, 1-2 feet (0.3-0.6 m) wide

Flower Season and Flower Color: Summer to early fall; large, daisy-like flowers with prominent central cone and pinkish-purple ray petals (cultivars in white, yellow, orange, red)

Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

Growth Rate: Medium

Hardiness Zone: USDA Zones 3-9

Most Used: Perennial borders, wildflower gardens, cottage gardens, naturalized areas, cut flowers, attracts pollinators

Classification: Family Araceae (Arum Family)n specific variety)

Arrangement: Alternate

Composition: Simple, large, oblong-ovate

Margin: Entire

Length of Leaf: 10-20 inches (25-50 cm) or more

Width of Leaf: 4-10 inches (10-25 cm)

Size of Leaf: Large, broad

Texture of Leaf: Smooth, fleshy

Color of Leaf: Green, often heavily variegated with cream, yellow, or white patterns, blotches, or spots

Plant Width and Height: 2-6 feet (0.6-1.8 m) tall, 1-3 feet (0.3-0.9 m) wide

Flower Season and Flower Color: Infrequent indoors; spathe and spadix typical of Araceae, often inconspicuous

Sun Exposure: Bright indirect light to partial shade (direct sun can scorch leaves)

Growth Rate: Medium

Hardiness Zone: USDA Zones 10-11 (indoors elsewhere)

Most Used: Houseplant, indoor accent plant (Note: Sap is toxic and can cause irritation if ingested or comes into contact with skin/eyes)

Classification: Family Araceae (Arum Family), Genus Epipremnum, Species aureum

Arrangement: Alternate

Composition: Simple, heart-shaped

Margin: Entire

Length of Leaf: 4-12 inches (10-30 cm) or more (larger in maturity or outdoors)

Width of Leaf: 3-8 inches (7.6-20 cm) or more

Size of Leaf: Medium to large

Texture of Leaf: Smooth, waxy, somewhat thick

Color of Leaf: Green, heavily variegated with yellow or gold (variegation varies with light)

Plant Width and Height: Trailing vines up to 20-40 feet (6-12 m) long (indoors usually kept shorter); 1-3 feet (0.3-0.9 m) wide

Flower Season and Flower Color: Infrequent indoors; inconspicuous spathe and spadix

Sun Exposure: Low to bright indirect light (too much sun fades variegation, too little makes it all green)

Growth Rate: Fast

Hardiness Zone: USDA Zones 10-12 (indoors elsewhere)

Most Used: Houseplant, hanging baskets, containers, climbing plant on moss poles, groundcover in warm climates

Classification: Family Moraceae (Mulberry Family), Genus Ficus, Species benjamina

Arrangement: Alternate

Composition: Simple leaf

Margin: Entire

Length of Leaf: 2-4 inches (5-10 cm)

Width of Leaf: 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm)

Size of Leaf: Small to medium

Texture of Leaf: Glossy, leathery

Color of Leaf: Green, sometimes variegated

Plant Width and Height: 10-20 feet (3-6 m) tall indoors, much larger outdoors; 5-10 feet (1.5-3 m) wide

Flower Season and Flower Color: Inconspicuous (forms small, fig-like fruits)

Sun Exposure: Bright indirect light to medium light (can tolerate some direct morning sun)

Growth Rate: Medium to fast

Hardiness Zone: USDA Zones 10-11 (indoors elsewhere)

Most Used: Houseplant, indoor tree, office plant, landscape tree in tropical climates