Pests
Plant Physiology
Name that Employee
Horticultural Myth or Truth
100

Emerald ______ Borer (EAB) is a pest that is expected to land in Portland imminently. They are insects that kill their host tree by drilling holes in the zylem of the tree and girdling them. They have “D-shaped” exit holes and “S-shaped“galleries.

Emerald Ash Borer

100

The plant part that anchors and stabilizes the plant, stores food, produces growth substances, and takes up water and minerals

Roots!

100

This person is going to be a dad in late October!

Brandon!

100

Organic mulch is the best product to use for controlling weeds, moderating soil temperature (cold and hot temps), adding organic material to your garden, and reducing compaction.

(True or False)

True!

200

The Azalea ______ Bug is the most significant pest for azaleas and rhododendrons

Azalea Lace Bug

200

The area on the surface of the leaf where carbon dioxide and oxygen are passively exchanged and water is released

stomates or stomata

200

This employee is a dad to a little dog named Honey

Ren!

200

Transplanted plants should have their crowns pruned to compensate for reduced root mass.

(True or False)

False! It’s counterproductive.

They should never be top pruned, only thinning cuts should be used, if necessary, to help with tree structure, but only after it’s been in the ground a year.

Exceptions: Dead, dying, broken, or diseased branches

300

This common insect is known to be parthenogenetic and wingless most of the time.

aphids

300

A plant hormone that is a gas and is responsible for ripening bananas, tomatoes, and yellowing leaves when a plant‘s roots are drowning in too much water.

ethylene

300

This employee just got engaged!

Jaylen

300

When planting a tree, dig a hole twice as deep and wide as the root ball.

(True or False)

False!

400

A sticky substance that is left behind by sap sucking insects.

Honeydew!

400

Scientists used to be perplexed by the question of how water is absorbed by plants. The simple laws of physics and chemistry explain how water is transported to the top of the tallest trees on Earth by osmosis, cohesion, adhesion, and finally _________.

Transpiration

97% of water is lost to transpiration

Why? Dissolved minerals and nutrient transport & evaporative cooling

400

This employee was in the Peace Corps in Africa

Kelsey!

400

It’s best to water plants in the morning. Watering with cold water during the heat of the day may shock the plant, or worse, create a magnifying glass effect and burn the leaves.

False!

Although it’s best to water in the morning, plants should be watered anytime they exhibit water stress.

500

The Bronze Birch Borer is devastating Birch trees around town. Which trees are least susceptible:

a) Himalayan Birch

b) European Birch

c) River Birch

D) Paperbark Birch

c) River Birch (Betula nigra) ’Heritage’

D) Paperbark Birch (Betula papyrifera)

500

The Buddleia (aka Butterfly Bush) we sell must be “sterile.” How do breeders produce sterile cultivars in the Miss, Flutterby, and the Lo&Behold series?

hybridize (Buddliea davidii x Buddliea sp.) or triploidy (colchicine affects meiosis)

- 40,000 seeds/inflorescence

- attracts adult butterflies for nectar

- larval host to only one of 700 native butterflies 

- host to marmolated stink bug

 

500

This employee rode across the U.S. when he was 18 years old.

Matt!

500

Organic/natural herbicides are safer than synthetic herbicides 

(True or False)

False! 

Some examples are pyrethrins, rotenone, nicotine, and neem