How do you read a plant tag?

Front of The Tag Series and Variety Name – The name of the plant. Sun Requirements – How much sun this plant requires to thrive. Height – How tall you can expect the plant to grow.

What do the symbols on plant tags mean?

What Do the Symbols on a Plant Tag Mean? On any plant tag, you'll find symbols of suns, rain drops, zone numbers, measurements, and sometimes other pictures. This is not just artwork to beautify the tag. These symbols are space-efficient ways of telling you the light, water, spacing, and other needs of each plant .

How do you read plant cards?

Plant Card Information COMMON NAME: This is the common local name for the plant. BOTANICAL NAME: This is the Latin name for the plant. ... HEIGHT: DO NOT plant a tree that will reach 30′ tall next to power lines or alongside the wall of a one-story house! More items... Feb 11, 2021

How do you read plant names?

The botanical name is usually written in Latin and generally recognized by underlining or italics . Botanical names can be composed of three parts: the genus, species, and variety. For Digitalis purpurea maculata (common name Foxglove), the first part Digitalis refers to the plant's genus, which is always capitalized.

How do you identify plant identification?

Identifying a landscape or garden plant requires recognizing the plant by one or more characteristics, such as size, form, leaf shape, flower color, odor, etc., and linking that recognition with a name, either a common or so-called scientific name.

What do the numbers on plants mean?

These are the N-P-K ratio of the plant and will always be in that order. This label is also known as the fertilizer grade, which is a national standard. These three numbers correlate to the three most important plant macronutrients, namely nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K).

What are the three numbers for plants?

The three numbers on fertilizer are the N-P-K ratio, which stands for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium . These three nutrients have separate functions and are essential to a plant's growth and health. Fertilizers can be organic or synthetic, and come in a dry or liquid form.

What are the cards number values?

The values of the cards in each row (from left to right) are: Ace, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, jack, queen, king .

How do you write on plant tags?

Write them out with permanent marker , coat them with clear nail polish and leave them to dry on a flat surface. The next day, sort your plant tags with the corresponding seed packets and pop them in the garden as you plant each crop variety.

What is the symbol for full sun?

Full sun — the sun symbol is completely yellow. These plants require at least six hours of sun a day, preferably afternoon sun. Examples of annuals that prefer full sun include petunias and zinnias. Part sun — the sun symbol is half yellow/half dark.

What does size all refer to on a plant tag?

Mature Size and Shape Height: The plant's mature height can be listed on the front or back of the tag. Height is listed as a range from the minimum to the maximum average height. This is helpful for designing your garden. Spread: The spread is how wide you can expect the plant to grow.

How do you label plant tags?

DIY Plant Labels Ice Lolly Sticks. Really simple to create. ... Wine Corks. Grab a permanent marker and write directly onto the cork. ... Pebbles. Use a permanent marker and write directly onto the pebble. ... Yogurt Pots. ... Broken fragments of terracotta pots. ... Twigs. ... Blackboard paint. ... Pegs. Apr 21, 2016

What are the four parts of a plant label?

The roots, the stem and the leaves . Some plants also have flowers which are made up of petals. The roots keep the plant in the ground and hold it up.

How to Decode Symbols on a Plant Tag (2024)

A Beginner’s Guide to Plant Tag Icons

Nothing beats bringing a new plant friend home—but when you’re caring for an unfamiliar species, you may not know exactly what it needs. Your best bet? Check out its plant ID tag.

A plant ID tag will be stuck in the soil of your new plant. Usually, it will include a picture of the mature plant, the scientific and common name (this is helpful for looking up additional information online), and several care directions.

How to Read a Plant Tag: Understanding Symbols

Your plant tag may also contain miniature icons like a sun or thermometer. At first glance, this may seem confusing, but these icons tell you exactly what your plant needs for good health. This beginner’s guide to plant label icons breaks down some common symbols and how to best care for your plant when you see them.

Sun Symbol on the Plant Tag

If you see a sun symbol on the plant tag, this tells you how much light your plant needs to thrive. Generally, your plant’s light tolerance will be conveyed using one of three symbols: a full sun, a half-sun/half-shade symbol, or a fully darkened sun.

Full Sun Symbol

A full sun symbol on the plant label indicates its “high tolerance” to light, or that it thrives in full sunlight. How much sun is “full sun”? Full sun is at least six hours a day, but your plant will be happiest with eight to ten hours of direct sunlight daily.

Where to Place a Full Sunlight Plant

Short answer: the sunniest window in your home. You’ll want to find a place with no barrier between your plant and the sun. (Avoid anywhere with curtains or shade from outside sources.)

Half-Sun Symbol

A half-sun/half-shade symbol on the plant’s label indicates it does best in partial light. This means it needs to receive four to six hours of direct sunlight a day.

Where to Place a Partial Sunlight Plant

The key to your plant’s happiness is relief from the harsh rays of the midday sun. Consider an east-facing window, or an area of your home shaded by trees or buildings for part of the day.

Blacked-Out Sun Symbol

A darkened sun symbol on the plant label means it prefers full shade. Full-shade plants are sensitive to direct rays from the sun and cannot handle more than three hours of direct sunlight a day.

Where to Place a Full-Shade Plant

Choose a place that receives mostly diffused sunlight (a south- or west-facing window is often a good choice). You can also try the center of a room or a room with lower amounts of natural light.

Raindrop Symbol on the Plant Tag

The raindrop symbol on a plant label signifies how much water your plant needs. Rather than indicate how often your plant needs to be watered, the number of raindrops tells you how moist its soil should be. The frequency of watering will depend on several factors—like soil type and container size.

One raindrop on the plant label: This plant requires minimal moisture. You will want to give its soil time to fully dry out between watering; this gives your plant room to breathe.

How can I tell how moist my soil is?

While it’s easy to tell whether the top layer of soil has dried out, the soil further down is where the action really happens. To gauge how moist these layers are, simply stick your finger down to the second knuckle and see if it feels wet.

Another option is to buy a soil moisture gauge. This tool helps you see precisely how much moisture your plant is receiving, and water accordingly.

Arrow Symbols on the Plant Tag

When you buy a juvenile plant, it’s important to give it enough space as it matures. Arrow symbols on a plant label tell you how much your plant will grow.

Upward Arrow on the Plant Label

This indicates how tall your plant will grow. The numbers next to the arrow symbol indicate how many inches/feet you can expect your plant to reach at full maturity.

Sideways Arrows on the Plant Label

This tells you how wide your plant will grow. The numbers next to the arrows indicate how many inches apart your plant should be from other plants in the same soil.

Thermometer Symbol on the Plant Tag

The thermometer symbol indicates your plant’s ability to withstand cooler temperatures. This symbol is often used alongside a heat map of the United States called the U.S. Hardiness Zones map.

The symbol will be shown in one of three ways:

Thermometer with a “zone” label (e.g., Hardiness Zones 3-5)
Thermometer with degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit
Hardiness zone indicated by thermometer color

Each of these symbols indicates the range or lowest growing temperature your plant can endure. (Note: The average indoor home temperature is between 55-70 degrees Fahrenheit.)

How to Read a Plant Tag: Other Icons

Plant Inside a Pot

You may see this symbol on a plant that can grow indoors and outdoors. It means your plant does well in containers and planting in a pot won’t impede its growth.

Flower Symbol

This symbol is often labeled with a month or season. This tells you when your flowering plant will bloom. (Colored flowers indicate what hue you can expect.)

Accreditation

You may also see symbols for fair trade, organic, non-GMO, or heirloom variety on your plant tag. This verifies that your plant is accredited by the systems that govern these growing standards.

Features/Care Description

Most plants will come with a features/care description. In this section, you will find information about fertilization, toxicity, soil preference, and other care items unique to your plant. Be sure to read and follow these instructions thoroughly.

Have a question about another symbol? Tell us about the picture on your plant label in the comments section below!

Additional Resources

The 10 Secrets to Becoming a Plant Whisperer

Houseplants for Beginners: Succulents

The Easiest Houseplants to Care For: Air Plants

Essentials:

Make sure you’re giving your plants the right nutrients! Our Indoor Plant Food works perfectly for almost all indoor plants, and it’s easy to use. Grab it here!
Use our premium well-draining potting soil for your houseplant.
Protect your houseplant from insects, bacteria, and fungus with our Houseplant Leaf Armor. (As an added bonus, the Leaf Armor also cleans and adds shine to your houseplant’s leaves!)
Use a moisture meter like this one to always know how thirsty your plant is.
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