Name: 
 

2000 National Floriculture Exam


Multiple Choice
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 

1. 
The term "texture," as it applies to plants, includes such adjectives as:
a.
fine, medium, and bold.
c.
corymb, umbel, and panicle.
b.
smooth, fuzzy, and spiny.
d.
entire, serrate, and lobed.
 

2. 
A garden that uses a complementary color scheme is one that:
a.
uses flowers in various tints and shades of one color.
b.
uses colors closely related to one another on the color wheel.
c.
uses colors that are opposite to one another on the color wheel.
d.
combines all colors.
 

3. 
Cool colors include color combinations like:
a.
red, red-orange, orange, yellow-orange, yellow.
b.
blue-green, blue, blue-violet, and violet.
c.
black, white, and green.
d.
yellow, pink, and red.
 

4. 
The kind of garden that shows the least design is:
a.
beds.
c.
cottage gardens.
b.
borders.
d.
formal gardens.
 

5. 
The type of plant that lives for more than two years is:
a.
annuals.
c.
perennials.
b.
biennials.
d.
cuttings.
 

6. 
The best way to design a border is to:
a.
mix all plant heights evenly in the border.
c.
plant the tallest plants in front, medium height plants in the middle, and shortest plants
in the back.
b.
plant the tallest plants in the middle and gradually plant shorter plants toward the   
edges.
d.
plant the shortest plants in front, medium height plants in the middle, and the tallest
plants in the back.
 

7. 
When planning on which plants to plant in your garden, you need to know which 
climatic zones a plant will grow in.   Which climatic zones is the Houston, Texas area
in?
a.
4 and 5
c.
8 and 9
b.
6 and 7
d.
10 and 11
 

8. 
The reason for putting irregularly shaped stones, or broken pieces of pottery into the
bottom of a pot containing flowering plants is:
a.
They let air into the pot from the bottom.
b.
They allow the roots to grow out the bottom of the pot.
c.
It helps the soil to drain after being watered.
d.
It is just an old tradition passed down from person to person and does not help the plants.
 

9. 
The best kind of soil to plant flowers in is:
a.
sand.
c.
clay.
b.
silt.
d.
loam.
 

10. 
What is the purpose of "pinching" plants?
a.
Pinching is the removal of dead flowers.
b.
Pinching helps the plants to become bushier.
c.
Pinching helps the plant by requiring less fertilizer.
d.
Pinching is the removal of large insects, such as beetles.
 

11. 
This element is essential for strong stems, strong roots, and deep flower color.  A
deficiency in plants shows up as weak stems and a yellowing and browning of leaves
at their tips and edges.
a.
nitrogen
c.
phosphorus
b.
iron
d.
potassium
 

12. 
The best time to water flowering plants is:
a.
in the morning.
c.
in the evening.
b.
in the middle of the day.
d.
at night.
 

13. 
A soil that drains too fast or too slow can best be improved by:
a.
adding organic matter, such as manure, leaf mold, or peat moss.
b.
adding sand.
c.
adding gypsum.
d.
Nothing can fix this kind of soil.
 

14. 
Most perennial plants grow best in:
a.
very acidic soils.
c.
rocky soils.
b.
alkaline soils.
d.
neutral or slightly acidic soils.
 

15. 
If seeds are sown out-doors, when is the best time to thin plants?
a.
when they are fully grown
c.
when they have 2 sets of leaves
b.
when they have 3 sets of leaves
d.
when they have a single set of leaves
 

16. 
Which of the following combinations are shade-tolerant perennials?
a.
coreopsis, baptisia, oriental poppy, rudbeckia
b.
hosta, lobelia, columbine, bleeding heart
c.
daylily, yucca, peony, garillardia
d.
iris, veronica, violet, salvia
 

17. 
How many essential nutrients are essential to plant growth and reproduction?
a.
three
c.
six
b.
four
d.
sixteen
 

18. 
When is the best time to divide a mature chrysanthemum?
a.
when it is about three inches tall is the spring
b.
when the plant is not blooming during the summer
c.
after blooming in the fall
d.
when it is dormant in the winter
 

19. 
If your soil is too acidic, you can correct it by:
a.
adding garden sulfur.
c.
ammonium sulfate.
b.
adding ground limestone.
d.
ferrous sulfate.
 

20. 
Most bulbs are planted in the:
a.
spring.
c.
fall.
b.
summer.
d.
winter.
 

21. 
Which of the following are groups of biennial plants?
a.
coreopis, English daisy, honesty (silver dollar plant)
b.
sweet William, hollyhocks, foxglove
c.
forget-me-not, Canterbury-bells, viola
d.
veronica, wallflowers, pansies
 

22. 
When seedlings grown indoors are moved outdoors, they must be _______ to be able
to survive in their new environment.
a.
pinched
c.
transplanted
b.
deadheaded
d.
hardened off
 

23. 
Which group of flowering plants benefits from being divided every few years?
a.
perennials
c.
biennials
b.
annuals
d.
vines
 

24. 
Which group of plants is summer to fall flowering?
a.
yarrow, yucca, coreopsis, gaillardia
b.
oriental poppy, rudbeckia, salvia, candytuft
c.
physostegia, peonies, iris, columbine
d.
daylilies, bleeding heart, ranunculus, butterfly weed
 

25. 
When planting bare-root roses, do not:
a.
prune canes back by about a third of their original length.
b.
soak the roses in a bucket of water before planting.
c.
prune the roots.
d.
make a mound to spread the roots upon.
 

26. 
Which of the following are summer blooming bulbs?
a.
fritillaria, calla lilies, grape hyacinths
c.
tulips, daffodils, crocus
b.
gladiolus, anemones, Siberian squill
d.
montbrecia, agapanthus, gloriosa lilies
 

27. 
Some flowering plants, known as everlastings, have flowers suitable for drying. 
They include:
a.
zinnias, celosia, dahlias
b.
statice, petunias, ammobium
c.
strawflowers, globe amaranth, bells-of-Ireland
d.
yarrow, phlox, marigolds
 

28. 
When cutting roses to use indoors or to remove spent blossoms:
a.
make the cut above the first strong, three-leaflet leaf.
b.
do not leave at least two good leaves of the stem.
c.
cut directly below the first strong, three-leaflet leaf.
d.
cut directly below the first strong, five-leaflet leaf.
 

29. 
A cutting garden is a plot of land set aside for the purpose of growing flowers for what use?
a.
outdoor bouquets only
c.
supermarket florist
b.
commercial florist
d.
indoor bouquets only
 

30. 
A correct way to remove mealy bugs from plants is:
a.
dab each bug with a cotton swab dipping in rubbing alcohol.
b.
use a pesticide.
c.
use a fungicide.
d.
rinse the leaves with milk.
 

31. 
The fertilizer that you add to your flowering plants contains the following elements
in the correct order:
a.
potassium, nitrogen, iron
c.
nitrogen, phosphorus, iron
b.
nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium
d.
nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus
 

32. 
Although technically not insects, these tiny pests can work havoc on flowering   
plants.
a.
thrips
c.
red spider mites
b.
aphids
d.
leaf cutting bee
 

33. 
What type of water supply do cut flowers need to transport food and to keep the
stems stiff?
a.
constant water supply
c.
periodic water supply
b.
occasional water supply
d.
cold water supply
 

34. 
Heavy-headed flowers, such as large mums, often bend by the flower head, nearly
breaking off.  What should be done to temporarily improve this situation?
a.
use hot glue gun to glue flower head on
b.
use string to tie flower head on
c.
use wire to tie flower on
d.
insert tooth picks pointed through the bloom into the stem
 

35. 
Which of the following is not a purpose of mulch?
a.
mulch keeps the ground cool
c.
mulch conserves moisture
b.
mulch limits the growth of weeds
d.
none of the above
 

36. 
Most lilies are planted 6-8" below the soil surface.  Which type needs to be planted more shallowly?
a.
tiger lilies
c.
oriental lilies
b.
Madonna lilies
d.
trumpet lilies
 

37. 
A _______has a flower bud within it surrounded by layers of food supply.
a.
corm
c.
true bulb
b.
rhizome
d.
tuber
 

38. 
Which of the following annuals can be propagated by cuttings?
a.
petunias
c.
larkspur
b.
wax begonias
d.
cosmos
 

39. 
Plants need which part of the visible spectrum for good foliage development?
a.
all of the visible spectrum
c.
green
b.
red
d.
blue
 

40. 
Round nodules or long, irregular, highly branched swellings on roots are caused by ______and block the flow of water and nutrients.
a.
nematodes
c.
root gall
b.
white grubs
d.
wireworm
 

41. 
Abnormally streaked or striped flower petals are a symptom of "flower breaking." 
This problem is common on tulips, lilies, and gladiolus and is caused by:
a.
fungi.
c.
viruses.
b.
thrips.
d.
aphids
 

42. 
What is the most important thing to do for bulbs to produce flowers during
succeeding years?
a.
use a fertilizer high in iron
c.
use a fertilizer high in nitrogen
b.
use a fertilizer high in phosphorus
d.
grow a good crop of foliage
 

43. 
Which type of rose has multiple large flowers on a single stem?
a.
polyanthas
c.
grandifloras
b.
floribundas
d.
hybrid teas
 

44. 
What is a good method to naturalize bulbs in the lawn?
a.
line them up in rows
b.
throw them in the air and plant where they fall
c.
plant them on a checkerboard pattern
d.
bulbs cannot be naturalized in the lawn
 

45. 
The removal of all side buds to produce a single large bloom on plants such as roses, dahlias, and chrysanthemums is called:
a.
deadheading
c.
disbudding
b.
pinching
d.
dividing
 

46. 
What is a good sign that potted plants need to be repotted?
a.
new leaves are quite a bit smaller than older ones
b.
new leaves are quite a bit larger than older ones
c.
leaves are turning yellow
d.
the plant is becoming tall and lanky
 

47. 
Flowers and foliage can be attacked by these insects and cause colorless streaks and withered flowers:
a.
aphids
c.
coddling moths
b.
red spider mites
d.
thrips
 

48. 
Perennials cannot be propagated from:
a.
seeds.
c.
stem cuttings.
b.
root cuttings.
d.
none of the above.
 

49. 
Most indoor foliage plants need which kind of lighting?
a.
direct sunlight
c.
bright, indirect light
b.
bright light
d.
medium light
 

50. 
Most bulbs are best planted:
a.
in areas with afternoon shade.
b.
in areas with constant sunlight.
c.
in the heavy shade of buildings, trees, and shrubs.
d.
in very moist soil.
 



 
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