Hort 231 - Assignment 4-A or 4-B
Debate of Plant to ID from Plant Lists 8 or 9

75 points possible for written report
25 points possible for the oral report and visual aids
 
LATE WORK NOTE:  Your score will be reduced by 50 points if you are not on time and actively participating in the oral report on the due date OR if your written assignment is late!


Asgn.
 Last name begins with:
 Plant
 Due
4-A List 8
 A or L
 #15a: Carpinus betulus
 8:10 AM Tues., Oct. 27, 2009
4-A List 8 B or M
 #15b: Crataegus ×lavallei 8:10 AM Tues., Oct. 27, 2009
4-A List 8 C, K, or Wa-We
 #15c: Ulmus parvifolia
 8:10 AM Tues., Oct. 27, 2009
4-B List 9 J or Wh-Wy
 #15a: Stachys byzantina
 8:10 AM Tues., Nov. 3, 2009
4-B List 9 R-U
 #15b: Teucrium chamaedrys
 8:10 AM Tues., Nov. 3, 2009
4-B List 9 D-H or P
 #15c: Thymus pseudolanuginosus
 8:10 AM Tues., Nov. 3, 2009

Study plants #15a, #15b, and #15c from your assigned Plant List (8 or 9).  You have been assigned one of these plants to defend against the other two.  Search for information about all three plants from your assigned list and find answers to the questions below.  Use your textbooks and at least 3 additional references for each plant.  At least one reference must be a book other than your textbooks (Fischer Ag-Sci Library has many good ones), and at least one reference must be from the WWW.  The same reference may be used for more than one plant.

QUESTIONS:
  1. What does each plant (#15a, #15b, and #15c) look like?  Consider attractiveness in different seasons.
  2. Why could your assigned plant be considered more attractive than the other two plants?
  3. How can each plant (#15a, #15b, and #15c) be used?  consider many possible functions, such as providing shade.
  4. Why does your assigned plant have more or better possible uses than the other two plants?
  5. How is each plant (#15a, #15b, and #15c) grown?  Consider care over the lifespan of the plant.
  6. Why could your assigned plant be considered the lowest maintenance plant of the group?
  7. How common or unusual is each plant each plant (#15a, #15b, and #15c)? Consider how easy would it be to obtain each plant (is one available in more wholesale or retail nurseries on the WWW, for example, than the others?) as well as factors that would contribute to its popularity.
  8. What are different ways that your assigned plant could be considered more unusual than the others?
 
WRITTEN REPORT: 
Include answers to the above questions by consolidating and paraphrasing the information you found in your references.  Use your own words.
    • Thoroughly explain your answer to each question.
    • Incorporate citations and references to support your points (see: Citation Information handout).
    • Use correct spelling, proper grammar, and font size of 12 or larger.

ORAL REPORT: 
Come to class at 8:10 AM prepared to convince your classmates that your plant is the best plant for us to study.  Bring visual aids of all 3 plants to emphasize your points. If the class selects your plant based on your reasons, you may earn extra credit (no bribes)!

Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington 99164-6414 U.S.A.
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Page updated September 24, 2009