W O R D   W I S E

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Definition of Terms Used in This Issue
by Candice Sherrill, Master Gardener

alkaline (Annuals) — with a pH level above 7. Alkaline soils are basic rather than acidic, and considered "sweet."

annual (Annuals) — a plant that germinates from seed, flowers, sets seed, and dies in the same year, compared to a biennial (two seasons) or perennial (three or more seasons) plant.

antioxidant (Underappreciated Smell of Rain) — a substance that inhibits the destructive effects of oxidation, for example in the body or in foodstuffs and plastics.

arboretum (A Date with History) — a place where trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants are cultivated for scientific or educational purposes.

caliche (Underappreciated Smell of Rain) — a crust of calcium carbonate formed on stony soils of arid regions.

evergreen (Underappreciated Smell of Rain) — having green leaves through the winter; not deciduous.

foliar (Annuals) — pertaining to the leaves or foliage of plants.

heartwood (Velvet Mesquite) — the harder, innermost, and usually darker-colored wood comprising the interior of a tree trunk or branch.

lateral root (Underappreciated Smell of Rain) — a secondary root growing from a dominant or "parent" root.

organic fertilizer (Annuals) — a fertilizer whose molecules contain carbon and hydrogen atoms.

perennial (Annuals) — a plant whose life cycle lasts for three or more seasons; lasting year after year.

resinous (Underappreciated Smell of Rain) — describing organic substances formed in plant secretions, which are usually transparent or translucent, flammable, and insoluble in water.

sapwood (Velvet Mesquite) — the softer, newer, usually lighter-colored wood between the inner bark of a tree and the heartwood; the wood that actively transports water.

scarify (Velvet Mesquite) — to cut or soften the outer layer of a hard seed to hasten germination.

taproot (Underappreciated Smell of Rain) — the main root of a plant, having a single, dominant axis.

transpiration (Underappreciated Smell of Rain) — the act of giving off or exuding water vapor from a living body through a membrane or pores, especially in leaves.

tripartite (A Date with History) — divided into or composed of three parts.




Maricopa County Master Gardener Volunteer Information
Last Updated November 21, 2004
Author: Lucy K. Bradley, Extension Agent Urban Horticulture, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Maricopa County
© 1997 The University of Arizona, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cooperative Extension in Maricopa County
Comments to Maricopa-hort@ag.arizona.edu 4341 E. Broadway Road, Phoenix, AZ 85040,
Voice: (602) 470-8086 ext. 301, Fax (602) 470-8092