#horticulture

• Abobra genus — A monotypic taxonomic genus of perennial climbing plants in the family Cucurbitaceae, whose sole recognized species is Abobra tenuifolia (commonly known as the cranberry gourd). Native to South America (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay), it is partially cultivated in European greenhouses or botanical gardens as an ornamental plant due to its fine foliage and intense red spherical fruits at maturity.
• Acaena lucida — A species of perennial herbaceous plant in the Acaena genus, native to the cold and insular regions of the Southern Hemisphere (such as the Falkland Islands, Tierra del Fuego, and Magellanic regions). Its defining characteristic is the intense green foliage with an extremely glossy, smooth surface devoid of dense hairs, which strongly reflects light and gives the plant a fresh, vibrant appearance, ideal for groundcover in moist or partially shaded areas.
• Acanthus mollis — A species of large, rhizomatous, perennial herbaceous plant in the Acanthus genus, native to the Mediterranean region. It is characterized by large, glossy dark green leaves, deeply lobed, but with soft, flexible, and spineless margins and lobes, a feature directly reflected in its specific epithet. Its monumental inflorescences, shaped as long, dense spikes bearing tubular white flowers with purple hues, hold a legendary historical importance, being the exact botanical model that inspired the Corinthian capital decorations in ancient Greek and Roman architecture.
• Adlumia fungosa — A climbing, biennial herbaceous plant species, the primary representative of the genus Adlumia in the family Fumariaceae, native to the wooded and rocky areas of North America. It is characterized by divided, fern-like leaves and pendulous inflorescences with delicate, elongated or spongy flowers, with colors ranging from pale pink to white.
• Adromischus — A genus of dwarf succulent plants in the Crassulaceae family, native to the arid zones of Southern Africa and Namibia, characterized by extremely fleshy leaves with spectacular shapes and varied textures. Its name comes from Greek, combining 'hadros' (thick, robust) and 'mischos' (stem, stalk), referring directly to the thick stem or petiole of these species, highly prized by collectors for their morphological diversity.
• Aerides — A genus of tropical epiphytic orchids in the family Orchidaceae, native to South and Southeast Asia (from India to the Philippines and New Guinea). They are structurally characterized by vigorous monopodial growth, thick and long aerial roots, and densely clustered pendulous inflorescences with spectacular, heavily fragrant flowers, typically white, pink, or purple, featuring a characteristic forward-pointing spur.
• Aeschynanthus speciosus — Scientific name of a perennial epiphytic lipstick plant species from the Aeschynanthus genus, native to the tropical rainforests of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, considered one of the most spectacular in the genus. It is structurally recognized by large, lanceolate leaves grouped in whorls, and by huge terminal clusters of curved tubular flowers, up to ten centimeters long, bright orange with a yellow throat and red borders, extensively cultivated for their ornamental value.
• Aethionema grandiflorum — Scientific name of the Persian stonecress, a perennial species from the Aethionema genus, native to the mountainous regions of the Caucasus, Iran, and Turkey, considered one of the most spectacular in the genus. It is structurally recognized by its bushy habit, slender stems, glaucous-blue leaves, and large, compact racemose inflorescences formed by numerous intense pink flowers, being widely used as an ornamental rock garden plant.
• Agapanthus africanus — The type species of the genus Agapanthus, native exclusively to the Cape region of South Africa, characterized by evergreen, narrow leaves and compact spherical inflorescences with deep blue, sometimes dark purple flowers. Structurally, this plant differs from other horticultural hybrids by its slower growth rate and higher sensitivity to low temperatures, being cultivated worldwide as an ornamental collector's species.
• Agonis — A genus of flowering evergreen shrubs and trees in the family Myrtaceae, strictly endemic to the coastal areas of southwestern Western Australia; characterized by aromatic leaves rich in essential oils, small five-petaled white flowers arranged in axillary heads, and woody capsules.
• Gooseberry bush — A small, thorny fruit-bearing shrub belonging to the Grossulariaceae family (Ribes uva-crispa), cultivated in temperate regions for its edible, round or ovoid berries, which are green, yellow, or reddish, possessing a tart flavor and rich in vitamins. In a collective sense, the term can also refer to the bush grown in gardens.
• Ajuga — A genus of herbaceous, annual or perennial flowering plants in the mint family Lamiaceae, commonly known as bugleweed or ground pine; it comprises about 40-50 species native to Europe, Asia, and Africa. These plants are recognized for their attractive foliage, dense spikes of tubular blue, violet, or purple flowers, and their frequent use as ground cover in horticulture or in traditional medicine for their anti-inflammatory properties.
• Ajuga reptans — A species of perennial herbaceous flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, commonly known as creeping bugle, carpet bugle, or bugleweed. It is famous for its long, creeping above-ground stolons that allow it to spread rapidly, creating dense vegetative carpets, and for its deep blue labiate flowers arranged in erect spikes; it is widely utilized in horticulture as an effective ground cover and valued in traditional herbal medicine for its astringent and wound-healing properties.
• Alchemilla mollis — A species of perennial herbaceous plant in the genus Alchemilla, native to southeastern Europe and the Caucasus, widely cultivated globally as an ornamental garden plant. It is structurally recognized by its large, rounded leaves, velvety and soft to the touch (due to a dense layer of fine hairs), featuring a bright chartreuse green color, and by abundant clusters of tiny, golden-yellow flowers appearing in early summer.
• Alocasia — A genus of broad-leaved perennial rhizomatous plants in the Araceae family, native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Australia, widely cultivated as ornamentals due to their large, sagittate or cordate leaves, popularly known as 'elephant ears'; structurally, they contain calcium oxalate crystals, making them toxic.
• Alonsoa — A genus of perennial herbaceous or shrubby plants, native to the mountainous regions of Central and South America (especially the Andes), belonging to the Scrophulariaceae family. These plants are frequently cultivated in horticulture as annual ornamental flowers due to their spectacular asymmetric, bright red-orange inflorescences, popularly known as 'mask flowers'.
• Alonsoa incisifolia — The scientific Latin designation for a herbaceous plant species within the Alonsoa genus, Scrophulariaceae family, native to the mountainous regions of South America (specifically Chile). This ornamental plant stands out structurally due to its deeply toothed or incised leaves with sharp margins and its spectacular scarlet or reddish-orange inflorescences, frequently cultivated in greenhouses or decorative gardens.
• Alonsoa linearis — The scientific Latin designation for a representative plant species within the Alonsoa genus, Scrophulariaceae family, structurally characterized by narrow, elongated, and linear leaves, completely distinct from other related species. This perennial or annual plant produces deep red or bright orange flowers, positioned resupinately on the stem, valued in landscape design for its fine and delicate structural layout.
• Alonsoa warscewiczii — The scientific Latin designation for a popular plant species within the Alonsoa genus, Scrophulariaceae family, native to Peru. This ornamental plant stands out structurally due to its compact reddish stems, toothed leaves with distinct veins, and intense scarlet-red inflorescences, often cultivated as an annual flower in landscaping under the commercial name 'bright mask flower'.
• Alpinarium — A decorative botanical garden of variable sizes, a special sector arranged within a park, or a structural landscape design crafted from stone blocks, rocks, and soil, designed for cultivating and presenting collections of dwarf alpine, subalpine, and mountain plants under conditions mimicking their natural habitats.