Agriculture and Nature Conservation Horticulture

Identify The Major Categories Of Ornamental Plants Training

SAQA US 119689 | NQF 1 | Credits 6 | Duration 3 Days
From $967 per delegate

Description

This course equips learners with the skills to identify the major categories of ornamental plants used in landscaping and horticulture. It covers classification based on growth habit, foliage, and flowering characteristics, enabling learners to select appropriate plants for various applications.

Learning Outcomes

  • Identify and classify ornamental plants into major categories based on growth habit, foliage, and flowering characteristics.
  • Apply botanical terminology to describe plant structures and growth forms.
  • Demonstrate the ability to differentiate between annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees used in ornamental horticulture.
  • Analyze the environmental requirements and ornamental features of different plant categories.
  • Evaluate the suitability of ornamental plants for specific landscaping purposes.
  • Implement identification techniques using keys and reference materials.

Target Audience

This course is designed for horticulturists, landscape designers, nursery workers, and gardening enthusiasts who need to accurately identify and categorize ornamental plants.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment. Basic literacy and numeracy are recommended.

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to Ornamental Plants and Classification Principles

Objectives:
• Define ornamental plants and their economic and aesthetic value.
• Identify the major categories of ornamental plants based on botanical and horticultural criteria.
• Distinguish between annuals, biennials, and perennials.
• Classify plants according to growth habits (e.g., trees, shrubs, climbers, groundcovers).

Topics:
• Overview of the horticulture industry and the role of ornamental plants.
• Basic plant taxonomy and nomenclature (genus, species, cultivar).
• Classification by life cycle: annuals, biennials, perennials.
• Classification by growth habit: trees, shrubs, sub-shrubs, climbers, groundcovers.
• Introduction to plant hardiness zones and climatic adaptation.
• Practical exercise: identifying growth habits in live specimens or images.

Day 2: Flowering Plants, Foliage Plants, and Specialised Groups

Objectives:
• Categorise ornamental plants by primary use: flowering, foliage, and structural.
• Identify common flowering plants suitable for different seasons and purposes.
• Recognise foliage plants valued for leaf colour, texture, and form.
• Understand specialised groups: succulents, cacti, ferns, and aquatic plants.

Topics:
• Flowering ornamentals: seasonal colour, bedding plants, perennials, bulbs.
• Foliage plants: evergreen vs deciduous, variegation, texture.
• Ornamental grasses and bamboos.
• Succulents and cacti: characteristics and care.
• Ferns and mosses: shade-loving ornamentals.
• Aquatic and marginal plants for water features.
• Practical session: plant identification using field guides and keys.

Day 3: Practical Application and Integration in Landscaping

Objectives:
• Apply knowledge of plant categories to select appropriate plants for specific landscape designs.
• Evaluate environmental factors influencing plant choice (light, soil, water).
• Demonstrate correct plant labelling and record-keeping.
• Compile a basic plant portfolio for a given site.

Topics:
• Matching plant categories to landscape functions (e.g., screening, accent, groundcover).
• Site analysis: assessing microclimates, soil types, and water availability.
• Plant selection for sustainable and low-maintenance landscapes.
• Grouping plants by category for visual impact and ecological benefit.
• Record-keeping: plant tags, databases, and cataloguing.
• Practical project: design a small garden bed using at least three categories of ornamental plants.
• Assessment: written test and practical identification exercise.

Practicals

No practicals for this training.

This course is made up of exercises and case studies delivered alongside the theory — no separate practical sessions are required to complete it.

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course and a final summative test at the end.

Daily Exercises — 30%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 30% to the final total.

Final Test — 70%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 70% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 30%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 70%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Daily Average 30% + Final Test 70%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Wed 09 Sep 2026 Fri 11 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $967 Register
Tue 29 Sep 2026 Thu 01 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $967 Register
Mon 19 Oct 2026 Wed 21 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $967 Register
Wed 09 Dec 2026 Fri 11 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $967 Register
Tue 12 Jan 2027 Thu 14 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $967 Register
Mon 15 Feb 2027 Wed 17 Feb 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $967 Register
Wed 03 Mar 2027 Fri 05 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $967 Register
Tue 09 Mar 2027 Thu 11 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $967 Register
Mon 15 Mar 2027 Wed 17 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $967 Register
Wed 09 Jun 2027 Fri 11 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $967 Register
Tue 29 Jun 2027 Thu 01 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $967 Register
Mon 19 Jul 2027 Wed 21 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $967 Register
Wed 08 Sep 2027 Fri 10 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $967 Register
Tue 28 Sep 2027 Thu 30 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $967 Register
Mon 18 Oct 2027 Wed 20 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $967 Register
Wed 08 Dec 2027 Fri 10 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $967 Register
Tue 28 Dec 2027 Thu 30 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $967 Register
Mon 17 Jan 2028 Wed 19 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $967 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 531 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Tue 23 Jun 2026 Thu 25 Jun 2026 Mbabane, Eswatini Winter 2026 $2,230 Register
Wed 24 Jun 2026 Fri 26 Jun 2026 Mombasa, Kenya Winter 2026 $3,148 Register
Wed 24 Jun 2026 Fri 26 Jun 2026 Maseru, Lesotho Winter 2026 $2,230 Register
Mon 29 Jun 2026 Wed 01 Jul 2026 Kigali, Rwanda Winter 2026 $3,148 Register
Mon 29 Jun 2026 Wed 01 Jul 2026 Mbabane, Eswatini Winter 2026 $2,230 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Tue 23 Jun 2026 Thu 25 Jun 2026 Your Premises Winter 2026 $1,258 Register
Mon 14 Sep 2026 Wed 16 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,258 Register
Wed 07 Oct 2026 Fri 09 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,258 Register
Tue 27 Oct 2026 Thu 29 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,258 Register
Mon 14 Dec 2026 Wed 16 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,258 Register
Wed 20 Jan 2027 Fri 22 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,258 Register
Tue 23 Feb 2027 Thu 25 Feb 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,258 Register
Mon 08 Mar 2027 Wed 10 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,258 Register
Wed 17 Mar 2027 Fri 19 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,258 Register
Tue 23 Mar 2027 Thu 25 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,258 Register
Mon 14 Jun 2027 Wed 16 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,258 Register
Wed 07 Jul 2027 Fri 09 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,258 Register
Tue 27 Jul 2027 Thu 29 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,258 Register
Mon 13 Sep 2027 Wed 15 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,258 Register
Wed 06 Oct 2027 Fri 08 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,258 Register
Tue 26 Oct 2027 Thu 28 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,258 Register
Mon 13 Dec 2027 Wed 15 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,258 Register
Wed 05 Jan 2028 Fri 07 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,258 Register
Tue 25 Jan 2028 Thu 27 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,258 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

View Sessions & Register Get A Quote Download Course Brochure
Have an account?

Sign in to track your applications and manage your cart.

Related Courses

Other Agriculture and Nature Conservation courses at NQF level 1 learners on this page also viewed.

Browse the full Agriculture and Nature Conservation category for agriculture and nature conservation training programmes.
GET A QUOTE / APPLY COURSE CATALOGUE