Words used to describe plants and plant parts
algal
adjective
connected with algae or caused by algae
androgynous
adjective
an androgynous animal or plant has both male and female parts
aquatic
adjective
growing or living in or near water
arboreal
adjective
relating to or living in trees
aromatic
adjective
an aromatic plant, substance, or food smells especially good
bare
adjective
bare trees or areas of land have nothing growing on them
barren
adjective
a barren tree or plant does not produce any fruit
biennial
adjective
a biennial plant lives for only two years
bushy
adjective
bushy trees or plants have a lot of leaves and branches growing close together
creeping
adjective
creeping plants grow along the ground
dense
adjective
with a lot of trees, plants, or leaves growing close together
dwarf
adjective
a dwarf tree, plant, or animal is much shorter or smaller than others of the same type
early
adjective
early crops or flowers are ready to be picked before others of the same type
ephemeral
adjective
an ephemeral plant has only a short life
etiolated
adjective
an etiolated plant has pale leaves and a pale stem because it does not receive enough light from the sun
extinct
adjective
an extinct animal, plant, or language no longer exists
female
adjective
a female plant is one that produces fruit
fertile
adjective
a fertile person, animal, or plant is able to produce babies, young animals, or new plants
fleshy
adjective
a fleshy plant, fruit, vegetable etc is soft and thick
flowering
adjective
a flowering plant produces flowers
giant
adjective
used in the names of some animals and plants that are much larger than others of the same type
greasy
adjective
producing a lot of natural oil
hardy
adjective
a hardy plant is able to live outside during the winter
herbaceous
adjective
a herbaceous plant has a soft green stem and all its parts above ground level die after it has finished growing
higher
adjective
higher plants and animals are the most advanced and developed
indigenous
adjective
indigenous plants and animals belong to a region because they developed there
juvenile
adjective
a juvenile animal or plant is young
leafy
adjective
leafy trees or plants have a lot of leaves
leguminous
adjective
relating to a plant such as a pea or bean that produces seeds in pods
lush
adjective
a lush plant looks very green and healthy
luxuriant
adjective
luxuriant plants grow well and look very healthy
male
adjective
not developing into fruits
mature
adjective
a mature animal or plant has grown to its full size
native
adjective
relating to the place where a plant or animal has always lived
naturalized
adjective
a naturalized plant or animal is one that grows or lives in an area that people brought it to long ago
oil-bearing
adjective
oil-bearing rocks or plants contain oil of some kind
parasitic
adjective
a parasitic plant or animal lives in or on another type of plant or animal and feeds on it
perennial
adjective
a perennial plant lasts for more than two growing seasons
petrified
adjective
a petrified plant or animal has died and gradually changed into stone
pigmy
another spelling of pygmy1
poisonous
adjective
capable of producing poison
polymorphous
adjective
a polymorphous animal or plant has different forms at different stages of its development
pygmy
adjective
a pygmy animal or plant belongs to a type that does not grow very big
rank
adjective
growing and spreading too much
scorched
adjective
a scorched plant is dead or dying from disease, lack of water, or extreme heat
scrubby
adjective
scrubby plants are smaller than normal
shrubby
adjective
growing low and thick like a shrub
submersed
adjective
submersed plants grow under water
succulent
adjective
succulent plants have thick stems or leaves that store a lot of water
temperate
adjective
used about plants and animals that live in temperate areas
tender
adjective
a tender plant is delicate and needs protection from bad weather
thick
adjective
a thick forest, bush, area of grass etc has many trees, leaves, or plants growing very close together
thirsty
adjective
thirsty plants or areas of land need a lot of water
tolerant
adjective
if plants or animals are tolerant of particular conditions, they are able to exist in those conditions
trailing
adjective
a trailing plant has stems that grow very long or hang down
transgenic
adjective
a transgenic plant or animal contains genes from a different plant or animal that have been introduced using a laboratory technique
vascular
adjective
relating to the parts of a plant that carry water, salts, and food from one part of the plant to another
viable
adjective
able to live and grow in an independent way
vigorous
adjective
vigorous plants are healthy, strong, and growing well
wild
adjective
a wild animal or plant lives or grows on its own in natural conditions and is not raised by humans
withered
adjective
a withered plant has become dry and is dying
woody
adjective
a woody plant has a strong hard stem
in flower
if a plant is in flower, flowers are growing on it
in fruit
if a tree or plant is in fruit, it has fruit growing on it
in (full) bloom
if a tree or plant is in bloom, it is covered with flowers