Landscape Plants: Identification, Selection, and Application

In 11 class sessions, learn how to identify plants on the properties you manage and how to select the right plant for each site. Hands-on plant ID walks included!

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Instructor Steve Kristoph teaches a hands on plant identification session in the Rutgers Gardens

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Course Details

Course Name: Landscape Plants: Identification, Selection, and Application
Course Code: AL0201CA25

Date: January 3 – March 14, 2025 (every Friday morning for 11 weeks)
Time: 8:30 am – 12:00 pm (Check-in time on Day 1: 8:00 am)

Location: Bioresource Engineering Laboratory (formerly ECC), 18 Ag Extension Way, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (Directions & Map)
Format: Classroom course with hands-on outdoor plant identification walks

Registration Fee: $1,050 per person
Early Bird Discount Fee: $995 per person (expires December 27, 2024)

Registration Closes: January 1, 2025

Paying with a check, money order, or purchase order?
Payments should be made out to: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Checks and money orders should be mailed to: Office of Continuing Professional Education, Attn: Registration Dept., 102 Ryders Ln, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8519
Purchase Orders can be mailed to the address above or electronically sent to registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Course Overview

Certificate iconThis class is part of the Landscape Management II Certificate Program.

Are you ready to up your game? If you work with plants, you need to look smart doing it – and the best way to look smart is to know what they are, where to find them, and how to use them. This class will teach you more than you ever knew about landscape plants, and you’ll love every minute of it — including the hands-on plant identification walks, the comprehensive classroom lectures, and the online instructional tools!

Over the course of eleven consecutive Friday mornings, instructor Steven Kristoph will teach you two vital skills that all plant lovers and managers should master:

  • The ability to identify landscape plants on the properties you manage
  • Expanding your palette of plants to select the right plant for the right site and the right purpose

This course will cover a variety of different kinds of landscape plants, including shade trees, ornamental small trees, conifers, needle evergreens, broadleaf evergreens, rhododendrons and their kin, flowering shrubs, groundcover options, and rariflora. A full list is available below.

Whether you’re a landscaping professional or just a person who loves plants, this class is for you! Come dressed in winter wear and be prepared to go outside.

Please note: We recommend that you enroll in Introduction to Plant Identification prior to attending this program.

Course Video Preview

Learn more about what you can expect to learn in this course from instructor Steven Kristoph.

Plant Species Covered in this Course

Over the 11 sessions of this class, you will become familiar with over 200 plant species including shade trees, conifers, ornamental small trees, broadleaf evergreens, rhododendrons, deciduous shrubs and vines, groundcovers, and rariflora. A detailed list is available below – click on each heading to expand the full list of plants!

Shade Trees
Fir, Cedar, Spruce, and Pine Trees
Ornamental Small Trees
Ornamental Small Trees – East Meets West
Lesser Conifers
Deciduous Conifers
Broadleaf Evergreens
Rhododendron and Their Kin
Deciduous Shrubs and Vines
Groundcovers
Rariflora

Earn a Digital Badge

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Students who successfully complete this program will be issued a digital badge that details the course requirements. This badge is a great way to demonstrate the rigorous training you completed to prospective employers, schools, colleagues and peers. It can be added to your email signature, your LinkedIn profile, other social media accounts, or shared via URL. Visit our digital badge page for more information.

Who Should Attend?

Whether working with plants is your profession or your personal passion, this course will provide you with practical knowledge that you can apply to all of your landscape plans and projects! Even if you’ve “been in the business” for years, you’ll walk away with new information and insights. Here are some of the types of people who have taken Landscape Plants: Identification, Selection, and Application in the past:

  • Garden Center Managers
  • Garden Designers
  • Groundskeepers
  • Homeowners
  • Horticultural Enthusiasts
  • Landscape Architects
  • Landscape Contractors
  • Landscape Designers
  • Landscape Managers/Foremen
  • Landscape Professionals
  • Landscape Superintendents
  • Master Gardeners
  • Nursery Professionals
  • Property Managers
  • Sales Representatives

Meet Your Instructors

Steve Kristoph, Steven Kristoph Nursery

Headshot of instructor Steve Kristoph

Steve Kristoph is widely known for his encyclopedic knowledge of plant material. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees in horticulture from Rutgers University, and he has been an adjunct instructor at Rutgers for over 25 years. He also owns and operates Steven Kristoph Nursery in Monmouth County, NJ, where he grows many types of ornamental trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials. The landscaping division of his business, P. Steven Kristoph Garden Design, serves both residential and commercial customers and offers a full range of services, including design, installation, maintenance and seasonal color. Steve is passionate about plants and enjoys sharing his passion with others.

Student Reviews

“He [instructor Steven Kristoph] has forgotten more about landscaping plants than I will ever know!”

– M. Booth, Booth Brothers Landscaping

“This course is excellent. I’ve learned more in a few weeks than I have in years of landscaping.”

– Past Participant

“This class was highly inspirational. It completely changed the way I look at trees and plants.”

– Past Participant

Continuing Education Credits

The most recent offering of Landscape Plants: Identification, Selection, and Application was approved for the following credits from professional organizations. We will reapply for similar credits the next time the course runs, but we cannot guarantee credit approval for future offerings.

Landscape Plants: Identification, Selection, and Application is approved for the following credits from professional organizations.

State of New Jersey map iconNew Jersey

NJ Certified Public Works Managers (CPWM): 8 Technical Contact Hours (course #DLGS-RUCPE23-21)

NJ Licensed Tree Experts (LTE/LTCO): 14.5 CEUs

NJ Urban and Community Forestry (NJUCF): 31 CEUs

World map icon International

International Society of Arboriculture (ISA): Pending

Meals

No meals will be provided at this course.

Course Requirements and Policies

stack of books icon Suggested Textbook and App

Students who plan to enroll in the Landscape Plants: Identification, Selection, and Application class may wish to purchase the following book:

The Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, 6th Edition by Michael Dirr

Another option is to download the Dirr Tree and Shrub Finder app for around $15.00.

coronavirus icon COVID-19 Policies for Face-to-Face Classes

Please visit our policies page for the latest information.

Red checkmark in circle iconPre-registration/Walk-Ins

Pre-registration is required. We’re sorry, but we cannot guarantee a seat, materials, or meals for walk-in registrants.

Icon of map marker over folded mapLocation Changes

Location is subject to change; registrants will be notified in the event of a change.

Red car iconCampus Parking Policy

All visitors must register their vehicles ONLINE to park on campus. Please follow the guidelines below. Failure to comply with these policies may result in a citation.

  • A link to register your vehicle will be provided in your course confirmation email. Please be sure to complete this important step prior to traveling to campus.
  • When you park on campus, be sure that your license plate is unobstructed and visible from the driving aisle.
  • All Rutgers faculty/staff/students must use their regular Rutgers permit and park in the nearest lot assigned for their permit type.

email iconEmail Requirement

A unique email address is required for each registrant to register and access our courses.

  • If this is your first time registering with us, please provide your own unique email address when registering; do not provide an email address that you share with co-workers.
  • If you have previously taken classes with us and have used an email address that you share with your co-workers or supervisor, your account must be updated with a unique email address. To do this, please send an email to us at registration@njaes.rutgers.edu stating that your email address needs to be changed and include:
    • Your full name
    • The shared email address that needs to be changed
    • Your unique email address
    • A phone number where you can be reached if we have any questions

x icon with circle around itCancellations and Substitutions

A $35 cancellation fee applies for this course. Substitutions are permitted. View our cancellation policy.

Program Questions? We’re Here to Help!

If you have any questions about Landscape Plants: Identification, Selection, and Application, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Headshot of Rutgers Program Coordinator Joe Canzano

Program Coordinator: Joe Canzano
848-932-7317
joe.canzano@rutgers.edu

Rutgers University Shield

Administrative Assistant: Damiana Parada
848-932-7107
damiana.parada@rutgers.edu

For registration assistance, please contact our Registration Department at 848-932-9271, option 2 or email registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.

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Landscape Management II Certificate Program

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Landscape Design I: The Basics

Introduction to Plant Identification students take part in field exercises

Introduction to Plant Identification

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