Plant Families

All plants are classified into a genus, such as Bellis or Iris, which is part of a wider plant family, such as Asteraceae or Iridaceae. Plants (genera) in the same family share physical characteristics that can help us identify them. For example, plants in the Asteraceae (daisy) family usually form the shape of a daisy, while those in the Fabaceae (pea and bean) family hold their seeds in a pod such as a pea or bean.

Learning to identify plant families will help you notice similarities between plants, understand their growth habits and growing requirements, and even identify seedlings.