What is Agriculture?

The term horticulture is derived from the Latin words hortus, meaning garden,
and cultura, meaning cultivation (The New Webster's Dictionary of the English
Language, international edition, 2004. Lexicon Publications, Inc. p.468).

According to Janick (1972), horticulture in its present concept is that part of plant
agriculture concerned with so-called “garden crops” as contrasted with agronomy (field
crops, mainly grains and forages) and forestry (forest trees and products). He gave the
following definition of horticulture: it isthe branch of agriculture concerned with
intensively cultured plants directly used by man for food, for medicinal purposes, or for
esthetic gratification.

According to Louisiana State University (2011), horticulture is the science and art
involved in the cultivation, propagation, processing and marketing of ornamental plants,
flowers, turf, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. It is unique among plant sciences because it
not only involves science and technology, but it also incorporates art and principles of
design.

According to University of Minnesota (2011), horticulture is the art and science of plant
production for both beauty and utility... Rather than staple crops, horticulture focuses on
value-added, luxury crops.

From these definitions the following conclusions can be made to give a general idea on
what is horticulture:

1. Horticulture is a branch of plant agriculture and is both a science and an art. As an

art, it incorporates the principles of design (as in landscaping).

2. Horticulture deals with intensively cultured and high-value crops.

3. Horticultural crops include the vegetables, fruits, and nuts which are directly used by
man for food, the flowers and other ornamental plants for aesthetic uses or visual
enjoyment, and those used for medicinal purposes.

The Main Branches of Horticulture

Plus other Descriptors

Based on crop grouping and plant use, the main divisions or branches of horticulture
are:

1. Olericulture - the production of vegetables including storage, processing, and

marketing. Vegetable crops are grown for their succulent and edible parts such as the
roots, stems, leaves, young tops, flowers, fruits, or seeds for use in culinary
preparations either fresh or preserved in the fresh state.

2. Pomology - the branch of horticulture which deals with fruit crop production. Fruit
crops are grown for their edible fruits which, as a rule, are consumed raw.

3. Floriculture - the cultivation and management of cut flowers, flowering plants, and
foliage plants (Louisiana State University 2011) including their use in ornamental
construct such as flower arrangement (ISHS 2011). A term that is used interchangeably
with floriculture is ornamental horticulture.

4. Plant Propagation / Nursery Crop Culture - the propagation and production of

seedlings, young trees, shrubs and vines, as well as ground covers, turf, ornamental
plants and other crops in nurseries for landscaping, interior plantscaping, or out
planting.

5. Landscape horticulture - the branch of horticulture which includes the design,

construction and care of landscapes taking into consideration proper choice of plants
and aesthetic effects for homes, businesses and public places.
JANICK J. 1972. Horticultural Science. 2nd ed. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman and
Company. 586 p.

JANICK J. 2002. Lecture 30: Origins of horticultural science. In: History of Horticulture.
Purdue University. Retrieved Oct. 8, 2011 from
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/history/lecture30/lec30.html.