A.H.

Weerakoon
AG/GT/2018/4877
CS3105 Landscape Architecture
Practical 1 : Identification of Landscape Plants
Date : 14/03/2022
No Botanical Name Family Name Common Name Type and Role in Landscape Picture Remarks
Nature of
Plant
01 Codiaeum Euphorbiaceae Garden Croton Shrub Ornamental Plant The sap from
variegatum Evergreen with striking foliage the leaf or
Live fences and stems contains
hedges a skin-irritant.
Perennial plant Can be
Use in local medicine poisonous to
pet animals
such as cats
and dogs
02 Bougainvillea Nyctaginaceae Bougainvillea Vine Colourful ornamental Canes have
glabra plant abundant
Can be trained as pointed thorns.
bonsai Can tolerate
Suitable for dry zone high
landscaping temperature
Attract pollinators conditions.
Shading
03 Hibiscus rosa- Malvaceae Shoe Flower Shrub Dense canopy Low demand
sinensis Evergreen controls wind erosion plant
Use as a live fence, High pruning
informal hedge or tolerance
screen
Perennial plant
Free flowering
Attract birds
Edible and medicinal
plant
Can be trained as a
container plant
04 Ixora chinensis Rubiaceae Ixora Shrub Control erosion Moderate
Evergreen Grow as hedges for drought
demarcating tolerance
boundaries Pollinate and
Aesthetic value make different
Use in traditional colourful
medicine species

05 Diospyros Ebenaceae Ceylon ebony/ Tree Provide shade Wide oval

ebenum Kaluwara Glow effect with dark shaped plant
appearance Illegal to
harvest and
trade
Endangered
plant
06 Cassia fistula Fabaceae Golden shower/ Tree Seasonal flowering Fix
Ehela Deciduous (yellow flower) atmospheric
Aesthetic value Nitrogen
Shading in offseason
Provide habitats for
birds

07 Azadirachta Meliaceae Neem/ Kohomba Tree Aesthetic and cultural Mosquito

indica value (local belief as repellent/
a tree of luck) natural
Medicinal value insecticide
Herbal extract for
garden
Add moisture to the
atmosphere- suitable
for dry zone
landscaping
Outdoor ceiling
08 Phyllanthus Euphorbiaceae Indian Tree Contains an Prefer well-
emblica gooseberry/ Deciduous appearance of a drained soil
Beheth nelli weeping plant and can grow
Aesthetic value in nutritionally
Medicinal value - poor soil and
Exhibits strong in drought
antioxidant activity conditions.
Unable to
tolerate
maritime
exposure
09 Averrhoa Oxalidaceae Star fruit/ Tree Bears edible fruits Has high water
carambola Kabaranka Live fence requirement.
Wind barrier – proper Cannot tolerate
massing effect extreme
Medicinal plant drought,
Attract birds salinity and
flooding
conditions

10 Terminalia Combretaceae Indian Almond/ Tree Ornamental foliage Coastal plant

catappa Kottamba Shading
Horizontal spreading
Suitable as a roadside
tree
Wind barrier
Edible nuts
Attract bees and other
pollinators
Perennial
11 Mesua ferrea Calophyllaceae Ceylon Tree Fragrant seasonal Stem cuttings
Ironwood/ Na Evergreen flowering not preferred,
Ornamental flowers as resulting
and foliage trees lack
Provide shade taproot.
Well branched – can
be trained and pruned
to make shapes in
landscaping
12 Epiphyllum Cactaceae Dutchman’s-Pipe Shrub / Night time flowering Shade loving
oxypetalum Cactus/ Kadupul creeper Flowers with high Propagation by
fragrance cuttings
Prefer well-
drained soil.
The soil should
not be allowed
to dry out
before re-
watering.
13 Syzygium Myrtaceae Rose apple Tree Provide edible food
samarangense Eye-catching flowers
Shading
Attract birds

14 Vitex negundo Lamiaceae Chinese chaste Shrub Aromatic Native

tree / Nika Deciduous Medicinal plant
Attract bees
15 Syzygium Myrtaceae Christina Shrub Ornamental foliage Sensitive to
campanulatum Evergreen Attract birds extreme cold
Can be trained and and frost.
pruned to apply as Has the ability
hedges and screens to grow in
areas where the
light changes.

16 Madhuca Sapotaceae Mee Tree Seasonal flowering Can tolerate

longifolia Purifies air flood
Bee capturing conditions
Helps to improve
micro biological
properties of soil

17 Morus alba Moraceae Abilla/Gata Puja/ Tree Butterfly capturing The unripe
Mulberry Edible fruits berries and the
Economically use for white sap from
fodder and silkworm any part can be
rearing mildly toxic.
Wind breaks Has low water
Suitable as a roadside requirements
tree and resistant to
pruning
18 Genus helianthus Asteraceae Sunflower Shrub Aesthetic appeal Heliotropism
Edible seeds
Composite
Phytoremediation –
help detox heavy
metals
Attract Butterflies,
bees and birds

19 Theobroma cacao Malvaceae Cocoa Tree Edible fruits and Has structural
seeds characteristics
Economic and that limit its
medicinal value pollination
exclusively by
insects.

20 Garcinia indica Clusiaceae Kokum Tree Culinary, Endemic

pharmaceutical, and
industrial uses
21 Senna auriculata Fabaceae Mature tea tree/ Leguminous Ayurvedic and folk Has
Ranawara tree medicinal value antibacterial
Ornamental flowers activity
Dry zone landscaping

22 Tecoma stans Bignoniaceae Yellow elder/ Shrub Ornamental flowers

Kelanitissa Attract bees,
butterflies and
sunbirds
Used in beds and
boarders

23 Murraya Rutaceae Mock lime/ Shrub Hedge and screening High

paniculata Atteriya Ornamental and maintenance is
fragrant flowers – required if
flowering at evening used for
topiary
landscapes.
Should be
protected from
strong winds.
24 Couroupita Lecythidaceae Cannon ball tree/ Tree Aesthetic value Flower pollen
guianensis Sal Religious and cultural and fruit pulp
value may cause
Medicinal value irritation to
some people.
Fruits are large
and fall
without
warning.
25 Roystonea regia Arecaceae Royal palm Tree Aesthetic value Prone to being
Dry zone landscaping attacked by
Suitable as a roadside rhinoceros
tree beetles, which
damage
growing point.
Drought and
salinity
tolerant
26 Delonix regia Fabaceae Red flame/ May Tree Ornamental flowering Salt tolerant
Maara Perennial Shedding in off
Shade or focal point season.
tree Shed twigs,
Can be planted in the leaves and
coastal area or pods may have
roadside allelochemicals
Tolerant of the poor that inhibit the
growing conditions of growth of
urban landscapes (ex: neighboring
soil compaction, plants
pollution, drought
and poor drainage)
27 Tabebuia rosea Bignoniaceae Robarosia Tree Seasonal flowering Flowering is
Shading typically
Wind barrier triggered by
Suitable as a roadside heavy rains
tree or border plant after a long hot
and dry spell

28 Calophyllum Calophyllaceae Oil nut/ Domba Tree Attract bees and other Native tree
inophyllum pollinators

29 Bambusa Poaceae Sea breeze Shrub Shading Non-invasive

Malingensis Bamboo Control soil and wind Flood, salinity
erosion and drought
Ornamental plant tolerant
Live fence and
screening
30 Canarium Burseraceae Kekuna Tree Bee keeping
zeylanicum Economically use in
wax production

31 Mangifera Anacardiaceae Mango Tree Edible fruits

Medicinal Value
Shading

32 Terminalia Combretaceae Bedda nut/ Bulu Tree Medicinal value

bellirica Deciduous Cultural value
Green manure
Shade
33 Pterocarpus Fabaceae Malabar Kino/ Tree Medicinal value Native
marsupium Gammalu Deciduous

34 Pterocarpus Fabaceae Red Sandalwood Tree Medicinal value IUCN Near

santalinus Economic and threatened
Timber value species

34 Barringtonia Myrtaceae Poison fish tree/ Tree Salinity control Native spc.
asiatica Mudilla Suitable for The fruits and
landscaping in coastal seeds are
or mangrove areas crushed and
Medicinal value used as fish
poisons as they
contain toxic
saponins.
35 Muntingia Muntingiaceae Jam / Jamaican Tree Edible fruits
calabura cherry Provide shade
Attract birds

36 Cymbopogon Poaceae Lemon grass/ Shrub Culinary and Has ability to

citratus Sera Medicinal value repel the
pestilent staple
fly which
attacks
domestic
animals

37 Nephelium Sapindaceae Rambuttan Tree Edible fruits Native

lappaceum Attracts birds Critically
Provide shade endangered
38 Wodyetia Arecaceae Foxtail palm Tree Aesthetic value Disease free
bifurcata Suitable for roadside and is resistant
landscape to lethal
yellowing
Drought
tolerant

39 Nauclea Rubiaceae Bakmee Tree Provide shade Native

orientalis Attract pollinators Wood was
and birds shown to be
Seasonal flowering toxic to the
Fragrance termite
Edible fruits Cryptotermes
Medicinal value domesticus
under
laboratory
conditions
40 Loropetalum Hamamelidaceae Chinese fringe- Shrub Ornamental plant Fast growing
chinense flower with colourful foliage
Use for hedges and
screening
41 Plumeria rubra Apocynaceae Frangipani/ Tree Ornamental flowers Drought
Araliya Cultural and religious resistance
value Require less
Shade care and
Suitable for dry zone maintenance
landscaping and as a
roadside tree

42 Jasminum Oleaceae Jasmine Shrub/ vine Fragrant flowering

officinale Medicinal and
cultural value

43 Schefflera Araliaceae Dwarf Umbrella Shrub Ornamental plant Tolerant of

arboricola with colourful foliage neglect and
poor growing
conditions.
Can be
poisonous to
pet animals
when
indigested
44 Coleus Lamiaceae Coleus Shrub Ornamental foliage Can cause mild
scutellarioides Make rhythms by allergies when
mixing contacted with
the skin.
Poisonous to
dogs

45 Canna indica Cannaceae Cannas Shrub Aesthetic value Invasive.

Not suitable to
plant near
waterways as
cannas forms
large dense
clumps,
particularly
in riparian zon
es (banks of
watercourses),
and replaces
native
freshwater and
wetland specie
s. It can restrict
water
movement,
cause flooding,
and limit
access to
waterways.
46 Pandanus Pandanaceae Ribbon pandanus Shrub Colourful foliage
laxespicatus

47 Terminalia Combretaceae Kumbuk Tree Provide shade Native

arjuna Roots have ability to Can tolerate
purify water flooding and
Medicinal value excess water
conditions

48 Calendula Asteraceae Marigold Shrub Flowering Pest repellent

officinalis To mark boundaries
Attract pollinators
Trap crop
Use as a cover crop
or living mulch to
protect soil
49 Gliricidia sepium Febaceae Gliricidia Tree Control soil and wind Fixes Nitrogen.
erosion Protein-rich
Live fence forage and
Intercropping - Use high nutritive
as shade for value
perennials (coffee, Use for
tea, cocoa) biomass and
Improve soil composting
Use to reclaim As rat poison
denuded land
Reduce soil
temperature
Use for mulching
50 Garcinia Guttiferae Mangosteen Tree Provide edible food
mangostana Medicinal value
Can be trained as
bonsai

51 Psidium guajava Myrtaceae Guava Tree Edible fruits Tolerant to

Attracts birds and acidic and
squirrels sandy soil
Provide shade
52 Tabernaemontana Apocynaceae Evata Pinwheel Attractive flowers Require mild
divaricata flower plant and foliage acidic soil
Use in a shrubbery When broken,
border or as a the stem
specimen planting exudes a milky
Cultural value latex that is
toxic.

53 Limonia Rutaceae Wood apple Tree Edible fruits Should be

acidissima Medicinal value planted away
Treat salinity in soil from pedestria
Provide shade ns or traffic as
Can be used in the branches
hedges are spiny and
Suitable for the fruits are
landscaping in dry woody and
zone heavy
54 Tacca chantrieri Dioscoreaceae Black Bat flower Herbaceous Ornamental plant Contain mild
toxicity
55 Tillandsia Bromeliaceae Spanish moss Epiphytic – Aesthetic value May cause
usneoides air plant Use for floral itchy rashes
arrangements and when touched
mulching because of the
Able to store chiggers that
moisture and lives in mosses
nutrients

56 Drynaria Polypodiaceae Oak leaf fern Non-Seed Ornamental plant

quercifolia Vascular Fix nitrogen
Plant Medicinal value
Use in vertical
greening

57 Ficus benjamina Moraceae Kiri Nuga Tree Provide shade Tolerant of

Aesthetic value poor growing
Prevent wind erosion conditions.
Its extensive
and strong root
system can lift
pavements and
roads
58 Nymphaea Nymphaeaceae Blue water lily Aquatic plant Aquatic plant with Native
nouchali aesthetic value
Fragrant flowers
Grow in ponds –
provide shade above
water and prevent
algal growth due to
excess heat
Medicinal value
Treat heavy metals in
waste water
59 Nelubbo nucifera Nelumbonaceae Lotus Aquatic plant Aquatic plant with
colourful fragrant
flowers
Edible
Religious and cultural
value
Use for domestic
wastewater treatment

60 Gerbera Asteraceae Barbeton Daisy Shrub Ornamental plant Full-sun plants

jamesonii Use in beds and wall- but can tolerate
side borders or light shade
edging
Perennial
61 Chrysanthemums Asteraceae Chrysanthemums Shrub Colourful flowering Toxic to
Aesthetic value children and
Attract pollinators can cause a
Pest repellent range of
symptoms
including skin
rashes and
blistering.

62 Tabebuia Bignoniaceae Golden trumpet Tree Ornamental plant Drought

chrysotricha with radiant coloured tolerant
flowers
Useful as a median
street tree

63 Lantana camera Verbenaceae Wild lantana Shrub Flowering plant Invasive

Use in making hedges Increase risk of
and mulching fire
Use as a source of Poisonous to
microbicides, livestock
fungicides and
nematicides,
insecticides
64 Garcinia gummi- Clusiaceae Garcinia Tree Culinary and Native
gutta medicinal value Use to lower
Provide shade the pH
Can be grown as a
perennial intercrop
with coconut and
aricanut

65 Begonia Begoniaceae Begonia Shrub Ornamental foliage Require shade

and attractive flowers to grow
Use as a bedding Easy care
variety plants

66 Pongamia Fabaceae Magul Karanda Tree Provide shade Fix

pinnata Saline soil atmospheric
reclamation nitrogen
Suitable for Grows well on
landscaping in arid sandy, rocky
zones and and even in
reforestation of salty soil.
marginal lands Seeds are
Preferred for poisonous
controlling soil Roots can
erosion and binding damage
sand dunes pavements or
Wind breaker roads
Fragrant flowers
Green manuring
67 Sesbania Fabaceae Vegetable Tree Edible plant Can grow in
grandiflora hummingbird/ Use to treat salinity in very acid and
Kathurumurunga soil saline soils.
Medicinal value Fix
Green manure atmospheric
Wind break Nitrogen
Shelterbelt
Living trellis
Rehabilitate eroded
hills
68 Epipremnum Araceae Devil’s ivy Wine Ornamental plant Invasive and
aureum Folk belief as a fast growing
money plant or a Require proper
plant of luck management to
Used in verical prevent
greening overgrowing
Poisonous to
domestic
animals
69 Pandanus kaida Pandanceae Wetakeyiya Shrub Live fencing and Native
kurz hedges Can withstand
Medicinal value drought, strong
Aesthetic value with winds, and salt
fragrant flowering spray
Pollen – insect
repellant
Ideal for landscaping
in saline soil
70 Dendrobium Orchidaceae Orchid variety Herbaceous Ornamental plant
Horticulture
Medicinal value

71 Syzygium Myrtaceae Cloves Tree Culinary value – food Commercial

aromaticum preservative plant
Fragrant flowers and
foliage
Medicinal value
Provide shade
High economical
value

72 Wisteria sinensis Fabaceae Wisteria Vine Ornamental plant Pods and seeds
with seasonal are mildly
flowering poisonous.
Use to grow on
special landscape
tools such as arches
or pergola
73 Clitoria ternatea Fabaceae Blue pea Vine Aesthetic value – can Fix
be grown in pergolas atmospheric
or fences nitrogen
Medicinal and
culinary value
Cultural and religious
value
Attract bees

74 Nyctanthes arbor- Oleaceae Night jasmine Tree Night time flowering Native
tristis. Linn. Fragrance
Provide shade

75 Asparagus Asparagaceae Satawari Vine Culinary and Endangered

racemosus medicinal value species
Ornamental plant
76 Erythrina Fabaceae Indian coral tree/ Tree Aesthetic value Native
variegate Erabadu Provide shade Highly
Use for making adaptable to
hedges coastal
Medicinal value conditions
Cultural value Tolerant of
flooding and
salinity

77 Rhododendron Ericaceae Azalea Shrub Ornamental plant Leaves and

indicum Use as hedges and flower nectar
screening are toxic

78 Citrus limon Rutaceae Lemon Tree Culinary and Necessary to

Medicinal value protect from
Edible fruit strong winds
Attract birds
Provide shade
79 Iresine herbstii Amaranthaceae Bloodleaf plant Shrub Ornamental value Short lived –
Perennial grown as an
Use in beds and annual
borders

80 Ficus racemosa Moraceae Cluster fig/ Tree Medicinal value Native

Attikka Edible fruit Flood tolerant
Attract birds
Provide shade
Suitable to plant near
waterways

81 Cycas nathorstii Cycadaceae Cycad/ Madu Gymnosperms Ornamental plant Native

j.schust Evergreen Medicinal value
82 Hedera helix Araliaceae Ivy Vine Ornamental plant
Use in vertical
greening

83 Araucaria Araucariaceae Monkey puzzle Tree Ornamental plant Surface roots

heterophylla Provide shade may interfere
Purifies air with lawn
mowing or lift
sidewalks and
large cones
create litter.
Large trees
have a
potential of
falling down
84 Aegle marmelos Rutaceae Bael Tree Edible fruits Adaptable to
Medicinal value adverse soil
Provide shade and climatic
conditions
85 Petraeovitex Lamiaceae Nong noonch Vine Colourful flowering Create a dense
bambusitrum Ornamental value dark green
Vertical greening foliage
Cannot tolerate
freezing
temperature

86 Annona muricata Annonaceae Soursop Tree Edible fruits

Evergreen Medicinal value

87 Hydrangea Hydrangeaceae Hydrangea Shrub Ornamental plant Toxic to pet

Deciduous animals
88 Mirabilis jalapa Nyctaginaceae 4 o’clock Shrub Aesthetic value – Flowers with
evening flowering different colors
Medicinal value grow
simultaneously
on the same
plant
Contains an
alkaloid that in
large doses can
be moderately
toxic
89 Tillandsia Bromeliaceae Tillandsia Air plant Ornamental plant Can grow
brachycaulos Can remove mild anywhere
airborne Able to live
contaminants and entirely off of
chemicals from the nutrients and
air moisture in the
air

90 Persea americana Lauraceae Avacado Tree Edible fruits Can tolerate

Medicinal value wind
Can be trained and Can grow in
pruned to keep as an very alkaline
ornamental plant and saline
Suitable as a shade or soils.
backyard tree The unripe
fruit can be
poisonous to
animals
91 Stenotaphrum Poaceae Carpet grass Grass Ground cover Heat tolerant
secundatum Prevent soil erosion Use as a
pasture grass
Rarely needs
mowing

92 Alocasia Araceae Kris plant Shrub Ornamental plant Critically

sanderiana Purify air endangered

93 Spondias dulcis Anacardiaceae Amberella Tree Edible fruit

Aesthetic value
Living fence
Medicinal value
94 Passiflora edulis Passifloraceae Passion fruit Vine Edible fruits with Plants can
complex aroma smother trees a
Aesthetic value nd shrubs and
Grown in fences to can naturalize
create screening in disturbed
effect along river
Medicinal value banks,
Attract bees fencerows,
abandoned
farms, and
urban open
spaces
95 Ficus Moraceae Banyan tree Tree Provide shade Should be
benghalensis Habitat for birds grown in large
Aesthetic value open areas as it
Medicinal value is very
Cools environment destructive to
Erosion control or any walls or
dune stabilization buildings it
grows near to
and is
extremely
difficult to
eradicate
96 Anthurium Araceae Anthurium Shrub Ornamental plant Require shade
Purifies air

97 Carica papaya Caricaceae Papaya Shrub Edible fruits

Medicinal value

98 Swietenia Meliaceae Mahogani Tree Provide shade Endangered

mahagoni Act as a wind breaker species
Suitable as a street
tree
99 Nerium oleander Apocynaceae Kaneru Shrub Flowering plant Native
l. Provide shade Seeds are
Use in making living poisonous.
fences and hedges
Suitable to plant on
roadside

100 Filicium Sapindaceae Pihimbiya Tree Ornamental plant Native

decipiens Living fence and The leaves are
screening resistant to
Wind break decompose and
Provide shade the shredded
leaves remain
on the ground
for a long
period of time.