Charleston Tour Guide Training Test
Preparation – Botany Exam 2026
Questions and Answers
Azalea, Southern - Correct answer-Rhododendron indica. Evergreen. Large
flowers. Common purple variety is "Formosa," "George L. Tabor," is
pink/lavender, "G.G. Gerbing" is popular white.
Bald Cypress - Correct answer-Taxodium distichum. Deciduous evergreen, denizen
of the swamps. Cypress knees grow nearby but never grow into trees. Tannic acid
from the trees give the water its deep coloration.
Boxwood - Correct answer-Buxus species. Evergreen shrub used for low hedging,
parterre borders or as garden accents. Often seen tightly sheared or clipped isn
small gardens. The Japanese or little leaf boxwood (Buxus microphylla) and
Korean boxwood hybrids (B. microphylla var. Korean) are used most commonly in
Charleston because they are heat tolerant. The English and American boxwood are
less likely to thrive here. "Boxwood" is both singular and plural. Native of Europe,
Africa, and Asia, introduced here during Colonial times.
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,Camellia j. - Correct answer-Camellia japonica. Evergreen shrub or small tree with
shiny dark green leaves and pink, red, white or variegated blooms from January
until April. Introduced here from China and Japan in the 18th century; legend says
Andre Michael introduced first plants to Middleton Place c. 1786.
Camellia s. - Correct answer-Camellia sasanqua. Often referred to as simply
sasanqua. Tends to have smaller leaves and flowers than C. japonica and blooms
earlier, normally in the fall. Older flowers shatter into many petals when dropping.
Chaste Tree or Spikenard - Correct answer-Vitex agnuscastus. Small, usually
multi-stemmed deciduous tree with lavender flower spikes in the early summer
months. A traditional tree used in Colonial times, though a European native. White
and pink blooming varieties are rarely seen.
Carolina Cherry Laurel - Correct answer-Prunnus carolinniana. A native tree with
glossy, dark evergreen foliage, usually 20-30' tall and 15-20' wide. Small, fragrant,
white flowers in the early spring, followed by black berries. Volunteer seedlings
are extremely common. Useful for screening and hedging, but can also be pruned
as a species. Berries on sidewalks alert you to the tree above.
Cassia - Correct answer-Cassia splendida and C. corymbose. A tall, mounding
semievergreen shrub producing a spectacular display of brilliant yellow flowers in
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, late summer and fall. C. splendida is a South African native; C. corymbose was
introduced from the West Indies.
Citrus - Correct answer-Records tell of orange groves and other citrus family fruits
being grown in colonial Charleston, including Satsuma, Mandarin oranges and
tangerines.
Cleyera - Correct answer-Ternstroemia gymnanthera. Glossy evergreen shrub with
red berries in fall; useful in shade as a screening or foundation plant. Long-lasting
as a cut green. Often incorrectly identified as Cleyera japonica. Originated in
Japan, China and Korea.
Crape Myrtle - Correct answer-Lagerstroemia indica. Deciduous tree with summer
blooms of red, pink, white or lavender. Many named cultivars exist. In winter, the
beautiful exfoliating bark in shades of tan, gray and cinnamon and smooth trunks
makes up for the loss of leaves. Often seen alongs sidewalks. Charleston gardeners
do not tend to prune back the branches in the winter as in other locations.
Introduced from China and Japan in the mid-18th century.
Dogwood - Correct answer-Cornus florida. Small deciduous tree with white or
more rarely, pink, blossoms that emerge late March to early May before leaves
appear. Red berries ripen in fall. Branches tend to spread horizontally. Native tree
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Preparation – Botany Exam 2026
Questions and Answers
Azalea, Southern - Correct answer-Rhododendron indica. Evergreen. Large
flowers. Common purple variety is "Formosa," "George L. Tabor," is
pink/lavender, "G.G. Gerbing" is popular white.
Bald Cypress - Correct answer-Taxodium distichum. Deciduous evergreen, denizen
of the swamps. Cypress knees grow nearby but never grow into trees. Tannic acid
from the trees give the water its deep coloration.
Boxwood - Correct answer-Buxus species. Evergreen shrub used for low hedging,
parterre borders or as garden accents. Often seen tightly sheared or clipped isn
small gardens. The Japanese or little leaf boxwood (Buxus microphylla) and
Korean boxwood hybrids (B. microphylla var. Korean) are used most commonly in
Charleston because they are heat tolerant. The English and American boxwood are
less likely to thrive here. "Boxwood" is both singular and plural. Native of Europe,
Africa, and Asia, introduced here during Colonial times.
©C0PYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,Camellia j. - Correct answer-Camellia japonica. Evergreen shrub or small tree with
shiny dark green leaves and pink, red, white or variegated blooms from January
until April. Introduced here from China and Japan in the 18th century; legend says
Andre Michael introduced first plants to Middleton Place c. 1786.
Camellia s. - Correct answer-Camellia sasanqua. Often referred to as simply
sasanqua. Tends to have smaller leaves and flowers than C. japonica and blooms
earlier, normally in the fall. Older flowers shatter into many petals when dropping.
Chaste Tree or Spikenard - Correct answer-Vitex agnuscastus. Small, usually
multi-stemmed deciduous tree with lavender flower spikes in the early summer
months. A traditional tree used in Colonial times, though a European native. White
and pink blooming varieties are rarely seen.
Carolina Cherry Laurel - Correct answer-Prunnus carolinniana. A native tree with
glossy, dark evergreen foliage, usually 20-30' tall and 15-20' wide. Small, fragrant,
white flowers in the early spring, followed by black berries. Volunteer seedlings
are extremely common. Useful for screening and hedging, but can also be pruned
as a species. Berries on sidewalks alert you to the tree above.
Cassia - Correct answer-Cassia splendida and C. corymbose. A tall, mounding
semievergreen shrub producing a spectacular display of brilliant yellow flowers in
©C0PYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
, late summer and fall. C. splendida is a South African native; C. corymbose was
introduced from the West Indies.
Citrus - Correct answer-Records tell of orange groves and other citrus family fruits
being grown in colonial Charleston, including Satsuma, Mandarin oranges and
tangerines.
Cleyera - Correct answer-Ternstroemia gymnanthera. Glossy evergreen shrub with
red berries in fall; useful in shade as a screening or foundation plant. Long-lasting
as a cut green. Often incorrectly identified as Cleyera japonica. Originated in
Japan, China and Korea.
Crape Myrtle - Correct answer-Lagerstroemia indica. Deciduous tree with summer
blooms of red, pink, white or lavender. Many named cultivars exist. In winter, the
beautiful exfoliating bark in shades of tan, gray and cinnamon and smooth trunks
makes up for the loss of leaves. Often seen alongs sidewalks. Charleston gardeners
do not tend to prune back the branches in the winter as in other locations.
Introduced from China and Japan in the mid-18th century.
Dogwood - Correct answer-Cornus florida. Small deciduous tree with white or
more rarely, pink, blossoms that emerge late March to early May before leaves
appear. Red berries ripen in fall. Branches tend to spread horizontally. Native tree
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