Monocotyledons, commonly referred to as monocots, are flowering plants whose seeds typically contain only one embryonic leaf, or cotyledon.  A quarter of the world’s known plants are monocots. They are the most economically important group of plants to humans today in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and fiber industries.  Here are a few samples of monocots in our plant collections.

1)  Allium schubertii                                                                            (Ornamental Tumbleweed Onion)

• Dried seed heads look like starry tumbleweeds or shooting star fireworks
• Located in the Soest Herbaceous Display Garden, bed 6 at the Center for Urban Horticulture

2)  Austroderia richardii syn Cortedaria r.                     (Toetoe Grass, Plumed Tussock Grass)

• Ornamental grass native to New Zealand
• This “pampas” grass seems to be behaving itself in the Pacific Northwest, unlike others that do seed around and could be considered invasive.

3)  Phormium colensoi                (Mountain Flax, Wharariki)

• One of two species in the genus Phormium; both are endemic to New Zealand.
• Fiber from its broad, sword-like leaves, can be made into Maori baskets.

4)  Phyllostachys nigra                 (Black Bamboo)

• Native to China, but widely cultivated elsewhere
• Known for its ornamental beauty and prized for decorative woodworking

5)  Trachycarpus fortunei                (Chinese Windmill Palm)

• Only palm that is reliably hardy to the Puget Sound area
• Dioecious, with male and female flowers produced on separate trees
• Sample of mature fruit cluster and frond

To locate specimens of these plants, please visit our interactive map:
http://depts.washington.edu/uwbg/gardens/map.html.