What does horticulture mean?
Horticulture is the art and science of cultivating plants. It includes growing fruits, vegetables, herbs, ornamental plants, and other useful or decorative crops, as well as studying their care, breeding, and management. The term is related to gardening but is generally more formal and systematic, appearing in horticulture courses, botanical research, commercial plant production, and the broader agricultural sciences. Horticulture can be practical, as in a nursery or market garden, or scientific, as in plant breeding and research into crop varieties. It also has an aesthetic dimension, covering the cultivation of flowers, trees, and other plants valued for their appearance. Although horticultural work and gardening overlap, horticulture often implies a broader professional or academic focus, including plant science, production techniques, and sustainable cultivation. The word is useful because it names the distinctive field concerned with making plants grow well in cultivated settings.
nounThe art and science of cultivating plants, especially fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, and garden crops. In modern usage, horticulture includes the cultivation, management, and study of plants for practical, aesthetic, or scientific purposes.
- The branch of agriculture concerned with the cultivation and management of plants, particularly garden, food, and ornamental plants.
"The botanical garden combines research in horticulture with the careful cultivation of rare and ornamental plants."
"She studied horticulture before taking over a family nursery."
"Urban horticulture allows residents to grow food and ornamental plants in limited spaces."
Usually used as a mass noun; the plural is uncommon but can refer to distinct horticultural traditions, fields, or forms of cultivation.
"The book compares the floriculture and viticulture horticultures of several regions."
Horticulture is gardening elevated to a science: the discipline behind everything from backyard vegetables to the world’s most carefully bred roses.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of horticulture
Horticulture comes from Latin, combining hortus, meaning “garden,” with cultus, meaning “cultivated” or “tended.” The compound was borrowed into English in the 17th century for the practice of cultivating garden plants and orchards. Its relatives cultivate, culture, cultivation, and cultural come through the same Latin root cultura, meaning cultivation or tending, while garden and horticultural also reflect the older hortus element.
Related word forms
How horticulture is actually used
The term is formal and scientific in tone, though it is also used broadly for the cultivation of garden plants. It is especially common in horticulture, botanical, agricultural, and environmental contexts.
Easily confused with horticulture
Horticulture focuses specifically on cultivated plants, including fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants, whereas agriculture encompasses farming more broadly, including crops and livestock.