13 May 2020
Picture quiz: Test your Kew plant knowledge
How well do you know the plants of Kew? Take our quiz to find out.
Bored at home? Take our quiz all about the plants of our Gardens.
You could even use these questions for your own virtual pub quiz to test your friends and family.
Have a go at these 15 fun questions and find the answers at the bottom of the page. Good luck!
1. Our tallest tree is this coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). What is its height?
A. 60 metres
B. 40 metres
C. 100 metres
D. 30 metres
2. Dubbed the ‘corpse flower', this is one of the smelliest plants at Kew. What is it?
A. Eastern Cape giant cycad (Encephalartos altensteinii)
B. Low’s pitcher plant (Nepenthes lowii)
C. Chilean blue crocus (Tecophilaea cyanocrocus)
D. Titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum)
3. Can you name the genus of this flowering plant, seen here close up?
A. Echinacea
B. Rhododendron
C. Phlox
D. Rosa
4. In which of Kew's glasshouses would you find the hairy pink banana (Musa velutina)?
A. Temperate House
B. Waterlily House
C. Palm House
D. Davies Alpine House
5. Our Japanese pagoda tree (Styphnolobium japonicum) is as old as our botanic garden. When was it planted here?
A. 1690s
B. 1760s
C. 1850s
D. 1900s
6. Our rare Encephalartos woodii is the loneliest plant at Kew. Which one of our Collections is it part of?
A. Fern
B. Bonsai
C. Cycad
D. Bromeliad
7. What native tree species do these leaves belong to?
A. English oak (Quercus robur)
B. Aspen (Populus tremula)
C. Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)
D. Crab apple (Malus sylvestris)
8. In which zone of our Princess of Wales Conservatory does this golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) live?
A. Carnivorous
B. Wet tropical
C. Desert
D. Tropical mountain
9. How does this round-leaved sundew catch its insect prey?
A. Snap trap
B. Slippy substance on tentacles to slide insect into pitcher
C. Pressure mechanism to suck insect in
D. Sticky mucus on tentacles
10. How wide can the pads of our giant Amazon waterlilies (Victoria amazonica) grow?
A. 3 metres
B. 10 metres
C. 1 metre
D. 7 metres
11. Which tree grows these red fruits?
A. Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)
B. Yew (Taxus baccata)
C. Juniper (Juniperus communis)
D. Holly (Ilex aquifolium)
12. Can you name these beautifully colourful flowers?
A. Roses
B. Tulips
C. Coneflowers
D. Peonies
13. How many different species of bamboo grow in our Bamboo Garden?
A. 5
B. 20
C. 80
D. 130
14. Where is the native endemic region of our Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis)?
A. Russia
B. Australia
C. Canada
D. Brazil
15. Where in our Gardens can you find a carpet of bluebells in spring?
A. Natural Area
B. Great Broad Walk Borders
C. Queen’s Garden
D. Mediterranean Garden
Answers
1. Our tallest tree is this coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). What is its height?
B. 40 metres
2. Dubbed the ‘corpse flower', this is one of the smelliest plants at Kew. What is it?
D. Titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum)
Discover the secrets of titan arum
3. Can you name the genus of this flowering plant, seen here close up?
A. Echinacea
See the other plants in our Great Broad Walk Borders
4. In which of Kew's glasshouses would you find the hairy pink banana (Musa velutina)?
C. Palm House
Watch our film on the pink banana
5. Our Japanese pagoda tree (Styphnolobium japonicum) is as old as our botanic garden. When was it planted here?
B. 1760s
Learn more about our tree collection
6. Our rare Encephalartos woodii is the loneliest plant at Kew. Which one of our Collections is it part of?
C. Cycad
Read the story of Encephalartos woodii
7. What native tree species do these leaves belong to?
A. English oak (Quercus robur)
Discover why leaves change colour in autumn
8. In which zone of our Princess of Wales Conservatory does this golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) live?
C. Desert
Find out about this unique glasshouse
9. How does this round-leaved sundew catch its insect prey?
D. Sticky mucus on tentacles
10. How wide can the pads of our giant Amazon waterlilies (Victoria amazonica) grow?
A. 3 metres
Read about how we grow our giant waterlilies
11. Which tree grows these red fruits?
B. Yew (Taxus baccata)
Find out how plants use their fruits for seed dispersal
12. Can you name these beautifully colourful flowers?
B. Tulips
See a rainbow of flowers in our Gardens
13. How many different species of bamboo grow in our Bamboo Garden?
D. 130
Find out more about our Bamboo Garden
14. Where is the native endemic region of our Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis)?
B. Australia
Learn some facts about Wollemi pines
15. Where in our Gardens can you find a carpet of bluebells in spring?
A. Natural Area
Your score
Tally up your score out of 15 to see if you're an expert or amateur...
11 or above: You're a Kew plant genius!
6 to 10: You're pretty proficient in plants
1 to 5: Good effort but your knowledge needs some nurturing
0: Definite room for growth
Let us know how you did on our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.