Plant Profiles
Choose a useful starting plant form, then set physical dimensions and appearance for the design.
Plant profiles are starting visual forms for generic plants and botanical representations. The current profile inventory has 22 forms in five categories. A form is not a species identification or a guarantee that a plant suits the site. Editor symbols and photorealistic representations have separate appearance settings, so do not assume that changing one reproduces exactly the same shape in every view.
Choose a generic form or a species
Choose a generic plant tile from Add Objects when the species is not yet decided, or use Insert into drawing in the Plant Intelligence Center for a known species. Place the instances, then use the Inspector for physical size and Edit style… for representation settings.
Tree and conifer forms
The tree group includes Deciduous Tree, Conifer/Evergreen, Conifer Shrub, Creeping Conifer, Conifer Mat, Columnar Tree, Weeping Tree, Palm Tree, Multi-stem Tree and Bamboo. These names describe the profile inventory; the actual available appearance controls depend on the representation and plant settings.
Shrub and perennial forms
Shrub forms include Round Shrub, Spreading Shrub, Vase-shaped Shrub, Mounding Shrub and Hedge/Formal Shrub. The perennial group includes Small Plant/Flower, Ornamental Grass and Fern. Use height and spread to express the intended size rather than treating a profile’s initial dimensions as a horticultural recommendation.
Ground-cover and climbing forms
The remaining groups contain Ground Cover, Succulent, Climbing Vine and Espalier/Wall Plant. Choosing a climbing form does not automatically establish a surveyed relationship with a nearby wall or support. Position and inspect it in the design.
Keep species and visual choices distinct
Use the Plant Intelligence Center for information about a species, and the appearance dialog for its visual settings. Shared project styles can provide a consistent plan or editor symbol across multiple plants; local overrides can retain exceptions. A generic visual form without a species binding should not be presented as a completed planting specification.