Plant Profiles
Each plant is assigned one of 22 profiles that control its 2D symbol shape and 3D rendered appearance.
Plant ProfilesA plant profile is the visual archetype assigned to every plant in your design. It drives both the top-down 2D plan symbol and the full procedural 3D model — so a weeping tree reads as a cascading silhouette in the plan and renders with drooping branches in 3D. There are 22 profiles organised into five categories: Trees, Shrubs, Perennials, Ground Cover, and Climbers. You choose the profile when placing a plant — either by clicking a profile tile in the Plants tab of the Add Object panel, or it travels with a species you place from the Plant Browser. The profile then determines which shape controls appear in the Plant tab of the Inspector.
Conifer shrub / groundcover profiles (3)
ConiferShrub — compact conifer shrub. ConiferGround — low spreading conifer groundcover. ConiferGroundMat — flat mat conifer.
Shrub profiles (5)
Bush — generic rounded shrub. SpreadingShrub — wide low form (juniper, cotoneaster). VaseShrub — narrow at base, wide at top (forsythia, spirea). MoundShrub — low dome (azalea, mounding hydrangea). HedgeShrub — formal trimmed shape.
Perennial / grass profiles (3)
SmallPlant — small herbaceous plant or flower. OrnamentalGrass — fountain-shaped ornamental grass. Fern — delicate fern fronds.
Other profiles (5)
Bamboo — culm trunks with grass-family foliage. GroundCover — low spreading groundcover. Succulent — compact succulent or cactus form. Climber — climbing vine (ivy, clematis). Espalier — flat trained vine against a wall or fence.
Perennials — 3 profiles
Small Plant covers low herbaceous plants and flowering perennials. Ornamental Grass generates a fountain-shaped clump for pennisetum, miscanthus, and similar species. Fern produces delicate spreading fronds for shade-garden ferns and woodland perennials.
Ground Cover — 2 profiles
Ground Cover renders a flat, spreading mat for plants like creeping thyme, ajuga, or vinca. Succulent creates a compact rosette or cactus form suited to agave, sedum, and aloe. Both profiles stay very close to grade in 3D, so they read clearly under taller plants in a layered planting scheme.
Climbers — 2 profiles
Climber creates a vine habit for plants like ivy, clematis, or wisteria that scramble up structures. Espalier renders a flat, wall-trained form for plants trained against a fence or building facade. For best results with climbers, place them near the structure they will grow on so the 3D model aligns correctly in the scene.
If a species does not map cleanly to one profile, pick the archetype whose silhouette is closest, then fine-tune crown width, density, and maturity in the Plant Inspector. A slightly imperfect profile with well-adjusted parameters always looks better than a mismatched one left at its defaults.
The Hedge Wizard accepts Hedge Shrub, small plants, ornamental grasses, and some columnar or conifer tree profiles for taller screens. Assign the matching profile to individual hedge plants before running the wizard so the 3D row geometry is consistent.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose which profile a plant uses?
The profile is set when you place the plant. Place a generic plant by clicking a profile tile in the Plants tab of the Add Object panel, or place a species from the Plant Browser, which carries a matching profile automatically. The Plant tab of the Inspector then shows the current profile and the shape controls that apply to it.
Why does the 3D model look different from the 2D plan symbol?
The 2D symbol is a simplified top-down mark designed for plan readability, while the 3D model is a full procedural mesh built to match the plant's natural habit. They share the same archetype, so the overall form matches — but they are not meant to be pixel-for-pixel identical.
Which profile should I use for a formal hedgerow?
Use Hedge Shrub for individual hedge plants in a formal clipped row. If you are building a hedge using the Hedge Wizard, assign Hedge Shrub to the source plant before launching the wizard so the generated 3D row uses the correct geometry.
Can I use Bamboo for tall ornamental grasses?
Bamboo is designed specifically for true bamboo species with visible culm trunks. For ornamental grasses — even tall ones like miscanthus or pampas grass — use Ornamental Grass instead. It generates the fountain silhouette that reads correctly in both 2D and 3D.
Does the profile affect plant size or spacing?
No. The profile controls visual shape and 3D geometry only. Crown width, plant height, and position are set independently — through the placement size, the Plant tab in the Inspector, and the Properties 2D tab.