Horticultural advice at the Jardin botanique

The horticultural information service is located in the Jardin botanique de Montréal reception centre and offers the following services free of charge:

• Plant identification
• Help diagnosing cultivation issues, pests, or diseases
• Advice on ecological methods for growing and caring for plants

Horticultural information desk

The service counter is open a few days each year, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. If you're unable to visit during these hours, you'll find a wealth of information on gardening and botany in the Green Pages and in the answers to our most popular questions.

OPENING HOURS - 2025  

Help us help you better!

Planning to visit the horticultural information counter? If you need help identifying a plant or cultivation problem, follow the tips below.

Identification of a plant or a tree

Bring either the entire plant, some sections or representative pictures: stem with leaves, buds, flowers and/or fruits.

Observe and note:

• The plant measurements (height, width, form) and its habitat.
• The leaf arrangement on the stem (alternate, opposite, verticillate).
• The form, size, color of leaves, flowers and/or fruits.

Identification of a problem (on annuals, perennials, shrubs or trees)

Bring representative samples of the damaged plant: leaves, stems and/or fruits slightly, moderately, and highly infected. In the case of a tree, bring an infected branch of 30 cm or more.

The information below will help us identify the source of the disease or pest so we can offer the best advice.

Growing conditions

• Sun exposure (full sun, partial shade, shade)
• Soil characteristics (clay, sandy, compact or poorly drained, etc.)
• Habitat (forest, garden, plants growing nearby...)

Signs and symptoms

• Insects
• Injuries, holes, spots, necrosis, outgrowths...

Location of Damage

• On the leaves, stems, or trunk?
• On lower, upper, or middle branches?
• All over the plant or only on an isolated section?

Progression of symptoms

• Spreading from top to bottom?
• From the center outward?
• When did the issue first appear?
• How quickly is the plant deteriorating?

Plant history

• Watering, fertilization, pruning
• Pesticides used on the plant or in the surrounding area
• Any unusual events that could have affected the plant (digging, construction, heavy machinery, ice storm, etc.)