According to the University of Wisconsin's Urban Horticulture website, a key plant can mean at least two things. From a horticulturalist's perspective, key plants are those which provide essential aesthetic or functional attributes to your landscape. For example, a prize shade tree that provides cooling shade to your home and garden may be a key plant. Key plants have a different meaning for IPM professionals. For people who maintain landscapes, key plants are those that commonly suffer from pest problems or are routinely under stress and in need of special care. Knowing the key pest-susceptible plants for your area can significantly reduce the time needed to make an IPM inspection. An experienced IPM professional will focus most inspection time on key plants in the landscape. Key pest-prone plants can vary from one region to the next as growing conditions become more or less favorable, or where specific pests may or may not be present. Poor care or improper placement of a plant within the landscape can result in increasing its susceptibility to pest problems, turning it into a key plant.

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