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100+ Free NALP Horticultural Tech Practice Questions

Pass your NALP Landscape Industry Certified Horticultural Technician (LICHT) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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Key Facts: NALP Horticultural Tech Exam

2 sections

Written + Plant ID Accreditation

NALP LICHT certification page

70%

Passing Score per Section

NALP LICHT certification page

$1,150

Full Exam Fee

NALP LICHT certification page

$115

Per-Section Retake Fee

NALP LICHT certification page

12 months

Enrollment Window

NALP LICHT certification page

Online

ProctorU Online Proctored Delivery

NALP LICHT certification page

As of 2026-05-13, the NALP LICHT credential is delivered as a self-study program with a written exam and a separate plant identification accreditation, completed online through ProctorU within a 12-month enrollment window. Candidates need 70% or higher on each section, the published full exam fee is $1,150 with $115 per-section retakes, and NALP does not publish a combined official question count or strict time limit.

Sample NALP Horticultural Tech Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your NALP Horticultural Tech exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which botanical name refers to the red maple commonly used as a landscape shade tree?
A.Acer rubrum
B.Acer saccharum
C.Acer palmatum
D.Acer negundo
Explanation: Acer rubrum is the red maple, named for its red flowers, red fruit, red leaf petioles, and outstanding red fall color. It is one of the most widely planted shade trees in the eastern United States and is a common plant ID item on the NALP horticultural exam.
2A landscape technician identifies a needled evergreen with flat, soft needles arranged in two rows on the twig and small woody cones with three-pointed bracts. Which genus is most likely?
A.Pinus
B.Picea
C.Pseudotsuga
D.Juniperus
Explanation: Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir) has soft, flat needles arranged spirally but appearing two-ranked, and its cones have distinctive three-pointed bracts that look like a mouse's tail and back legs sticking out between the scales.
3Which shrub is identified by opposite, simple leaves, flat-topped corymbs of white flowers in spring, and bright red berries in the fall?
A.Viburnum opulus
B.Forsythia x intermedia
C.Spiraea japonica
D.Buxus sempervirens
Explanation: Viburnum opulus (European cranberrybush viburnum) has opposite, three-lobed leaves resembling a maple, flat-topped lacecap or snowball flower clusters, and bright red, persistent fruit. Opposite leaf arrangement helps separate viburnums from look-alikes.
4Quercus alba is the botanical name for which landscape tree?
A.Pin oak
B.Northern red oak
C.White oak
D.Live oak
Explanation: Quercus alba is the white oak, recognized by leaves with rounded lobes, light gray scaly bark, and acorns that mature in a single season. It is a foundational native shade tree on most temperate-zone plant ID lists.
5Which ornamental grass is a warm-season clumping species commonly used in landscape designs with feathery fall plumes?
A.Festuca glauca
B.Miscanthus sinensis
C.Lolium perenne
D.Poa pratensis
Explanation: Miscanthus sinensis (maiden grass) is a warm-season ornamental clumping grass with arching foliage and showy silvery to pink plumes in late summer and fall. It is widely used as a vertical accent in mixed perennial borders.
6Hosta plants in a landscape are best classified as which type of plant?
A.Annual
B.Herbaceous perennial
C.Deciduous shrub
D.Broadleaf evergreen
Explanation: Hostas are herbaceous perennials that die back to the ground each winter and regrow from underground rhizomes in spring. They are popular shade-tolerant perennials for landscape borders.
7Which broadleaf evergreen shrub has alternate, glossy, dark green leaves and produces showy panicles of red fruit in fall and winter?
A.Ilex opaca
B.Photinia x fraseri
C.Rhododendron catawbiense
D.Pieris japonica
Explanation: Photinia x fraseri (red tip photinia) is a broadleaf evergreen with bright red new growth that matures to glossy dark green, and it produces clusters of small white flowers followed by red fruit in some climates. It is a common screening shrub in mild climates.
8Which botanical name is the eastern redbud, a common small flowering landscape tree?
A.Cornus florida
B.Cercis canadensis
C.Malus floribunda
D.Prunus serrulata
Explanation: Cercis canadensis (eastern redbud) is a small, multi-stemmed deciduous tree with heart-shaped leaves and pink-purple, pea-like flowers that emerge directly on bare branches in early spring. It is a staple specimen tree of NALP plant ID lists.
9Which conifer holds its needles in fascicles of five?
A.Pinus strobus
B.Pinus nigra
C.Pinus sylvestris
D.Pinus thunbergii
Explanation: Pinus strobus (eastern white pine) bears soft, blue-green needles in bundles of five, which is a defining ID feature. Most other common landscape pines, including Austrian, Scots, and Japanese black pine, have needles in bundles of two.
10An evergreen ground-hugging conifer with scale-like leaves and blue, berry-like cones is most likely:
A.Taxus baccata
B.Juniperus horizontalis
C.Buxus microphylla
D.Ilex crenata
Explanation: Juniperus horizontalis (creeping juniper) is a low, spreading evergreen ground cover with scale-like or short awl-like leaves and small blue, berry-like cones. It is widely used for slopes, foundation edges, and erosion control.

About the NALP Horticultural Tech Exam

The NALP Landscape Industry Certified Horticultural Technician (LICHT) is a national credential for working ornamental and tree-and-shrub care technicians. It validates competence in plant identification, soils and fertility, fertilizer and pesticide calibration, woody-ornamental insect and disease diagnostics, pesticide safety, and the design of plant healthcare programs.

Assessment

Two sections: a written exam covering plant physiology, soils, plant establishment, fertilizers, calibration, fertilization awareness factors, plant healthcare management, property mapping, plant healthcare programs for woody ornamentals, insects and pests, woody ornamental diseases, physiological problems, chemical injury, diagnostic outline, pesticide delivery methods, safety in tree and shrub spraying, and pesticide programs; plus a separate plant identification accreditation exam.

Time Limit

Not officially published; the full credential must be completed within a 12-month enrollment window

Passing Score

70%+ on each of two sections (written exam and plant ID accreditation)

Exam Fee

$1,150 full exam; $115 per-section retake (National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) via ProctorU online proctoring)

NALP Horticultural Tech Exam Content Outline

Plant ID accreditation section

Plant Identification

Deciduous and evergreen trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses, perennials, and ground covers by botanical and common name.

Written exam content area

Soils, Plant Establishment, and Fertilization

Soil texture, pH, CEC, fertilizer label math, slow-release nutrients, root flare depth, mulching, and proper transplant practice.

Written exam content area

Measurement, Calibration, and Application

Area math, sprayer and spreader calibration, drift control, mixing math, and label-rate compliance.

Written exam content area

Insects, Diseases, and Diagnostics

Sucking, chewing, and boring insect pests, mite outbreaks, fungal and bacterial diseases of woody ornamentals, and the standard diagnostic outline.

Written exam content area

Pesticides and Safety

FIFRA label law, signal words, REI and PPE, mixing and storage, spill response, SDS use, and resistance management.

Written exam content area

Plant Healthcare Programs, Physiology, and Pruning

Photosynthesis and transpiration, vascular function, apical dominance, three-cut pruning, branch collar protection, PHC program design, GDD scouting, and recordkeeping.

How to Pass the NALP Horticultural Tech Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 70%+ on each of two sections (written exam and plant ID accreditation)
  • Assessment: Two sections: a written exam covering plant physiology, soils, plant establishment, fertilizers, calibration, fertilization awareness factors, plant healthcare management, property mapping, plant healthcare programs for woody ornamentals, insects and pests, woody ornamental diseases, physiological problems, chemical injury, diagnostic outline, pesticide delivery methods, safety in tree and shrub spraying, and pesticide programs; plus a separate plant identification accreditation exam.
  • Time limit: Not officially published; the full credential must be completed within a 12-month enrollment window
  • Exam fee: $1,150 full exam; $115 per-section retake

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

NALP Horticultural Tech Study Tips from Top Performers

1Drill plant identification daily because it is its own pass/fail section and requires consistent visual recall.
2Use botanical and common names together so the same plant is recognizable on either format of question.
3Memorize the standard fertilizer math: pounds of product equals desired pounds of actual N divided by the percent N in decimal form.
4Practice the sprayer calibration formula GPA = (GPM x 5,940) / (MPH x W) until you can plug values in quickly under pressure.
5Build a quick mental diagnostic outline (identify plant, gather site history, compare to healthy plants, then assign cause) before guessing on disorder questions.
6Connect insect and disease management to IPM action thresholds rather than calendar sprays, because the exam emphasizes integrated decision making.
7Learn the three-cut pruning method and the role of the branch collar; pruning questions are commonly missed by candidates who topped trees in the field.
8Keep a one-page review sheet of FIFRA basics: label as law, signal words (Caution, Warning, Danger), REI, PPE, and storage rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the NALP Horticultural Technician exam structured?

The LICHT credential has two parts: a written exam covering plant physiology, soils, fertilization, calibration, diagnostics, pesticide safety, and plant healthcare programs, plus a separate plant identification accreditation. Both are delivered online through ProctorU and must be passed at 70% or higher.

What is the passing score?

Candidates need 70% or higher on each of the two sections (written exam and plant ID accreditation). Each section is scored separately, so weakness in one is not offset by strength in the other.

How much does the NALP Horticultural Technician exam cost?

The full LICHT exam fee is $1,150, which covers both the written and plant identification sections. Per-section retakes are listed at $115 each through NALP.

How long do I have to complete the exam?

NALP does not publish a strict per-section time limit. Candidates have a 12-month enrollment window from the date of enrollment to complete both sections through ProctorU.

Is the exam in person or online?

The current delivery method is online proctored testing through ProctorU. Candidates take both sections from a compliant computer setup that meets ProctorU's identity verification and exam-environment requirements.

What content is covered on the written exam?

The published content list includes plant physiology, plant identification, soils, plant establishment, fertilizers, measuring property and fertilizer placement, calibration, fertilization awareness factors, plant healthcare management, property mapping, plant healthcare programs for woody ornamentals, insects and pests, woody ornamental diseases, physiological problems, chemical injury, diagnostic outline, pesticide delivery methods, safety in tree and shrub spraying, and pesticide programs.

Does NALP publish an official pass rate?

NALP does not publish a public first-time pass rate for the LICHT exam. Industry trade press and certified-technician employer pages discuss preparation expectations but not formal pass-rate statistics.