Horticulture

Horticulture, branch of agriculture concerned with producing fruits, flowers, and vegetables. It can be divided into pomology (growing fruit), olericulture (growing vegetables), and floriculture (growing shrubs and ornamental plants). About 3% of U.S. cropland is devoted to horticulture. It was originally practiced on a small scale, but crops such as the potato and tomato are now often grown in vast fields.