Importance of Botanical Plant Names

Botanical names make smart shoppers.

A mum by any other name -- be it Dendranthema, Tanacetum or Leucanthemum -- is still a chrysanthemum, hardy from U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 3 through zone 8 depending on species. Botanical names can be a confusing mixture of Latin, Greek and forgotten botanist’s names, but there are several reasons not only to pay attention to botanical names but also to learn how to use them. Does this Spark an idea?

Communication

Botanical names provide a common language for scientists in different countries as well as for gardeners in different states. A German might know a daffodil as an Osterglocke, a Frenchman might call it a jonquille, but all would recognize it as a Narcissus species, hardy from USDA zone 3 through 10. Botanical names, like the Latin and Greek used to concoct them, provide a common code for communication. When buying plants, use botanical names to confirm that the plant you want is the plant you’re buying.

Description

Simple botanical names consist of two or three words. The first word, always capitalized, is the name of the genus to which the plant belongs. The words that follow describe species and cultivars. Acer rubrum is a red maple, hardy from USDA zone 4 through zone 9, and Lilium speciosum rubrum is a red-species lily, hardy from USDA zone 3 through zone 9. Hydrangea macrophylla, hardy from USDA zone 6 through zone 9, is a hydrangea with big leaves. Hosta fortunei var. aureomarginata, hardy from USDA zone 3 through 9, is a bushy hosta variety with light golden margins on its leaves.

Origins

As descriptive as common names can be, their botanical names can give useful background on a potential garden guest. The South African Transvaal daisy (Gerbera jamesonii), also called Transvaal daisy, is hardy from USDA zone 8 through 10. It was named for German botanist Traugott Gerber and its 19th-century discoverer, British botanist Robert Jameson. Botanical names can also give clues to the origin of a plant or its natural hardiness. Achillea sibirica, hardy from USDA zone 3 through zone 9, and Geranium sibiricum, hardy from USDA zone 3 through 8, are yarrow and cranesbill, hardy to USDA zone 3 and named for Siberia.

Common Names

Botanical names help describe specific plants but also clear up the confusion of common names given to multiple plants. A few of the names for Abies concolor, hardy from USDA zone 3 through zone 7, are balsam fir, Colorado fir, white balsam and oyamel de California. Common names, although similar, may apply to very different plants. A spider lily, for example, does not appear in a list of genus Lilium species, hardy from USDA zone 2 through 9, depending on species. You will find the spider lily listed as Hymenocallis latifolia, hardy from USDA zone 10 through 11; Crinum x amabile, hardy from USDA zone 8 through 11; and Lycoris spp., hardy from USDA zone 7 through 11, depending on species. Learn the botanical name to avoid common-name confusion.

References

• Royal Horticultural Society: The Naming of Plants
• Wisconsin Master Gardener: What's in a Name? Understanding Botanical or Latin Names
• The Florida Gardener: Botanical Plant Names: Why They Are Used and Why You Should Learn Them
• University of Connecticut Database: Common Names
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: California-Northern Recommended
• North Carolina State University Extension: Plant Fact Sheets
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Plant Finder

Resources

• J.L.Hudson Seeds: How Pronounce Botanical Names