by Lois Scott, Master Gardener

Many years ago, I was encouraged by an expert gardener to learn the botanical names of plants.  The observation was made that gardeners already know many botanical names such as Delphinium, Dahlia, Phlox and Hosta so not to be intimidated by the process. I began to learn the botanical names of the plants in my own garden and find that using them regularly helps me remember them.  There is still a lot to learn!

There are benefits to knowing what the botanical names are versus calling them by a common name.  Botanical plant names are the same world-wide and are written in italics.  Common names can be problematic.  Take for example ‘Snow on the Mountain’.  If you do a web search for that plant name you will find at least two different plants including Ageopodium podograria and Euphorbia marginata.  Both these plants have multiple common names including Snow on the Mountain.  Both these plants have very different habits.  The first is an invasive ground cover also known as Goutweed.  The second is a self-seeding annual.  You may not want either!

Years ago, before the internet I was gifted two books to help with understanding and pronouncing botanical names.  They have been very useful to me.  I still like to look at them but truly the internet is where I turn to first.  If you haven’t already discovered it the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder site is helpful.

It will not only give you valuable plant information but it offers a recorded pronunciation.  For me, my first attempt at pronouncing Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) was fraught with anxiety.  Hearing it pronounced is very helpful!

If you are still with me, thank you!  I am not proposing that one needs to be able to understand or know all the botanical names but it is useful to know that if someone offers you some lilies you know whether you are getting Lilium longiflorum, commonly known as an Easter Lily or Hemerocallis fulva, which we know as daylilies.  For me, getting to know the botanical names for my plants is another useful gardening tool.