Why are botanical names important

At the time, Latin was a standard part of education throughout Europe. So when Linnaeus introduced the idea of standardized two-word names, he kept up the Latin theme. As it turned out, his idea was a hit. But what does all this have to do with you?

Knowing at least a little bit about how botanical names work can help you become a better and more informed gardener. We get this one a lot here at Sky. We wish we could give you a straightforward answer. Do you mean the popular perennial with white flowers Shasta daisy, Leucanthemum , the showy summer annual with brightly-colored flowers African daisies, Osteospermum , or maybe another plant with a similar flower shape like ice plants Delosperma?

Common names may be evocative and easy to remember, and they work fine for some plants and audiences. Appropriate care for the annual geraniums Pelargonium genus that are popular in summer containers is very different from that for the perennial geraniums that make excellent hardy ground covers Geranium genus.

Learning the botanical names of your plants will ensure that you can look up accurate information. Learn something new about your plants If nothing else, knowing the botanical name of your plant might tell you something about its relationships to other plants. But you might learn something else too. Many botanical names are meant to describe something about the plant.

In other cases, it might be useful additional information. Of course, common names are often descriptive too. Cow Killers? Cow Ants? The common name of an insect will likely depend on where you live—or where you grew up! Red Velvet Ants or the common name of your choice are a typical example. To add to the confusion, this insect is a wasp despite the inference of its common name!

Regardless which continent you live on or what language you speak, if you include the scientific name of Dasymutilla occidentalis Linnaeus for the insect pictured to the left, then everyone scientists and home gardeners alike would understand which insect you are referencing.

Yet, most folks already have a grounding in scientific names and yet not know it. These terms refer to two important bacterial pathogens Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp.

If you are familiar with rhododendrons, then its scientific name Rhododendron will likewise be familiar. Most gardeners are familiar with asters and thus they would be at ease with the genus that many—but not all—asters are classified within Aster. There many, many examples of common names being identical or very similar to the genus name or species name. The point at hand is that scientific names serve a valuable function and they should not instill negative perceptions.

Every recognized species on earth at least in theory is given a two-part scientific name. This system is called "binomial nomenclature. Herb Kirchhoff has more than three decades of hands-on experience as an avid garden hobbyist and home handyman.

Since retiring from the news business in , Kirchhoff takes care of a acre rural Michigan lakefront property and applies his experience to his vegetable and flower gardens and home repair and renovation projects. By Herb Kirchhoff. Related Articles. Is Loropetalum Poisonous? Uniqueness The botanical name is unique to a specific plant.

Key to Information The botanical name of a plant is the key to finding everything known about that plant and its cultivation. Rules for Naming The 18th century Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus created the Latin binomial system for classifying plants in You may also like. Share via. Copy Link. Powered by Social Snap. Copy link.