It might seem like too much work, unneccesary and even downright pretentious to call your plants by their botanical name.

But, think about it. Botanical names are very specific. Each name refers to only one plant. Especially when discussing herbs for medicinal or therapeutic use, knowing the botanical name is vital. It is a matter of safety. 

Nicknames for plants are fun, descriptive and for many people easy to remember. They can evoke childhood memories, an admired plant in a friend’s garden or conjure up the picture of the plant in your mind. But, they can cause confusion.

Both the flowers above are known as Bachelor’s Buttons…. confusing, isn’t it?

Learning some of the basics of the binomial system when referring to plants, especially herbs, also gives you very descriptive names, ways to recognize the plant and distinguish it from all others.

All plants, animals, too, are classified by the binomial nomenclature. 

Carolus Linnaeus, who gave us Binomial Nomenclature so people speaking different native languages could communicate their scientific information with less confusion.Picture courtesy of http://linnaeus.nrm.se/botany/fbo/welcome.html.en

Each organism can be uniquely identified by 2 words- the genus and the species. The value of this system is that people who speak in different languages can be sure they are talking about the same plant, for instance, by using the genus and species name in what is now called “modern scientific” Latin. 

Coriandrum sativum is cilantro, coriander, Chinese parsley. As you can see there are several common names for the herb, and by using the botanical name, everyone knows exactly what plant we’re discussing. 

The Genus describes the group to which all the like plants belong. Mentha is the genus to which all true mints belong. Each mint has its unique species name.

Spearmint is Mentha spicata

Peppermint is Mentha x piperata. 

The “x” indicates that this species is a hybrid or cross between two other mints. In the case of peppermint, it is a cross between M. spicata and M. aquatica. When discussing a particular genus, it is common practice to use simply the first letter of the genus so long as it is clear which genus is being referenced. If you see the “x” in a botanical name, seeds from that plant will likely not come true to type. So, beware anyone selling Peppermint Seeds!

Look at this graphic to help you see how the categories narrow down the description to just one plant.

It’s like learning any names. You just learn them.

In many instances the botanical name actually gives you a clue as to the characteristics of the plant itself. 

For example: if you see a plant with the species name “alba”, that means the flower is white. Here is a short list of some other common colors found in the species name of various plants:

There are variations on the above words, but these are some very common ones.

Some of the words used for the species name indicate the shape of the leaf, fragrance or taste, markings or how the plant grows.

Let’s look at a few herb names and see if we can decipher the common name from the Botanical one.

Artemisia vulgaris– OK, this is in the Artemisia genus, and it is known as the common or “vulgar” one. If you guessed “mugwort”, you’re right!

Mentha suaveolens– Mint (Mentha), sweet smelling is Apple Mint.

Lavandula dentata– This lavender (Lavandula) has “dentate” or toothed leaves. It’s also known as French Lavender.

Ulmus rubra- Ulmus is the genus for Elm, and rubra means red or reddish. Slippery Elm does have sort of reddish bark.

Anethum graveolens- Anethum is the genus for Dill, and graveolens refers to its strong fragrance.

Trifolium pratense- This  time the  Genus also tells us about the plant. Trifolium means 3-leaved, pratense is from the meadow. It’s Red Clover!

Picture courtesy of http://www.uwyo.edu/plantsciences/uwplant/forages/legume/red-clover.html

Pronunciation is sometimes an obstacle to feeling comfortable with botanical names.

No one wants to embarrass themselves in front of another. Just remember that the names are not Latin, but rather ‘latinized.’ Most people pronounce latinized words as they speak their own language: just by sounding out the syllables.

When you learn a little bit about the world of the botanical names of plants, you learn a lot about their characteristics, behavior, time of bloom, leaf markings and more. Don’t be afraid of the botanical names of your plants. Learn to read them and know you’re learning more about the herbs and plants we love.