Deciphering Botanical Names

Prunus serrulata “Ukon” - serrulata referring to the serrated leaf margins, ukon a Japanese word for turmeric implying yellowish colour to the flowers.

Mention botanical plant names and many gardeners are likely to glaze over. Though they can be difficult to read and even more difficult to pronounce, they are in fact treasures of information about the plant that wears the name and worth learning.

Common names are endlessly confusing often applying to many varied species. A plant may also have multiple common names. For example, butterfly bush can refer to Buddleia and Gaura, two very different plants, and Buddleia is commonly known as both butterfly bush and summer lilac.

In contrast, botanical names are specifically applied to one species and consistent across the globe, taking confusion and ambiguity out of the equation.

Plant names are comprised of the genus (the generic name which is always capitalised), followed by the species (the specific name, lowercase), then occasionally a cultivar name. Let's consider the red maple (common name), Acer rubrum “Autumn Blaze”. The genus for the maple is Acer, and many species exist within the Acer genus. Acer rubrum (rubrum being the species) is commonly known as the red maple. Rubrum, meaning red, gives us a colour clue about a defining feature of this plant, also captured in the cultivar name, “Autumn Blaze”.

Most botanical names have latin or greek origins, and the words used can give helpful insight into the characteristics of the plant. Here are some words that are commonly used as species names, along with their meanings. More detailed descriptions can be found in a great book written by James Armitage, Practical Latin for Gardeners. It’s a handy reference to add to the bookshelf!

alba, albus - white

purpurea - purple

rubra, rubrum - red

cinerea, cinereus - ash or silver

rosea, roseum - rose coloured

versicolour, varigata - various/varigated colour

arborescens - tree like

fastigiatus, fastigiata - erect, upright

floribunda - many flowers

odora, odorata - fragrant

repens, reptans - creeping

contortus - twists, contorted

columnaris - column shaped

horizontalis - horizontal

prostratus, prostrata - horizontal, flat

grandiflora - large flowers

umbellatus - with umbel flowers

giganteus - large

stellata - star

serrata - serrated

dentata, dentatus - toothlike

hirtus, hirtellus - hairy

horridus - prickly

tomentosa - woolly

foetida - foul smelling

dulcis - sweet

edulis - edible

melliferus - producing honey

fragrans, fragrantissima - fragrant

australis - southern (not only Australia)