Botanical Nomenclature

It’s all in the name. 

It is easy for gardeners to wonder about the role and reason of plant names. Our plants and seeds are often referred to by a system of two names, a common name and a scientific name. For example, Sweet peas are the common name for Lathyrus odoratus, a fragrant and beautiful annual climber.

Botanic names are an accurate method of classifying and naming plants, so botanists, horticulturalists, the industry and institutions can ensure they are all accurately talking about the same plant. The first name, Lathyrus, refers to the genus of the plant and the second name, odoratus, refers to the species. At the same time, gardeners have a shorthand of common names, such as Sweet pea, to share and appreciate the wonders growing in their garden. 

All plants are classified with a scientific name through a plant naming system known as Botanical Nomenclature. Plant taxonomist work in this field, classifying and name new plants. Like plants, this scientific field is not static, with new research and information coming to light on plant families, genus, and species.

In the last couple of years, Diggers Club favourite, Prevoskia atrplicifolia (commonly known as Russian Sage), has down quite a turn around being botanically named and classified to Salvia yangii. This change is a bit of a garden in-joke as all Sages belong to the Salvia genus, so it has finally returned home to its kin. Russian sage is not the only new classification, with all Rosemary (once Rosmarinus officinalis) now classified as Salvia rosmarinus.

The genus of salvias being, in our bias opinion of the most beautiful and fragrant. Just as we learn and grow our gardens, botany continues to learn and grow with new knowledge and new plants names.