07/03/2026
Why do plant tags use names that seem impossible to pronounce? 🧐
They’re there to make sure you’re buying the exact plant you think you are.
The Science: Scientific names give every plant a single, internationally recognized identity, allowing gardeners, growers, and researchers around the world to identify, study, and care for the exact same plant with confidence.
Common names can change from town to town, and sometimes completely different plants share the same common name. Scientific names eliminate that confusion.
They’re also surprisingly descriptive.
Many scientific names tell you something about the plant’s appearance, growth habit, origin, or another defining characteristic. For example, Acer palmatum is the scientific name for the Japanese maple. Acer means maple, while palmatum comes from the Latin word for “hand,” referring to leaves that are typically divided into 5–7 pointed lobes, resembling the fingers of an open hand.
Once you understand how scientific names work, plant labels become much more than identification tags, they become a window into the plant itself.
The more you understand what a plant is telling you, the more confident you’ll become when choosing, planting, and caring for it.
We’ll help you plant with purpose.