Quiz: What do these common Latin plant names mean?

Periwinkle or Vinca minor

Many gardeners are fascinated by Latin plant names. And it is important – common names can vary by region and country, but Latin names are the same all over the world.

Plus, the Latin name can tell you about the plant, such as where it originated, what shape and colour it is and information about its growing habit.

Plant Latin names are in two parts – the genus and then the species or variety. For example, periwinkle is Vinca (genus) minor (species). You can get additional information too such as Vinca minor variegata – a variety that has variegated leaves.

Knowing some common Latin names can help you determine what a plant will look like. These names can refer to:

• The plant’s appearance, such as purpurea (purple) and pulchra (beautiful).
• The plant’s growing habit, such as pumilis (dwarf) and repens (creeping).
• The plant’s origins, such as japonica (from Japan) or maritimus (coastal growing).

Some plant names come from the botanists that discovered the varieties, such as Buddleja davidii, from Abbé Jean Pierre Armand David (1826-1900).

Here is a handy quiz of common Latin plant names and descriptions – see how many you know!

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