Featured Galleries: The Stories Behind the Names

There are many factors that may be considered when naming a plant: its appearance, its utility, its habitat or simply the person who got to name it! Click through this gallery to learn the stories behind some curious plant names.

Pulmonaria 'Roy Davidson' (Roy Davidson lungwort), flowers and leaves

Aralia spinosa (Devil's Walking Stick), spines

Aquilegia canadensis (Columbine), flower, side

Aquilegia flabellata ‘Nana Alba’ (Dwarf white fan columbine), flowers

Acer xfreemanii 'DTR 102' (AUTUMN FANTASY® Freeman's Maple), leaf, fall

Hamamelis 'Brevipetala' (Brevipetala Witch-hazel), flower, full

Sedum ternatum Michx. (whorled stonecrop), succulent ground cover, flowers and foliage

Paeonia hybrid (peony), flower

Gentiana 'True Blue' PP 20433 (True Blue Gentian, PP20433), flower, side

Hypericum kalmianum ‘Gemo’ (Gemo Kalm’s St. John’s wort), flowers

Humulus lupulus 'Aureus' (common hop)

Phlox 'Flamelight Pink' (Flamelight Pink Phlox), flower

28 more

Ranunculus aquatilis var. diffusus With. (threadleaf crowfoot), growth habit

Centaurea jacea L. (Brownray knapweed), close-up of flower

Robinia pseudoacacia L. (black locust), inflorescence

Chrysanthemum 'Sandy Bronze' (Sandy Bronze Chrysanthemum), habit

Geranium macrorrhizum 'Bevan's Variety' (Bevan's Big-rooted Geranium), flower, full

Betula papyrifera (paper birch), bark

Linaria vulgaris Mill. (butter and eggs), growth habit

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Bailmer’ (big-leaved hydrangea – ENDLESS SUMMER®), close-up of flowers

Symplocarpus foetidus (L.) W. Salisb. (skunk-cabbage), inflorescence

Cornus florida L. (flowering dogwood), tree form in full bloom

Opuntia fragilis (Nutt.) Haw. (little prickly-pear), paddle leaves with spines and yellow flower

Agrostemma githago L. (common corncockle), flower

Ailanthus altissima (Tree Of Heaven), infructescence

Dianthus (Pink), inflorescence

Daisies in a Field of Grasses

Helleborus orientalis Lam. (Lenten-rose), flower and leaves

Daucus carota (Wild Carrot), inflorescence

Physostegia virginiana (L.) Benth. (obedient plant), close-up of flowers

Verbascum thapsus L. (common mullein), close-up of flower

Galium aparine (Annual Bedstraw), bark, stem

Beech Tree with Shiny Bark

Eutrochium purpureum (Purple Joe Pye Weed), inflorecence

Ilex opaca ‘Old Heavy Berry’ (Old Heavy Berry American holly), fruit and leaves

Bergenia ‘Cabernet’ (Cabernet pigsqueak), growth habit

Taraxacum officinale (Common Dandelion), flower, full

Anemone × hybrida 'Whirlwind' (Whirlwind Japanese Anemone), flower, throat

Agave utahensis Engelm. var. kaibabensis (Breitung Kaibab agave), leaves

Agave utahensis Engelm. var. kaibabensis (Breitung Kaibab agave), leaves