Pronunciation of Plant Names

Dawn
Cannot say I have ever come across a book,but because of my interest in in alpines from an early age I learnt the Latin names and the pronunciation from mixing with a a number of growers and academics mostly they were in teaching and the medical profession this improved my secondary education no end ,My problem came when people refereed to the likes of Granny's Bonnet and had to ask my Dad what it was.lol

Hi Brian, that was a really good experience for you, yes I was thinking I need to mix with knowledgeable gardeners more but I don't get out much.

Forget the audio, the Americans can't even pronounce Tomato as we Brits would. Can the Latin phonetic spelling be americanised? The examples given look ok. What about Molly the Witch.... Paeony mlokosewitshii?

There is a booklet you can get, its available on Amazon, so much easier to get hold of now - its called Plant Names Simplified, Their Pronunciation, Derivation and Meaning by A. T. Johnson and H. A. Smith - its an A5 black covered book. It doesn't have lots of the more recent, altered names though, because its not been updated, but it gives you the meaning of the names as well as how to pronounce them. Link below although I'm fairly sure its available as a PDF these days, but in case you want to order a copy

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plant-Names-Simplified-Pronunciation-Derivation/dp/1905523823

I've got a book called 'Dictionary of Plant Names'. It's only a small book and I found it in a second hand shop, but it gives the meanings of the Latin names and also their pronunciation.
Maybe a library might be able to suggest a similar book that you could borrow, or even get on line ...

Thank you so much Bamboo, I will get that :-)
Hi Siris, I didn't fancy taking the chance of learning the names and them pronouncing them in an American accent (no offence Bathgate), lol yes Tamato!

Hi Hywel, that's an interesting book, I might be able to get secondhand online, thanks

I should have said I've had mine for years because it was part of the compulsory study materials for my horticultural studies years ago.

Dawn, the book I've got is by Allen J Coombes but there are probably others. Good luck ! :)

Bamboo I've got books on plants, especially cacti, that I bought in the 60s lol and from when I did Botany for A level. I won't get rid of them. I find them more interesting than any novels :)

That's funny Hywel... I've still got my enormously expensive hard back text books on The Nature and Properties of Soil (and a more tedious read it'd be hard to find, but it can be useful at times) and one on Botany, but the only one I've regularly referred to has been the Plant Names Simplified, although not for some time, to be fair, but I won't bin it, that's for sure.

Hywel, Bamboo, both of your suggested books are available from Amazon, thank you so much, they will keep me occupied over winter :-)

That's good Dawn :)

Good to know that Bamboo :)

PM'd you Dawn. Will lend you mine when i hear from you

Thanks Sue, I've pm'd you :)

There is a good book called RHS Latin for Gardeners : More than 1,500 Essential Plant Names and the Secrets They Contain, you can get it for £12.99 from The Book Depository.
https://www.bookdepository.com/RHS-Latin-for-Gardeners-Royal-Horticultural-Society/9781845337315?

This reminds me of when I was planning my first garden & off I went to the PC & asked if they had a Cotton Easter plant, the man scratched his head & then said 'do you mean cotoneaster' - boy, did my face turn red, lol

Hi GreenF, I've pronounced incorrectly too at the garden centre then after a few embarrassments, I've shown them the name written on a piece of paper. Does your book show the pronunciation too?

Relax everybody - there is no "correct pronunciation" for the scientific names of plants, which are not always derived from Latin. The easiest way to tackle it is to break down the word into syllables and then say each one with equal emphasis, but it really doesn't matter as long as you can make yourself understood.

I agree with Landgirl - but it depends what kind of person you are, I think. I mostly like to know how to pronounce things properly, just out of curiosity, though there's no guarantee I'll remember! But so long as whoever you're talking to understands which plant you mean, that's all that counts really. And I've lost count of the times I've heard people say cotton easter - but you know what they mean!

But, yes, in my early days of gardening, I took a written list to the garden centre and handed it to them rather than attempting to say all the names - some of them are particularly daunting! Names like 'clematis' are easy, although I seem to recall there's a proper way to pronounce that, with the stresses in the right place, but who cares, really, its the more complicated, lengthy names that make a book like Plant Names Simplified very useful indeed.

Even so, they're not all in there - Zamioculcas zamiifolia isn't, for instance; even people in the trade call that the ZZ plant... though I don't think its that difficult to actually say, so long as you remember how its spelt, but what a mouthful...

Yes it does, Dawn. It has 240 pgs, 3000 plant names, includes many illustrations & other info too.

Hi Dawn! It tickled my funny bone that you could not use the one site as it was in "American"... lol... Here in Canada we have the same quandary, and it extends beyond plant taxonomy!
In the Queen's English...the RHS should be your best source, right?
just had a quick look at the comments above and have had the same feeling of needing a translator at the GC. Greenfings... your Cotten Easter...bit me too! If someone gets too contentious just tell them to consult the encyclopedia... whoops, that's American spelling, isn't it?

Thanks GreenF, I will maybe treat myself to that book too.
Hi Lori, haha I had the fear of my plant pronunciation having an American accent which wouldn't mix well with my South Derbyshire accent, I can assure you.

yes, it is Lori - but there's a slow creep of American spelling in written English these days...

I only remember if a name ends with ' ii ' it is pronounced
' e i ' . If you get that right you will be well on the way.

I think it helps if you know what the name means or who it was named after. I find that more interesting really than getting the pronunciation perfect. I don't know if all the pronunciation books tell you that but mine does. I was charmed years ago to find that fuchsias were named after Leonard Fuchs....

So guys, 'Plant Names Simplified' has arrived, it's fantastic, just what I needed, thank you so much for your help. It's basically a plant dictionary isn't it, very useful and interesting, like you say Stera, good to see how the names derived, that's my winter read sorted :-)

I don't think anyone will mind how you pronounce the Latin names, Dawn. It's great that there is a common "language" any gardener can understand. It's interesting finding word derivations also.

I studied Latin on line (with Americans) for five years, just for fun, and am still an honorary member of the on-going classes. Never had to listen to an American accent and they did not have to listen to mine!

Wonder what Caesar would make of Church Latin and/or "pig" Latin?

Hi Eirlys, it's more self gratification for me. Wow your online study of Latin sounds great.

Lol Eirlys - he certainly would struggle to know what people were talking about!

Dawn even gardeners pronounce latin names differently....depending on which school you went to......I always found it easier to remember a plant by its latin name than its common name....but the majority of people that visit open gardens are not bothered, always useful to keep the encyclopedia of garden plants available!!
As long as you have a good selection of cakes available, the majority of visitors, won't be bothered......believe me..unless its Siris!!
I asked Alexa but she is still learning, and admitted she might not have it quite right lol!!

Lol Alexa. Thanks Dotty, I think in my case it's actually remembering the plant name as well as pronouncing the name adequately.
I remember years ago reading one of Spritz blogs about opening and she said the NGS reps expect you to know all plant names. So lots of lovely cake and tea is the way to go, thank you

So much for my education! My husband knows most of the Latin names of plants, whereas I only know the common names for them.

Well, Granny's (Black) Bonnet is a much prettier name than Aquilegia vulgaris stellate.

Yes Eirlys, I have to agree!

Dawn you will be fine.......dont worry about it, the majority of people who visit are really lovely, and just want to sit in a beautiful garden and enjoy the view, and a large slice of cake !!

Thanks Dotty