Scientific or botanical names are a universal system used to refer to plants (and other organisms). This binomial naming system was created in the 1700s by Carolus Linnaeus and often uses Latin or Latinized words.
Once you know a little Latin, scientific plant names can tell you much about the plants themselves.
The genus name is usually a noun. Acer is a maple, Mentha is a mint, etc. The species name is commonly an adjective describing that member of the genus.
The species name can tell you the color of the flower (rubra means red), where it originates (japonica means Japan), or its form or habit (pendula means weeping), among other things. Sometimes, the combination of two Latin words makes up a specific epithet like grandi (meaning large) and flora (meaning flower). Therefore, Magnolia grandiflora is a large flowering Magnolia.
The Meaning of Commonly Used Latin Names
| Latin Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| alba | White |
| alpinus | Alpine |
| amur | Amur River - Asia |
| anthos | Flower |
| ater | Black |
| aurea | Chartreuse |
| azur | Blue |
| brevi | Short |
| caeruleus | Blue |
| canadensis | Canada or the northeastern United States |
| chinensis | China |
| chrysus | Yellow |
| coccineus | Scarlet |
| contorta | Twisted, contorted |
| ebenus | Ebony |
| eburneus | Ivory |
| edulis | edible |
| erythro | Red |
| ferrugineus | Rusty |
| fili | Threadlike |
| flava | Yellow |
| flora | Flower |
| folius | Foliage |
| gala | Milky |
| globosa | Rounded |
| gracilis | Graceful |
| grandi | Large |
| grandiflora | Large flowers |
| grandifolia | Large leaves |
| haema | Blood red |
| hetero | Diverse |
| japonica | Japan |
| lacteus | Milky |
| laevis | Smooth |
| lepto | Slender |
| leuc | White |
| lividus | Blue-gray |
| luridus | Pale yellow |
| luteus | Yellow |
| macro | Large |
| macrophylla | Big leaves |
| maculata | Spotted |
| magnus | Large |
| maritima | Sea side |
| medio | Intermediate |
| mega | Big |
| micro | Small |
| mono | Single |
| montana | Mountains |
| multi | Many |
| nana | Dwarf |
| nigra | Black/dark |
| occidentalis | West - North America |
| odorata | scented flowers |
| officinalis | sold as an herb |
| orientalis | East - Asia |
| paniculata | Flowers in panicles |
| pendula | Weeping, Hanging |
| phyllos | Leaf/Foliage |
| platy | Flat/Broad |
| poly | Many |
| prostrata | Creeping |
| pubescens | Hairy |
| pumila | Dwarf |
| puniceus | Red-purple |
| purpureus | Purple |
| racemosa | Flowers in racemes |
| reptans | Creeping |
| rosea | Rose |
| rubra | Red |
| rugosa | Wrinkled |
| sanguinea | Bloody or red |
| scandens | Climbing |
| sempervirens | Evergreen |
| sibirica | Siberia |
| spicata | Flowers on spikes |
| stricta | Upright |
| sulphureus | Yellow |
| sylvestris | Woodland |
| tomentosa | Wooly, Downy |
| virens | Green |
| virginiana | Virginia |
| vulgaris | Common |
More Information
- All About Scientific Names
- How to Pronounce Scientific Names
- Glossary of Garden Terms
- A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin, Missouri Botanical Gardens
Photo credits: 1: Aaron Steil