Forum home Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

learning names

135

Posts

  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    I think maybe you are stressing a bit too much about absorbing information that you won’t need. Many plants are labelled with the information you need and if you are interested in the subject you will find it stays in your mind more easily. Concentrate for now on learning a few basic facts about the most commonly sold plants, using the methods others have described and try not to worry about the meaning of Latin names that I doubt you will be questioned about. 
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Your manager has high expectations. I was taught latin at school (a long time ago!) and I still don't know what all the latin names of plants mean. When I'm in a garden centre, the thing I'm most likely to ask the staff is Have you got......, followed by Where is....... . So if you're working in a garden centre, it's probably most useful to know what's in stock and whereabouts it is (and that might involve knowing whether it's a tree, a shrub, a perennial, an alpine etc depending on how things are organsed there) rather than everything about every plant.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • delskidelski Posts: 274
    Ashley, is it possible that your line manager is deliberately trying to wind you up? Or bullying you?
  • ashley13ashley13 Posts: 162
    No, why?
  • delskidelski Posts: 274
    I am a cynical person who believes the worst in others.
  • ashley13ashley13 Posts: 162
    My line manager has messaged me saying,  Have a look at a retail website like Burncoose or Primrose. They sell plants and usually include the full botanical name.  I found Aster Frikartii but i can't find the meaning.  Where can i look to find meanings of plant names?
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    I still cannot understand why you need to know the meaning of plant names.
    For the buying public we just want the name of the plant and where best to plant it which is usually found on the planting label.
    Learn the latin name and what the plant looks like is enough please don't keep trying to do more as you do get stressed over it and it's unnessary.
  • ashley13ashley13 Posts: 162
    i asked my line manager why, she said  If you learn a full plant name, it tells you something about it.
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    ..that is true actually and I think it's good to have some understanding of plant nomenclature..
    You asked about Aster frikartii... a simple google search reveals everything, but I also have books which help... after the genus name [Aster] which is part of the Asteraceae family, you have the latinized name of either the breeder of the plant, the finder or the introducer..
    ..so frikartii in this case refers to Carl Ludwig Frikart, a Swiss Aster breeder.. he introduced several Asters which named after mountains.. the one you are most likely to see sold is Aster frikartii 'Monch' or Aster frikartii 'Wunder von Stafa'..  the two 'ii' 's latinize Mr Frikart's name..

    Roses, are in the Rosaceae family of plants..
    ..one example of a latinized rose cultivar name is 'Blairii No. 2'... named for the breeder a Mr Blair of Stamford Hill, London back in the 1840's... he also bred a no.1 and a no. 3..

    ..that help you at all?>..

    East Anglia, England
  • ashley13ashley13 Posts: 162
    yes thank you,  what books give the meanings please?  How do you know by searching google that it refers to that plant?   I get all sorts, aster meaning is star, aster is greek and refers to love.   Frikart was an explorer, so it's wrong.  How do you get correct information ?
Sign In or Register to comment.