Re: Correct plant names

**"Marge Talt" m*@hort.net**

Something I have never been able to grasp is why the use of botanical
names is such an issue in the US.  Why aren't they used as a matter
of course here as they are in other countries?  Why does it seem to
be the policy of assorted publishers (primarily newsprint and
magazines) to dumb down articles by either omitting the botanical
name or putting it in parentheses after whichever common name they
select for the plant?  I know that one author of a regular column in
the Washington Post was told by his editor NOT to use botanical names
unless there was no other name for the plant.

Anybody have any insight or opinions on this?

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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> From: Nan Sterman <nsterman@plantsoup.com>
> 
I think what is most important is to encourage readers and gardeners 
to use botanical names rather than common names.  I don't care so 
much about the pronunciation as I do about accuracy.

Gardeners often hesitate to use botanical names for fear of 
mispronunciation.  My feeling is, if they emphasize the wrong 
syllable or get the vowels a bit out of order, that is far better 
than using the common name and confusing everyone.  I'd rather they 
try than shy away from the Latin (or Greek or...).   In addition, 
botanical names are such a treasure trove of information about a 
plant's heritage, that it adds another huge dimension to gardening.

In the end, gardeners become more competent plants people, better 
communicators, and feel more confident about their skill if they feel

confident about using botanical names, whether or not they are 
properly pronounced.  Eventually, they will encounter someone who 
will (hopefully gently) correct them.

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