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RHS Latin for Gardeners: Over 3000 Plant Names Explained and Explored
Since Latin became the standard language for plant naming in the eighteenth century, it has been intrinsically linked with botany. And while mastery of the classical language may not be a prerequisite for pruning perennials, all gardeners stand to benefit from learning a bit of Latin and its conventions in the field. Without it, they might buy a Hellebores foetidus and be unprepared for its fetid smell, or a Potentilla reptans with the expectation that it will stand straight as a sentinel rather than creep along the ground.
An essential addition to the gardener’s library, this colorful, fully illustrated book details the history of naming plants, provides an overview of Latin naming conventions, and offers guidelines for pronunciation. Readers will learn to identify Latin terms that indicate the provenance of a given plant and provide clues to its color, shape, fragrance, taste, behavior, functions, and more.
Full of expert instruction and practical guidance, Latin for Gardeners will allow novices and green thumbs alike to better appreciate the seemingly esoteric names behind the plants they work with, and to expertly converse with fellow enthusiasts. Soon they will realize that having a basic understanding of Latin before trips to the nursery or botanic garden is like possessing some knowledge of French before traveling to Paris; it enriches the whole experience.
An essential addition to the gardener’s library, this colorful, fully illustrated book details the history of naming plants, provides an overview of Latin naming conventions, and offers guidelines for pronunciation. Readers will learn to identify Latin terms that indicate the provenance of a given plant and provide clues to its color, shape, fragrance, taste, behavior, functions, and more.
Full of expert instruction and practical guidance, Latin for Gardeners will allow novices and green thumbs alike to better appreciate the seemingly esoteric names behind the plants they work with, and to expertly converse with fellow enthusiasts. Soon they will realize that having a basic understanding of Latin before trips to the nursery or botanic garden is like possessing some knowledge of French before traveling to Paris; it enriches the whole experience.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
45 people are currently reading
1475 people want to read
About the author
Royal Horticultural Society
394 books40 followersThe Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861. The Royal Horticultural Society is one of the world’s leading horticultural organizations and the UK's leading gardening charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting gardening.
Vital to the protection of plants, gardens and green spaces for future generations, the RHS helps over two million school children get into gardening and supports more than 1,700 communities to create their own gardens, encouraging people to grow their own food.
The charity also promotes horticulture through world-renowned flowers shows such as the Chelsea Flower Show, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, the Tatton Park Flower Show and the Cardiff Flower Show. These shows exhibit the best in horticulture by providing show gardens, floral marques and expert advice.
In 2004 the society celebrated its bicentenary reflecting all the achievements of the RHS to date.
Vital to the protection of plants, gardens and green spaces for future generations, the RHS helps over two million school children get into gardening and supports more than 1,700 communities to create their own gardens, encouraging people to grow their own food.
The charity also promotes horticulture through world-renowned flowers shows such as the Chelsea Flower Show, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, the Tatton Park Flower Show and the Cardiff Flower Show. These shows exhibit the best in horticulture by providing show gardens, floral marques and expert advice.
In 2004 the society celebrated its bicentenary reflecting all the achievements of the RHS to date.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 2, 2024
I love plants and I love etymology, so this was interesting to me, although a little limited, most likely by my unreasonable expectations. I ended up down many an etymological rabbit hole, set off by what wasn't explained fully enough in this book. For example, the specific name quinquevulnerus is described as meaning "having five wounds". So I set off elsewhere to explore the etymology of the word "vulnerable".
On the whole I enjoyed this as an insight into the poetical, scientific, evocative and titillating world of plant nomenclature, where plant species are described according to any and all features you can possibly imagine, from their size, shape, colour, habit and odour to their effects on humans and other animals, resemblance to body parts and their putative disease-causing and disease-curing effects, to name a small fraction.
A selection of my favourites, for diverse reasons:
Catarractae: of waterfalls, as in Parahebe catarractae
Chrysographes: with gold markings [literally: Golden writing], as in Iris chrysographes
Muscivorous: appearing to eat flies, as in Helicodiceros muscivorous. Reminds me of that weird Everybody loves Raymond episode.
Nictitans: Blinking; moving, as in Chamaecrista nictitans (This plant responds to touch).
Nubigenus: Born up in the clouds, as in Kniphofia nubigena.
Oreophilus: Mountain-loving (not Oreo-loving), as in Sarracenia oreophilus.
Psittacinus: Like a parrot, relating to parrots, as in Vriesea psittacinum
Pulverulentus: Appearing to be covered in dust, as in Primula pulverulenta (Sent me to learn about the etymology of the word "pulverise" and its tentative connection to the word "pollen")
Quamoclit: Old generic name, possibly meaning kidney bean, as in Ipomaea quamoclit. This raises some questions...
Ritro: Probably from the Greek for globe thistle, rhytros, as in Echinops ritro. I just like the way it sounds like a New Zealander saying "retro".
Siphiliticus: Connected with syphilis, as in Lobelia siphiliticus. Curiosity drove me to find out that this plant was considered a cure for syphilis by early European settlers to North America.
Sphaerocephalon: With a round head, as in Allium sphaerocephalon. A Pilkington descriptor.
Tentaculatus: With tentacles, as in Nepenthes tentaculata
Testicularis: Shaped like testicles, as in Argyroderma testicularis. You just have to look up plants with names like this.
Umbrosus: Growing in shade, as in Phlomis umbrosus. Like when you don't get the chance to use that comeback you just thought of, and your brain comes up with more and more ways of insulting someone.
On the whole I enjoyed this as an insight into the poetical, scientific, evocative and titillating world of plant nomenclature, where plant species are described according to any and all features you can possibly imagine, from their size, shape, colour, habit and odour to their effects on humans and other animals, resemblance to body parts and their putative disease-causing and disease-curing effects, to name a small fraction.
A selection of my favourites, for diverse reasons:
Catarractae: of waterfalls, as in Parahebe catarractae
Chrysographes: with gold markings [literally: Golden writing], as in Iris chrysographes
Muscivorous: appearing to eat flies, as in Helicodiceros muscivorous. Reminds me of that weird Everybody loves Raymond episode.
Nictitans: Blinking; moving, as in Chamaecrista nictitans (This plant responds to touch).
Nubigenus: Born up in the clouds, as in Kniphofia nubigena.
Oreophilus: Mountain-loving (not Oreo-loving), as in Sarracenia oreophilus.
Psittacinus: Like a parrot, relating to parrots, as in Vriesea psittacinum
Pulverulentus: Appearing to be covered in dust, as in Primula pulverulenta (Sent me to learn about the etymology of the word "pulverise" and its tentative connection to the word "pollen")
Quamoclit: Old generic name, possibly meaning kidney bean, as in Ipomaea quamoclit. This raises some questions...
Ritro: Probably from the Greek for globe thistle, rhytros, as in Echinops ritro. I just like the way it sounds like a New Zealander saying "retro".
Siphiliticus: Connected with syphilis, as in Lobelia siphiliticus. Curiosity drove me to find out that this plant was considered a cure for syphilis by early European settlers to North America.
Sphaerocephalon: With a round head, as in Allium sphaerocephalon. A Pilkington descriptor.
Tentaculatus: With tentacles, as in Nepenthes tentaculata
Testicularis: Shaped like testicles, as in Argyroderma testicularis. You just have to look up plants with names like this.
Umbrosus: Growing in shade, as in Phlomis umbrosus. Like when you don't get the chance to use that comeback you just thought of, and your brain comes up with more and more ways of insulting someone.
January 9, 2026
This is a beautiful book to hold and to look through. The longer pieces about plants and people who catalogued them are interesting. The illustrations are gorgeous. It even has a bookmark ribbon! Thank you, Sarah, for a wonderful gift ❤️
July 8, 2018
This is a beautiful book with a wonderful feel and superb color illustrations. The book also features of number of plants and botanists with short, informative and interesting articles.
This book is a great starting point for beginning to learn the meaning of some common "Latin" botanical names. My only complaint is that I wish it were more comprehensive.
First, the book only includes species names so at best you will only have half (the epithet) of any particular binomial.
Secondly, even though you would think that having 3,000 plus plant names would answer most of your inquiries, I have found that (at best) I can find the name I am looking for about 40% of the time. As someone who works in the field, this can be a bit frustrating.
Often times this is the case where the epithet is in the form of a dedication as in "leachiana," named for the botanist Lilla Leach.
But this is not always the case. For example, with Pedicularis attollens there is no entry. For this one I could find a wiktonary online entry with the meaning: lifting, elevating, raising.
That being said, I still have found the book useful and I've learned a lot from it. I would love to see another edition from the author, maybe with the title- "Latin for Gardeners II-3,000 more plant names explained and explored."
This book is a great starting point for beginning to learn the meaning of some common "Latin" botanical names. My only complaint is that I wish it were more comprehensive.
First, the book only includes species names so at best you will only have half (the epithet) of any particular binomial.
Secondly, even though you would think that having 3,000 plus plant names would answer most of your inquiries, I have found that (at best) I can find the name I am looking for about 40% of the time. As someone who works in the field, this can be a bit frustrating.
Often times this is the case where the epithet is in the form of a dedication as in "leachiana," named for the botanist Lilla Leach.
But this is not always the case. For example, with Pedicularis attollens there is no entry. For this one I could find a wiktonary online entry with the meaning: lifting, elevating, raising.
That being said, I still have found the book useful and I've learned a lot from it. I would love to see another edition from the author, maybe with the title- "Latin for Gardeners II-3,000 more plant names explained and explored."
September 18, 2017
I learned the proper naming convention for plant labels, Genus (uppercase) and species (lowercase) in italics, followed by common name all in lowercase, e.g. Callicarpa dichotoma purple beautyberry
I found some inconsistencies which detracted from my enjoyment. Here the author explores the genus name: in Greek, Callicarpa means callos, “beauty” and carpos “fruit”, while the species epithet dichotoma means “in forked pairs” (and this was ignored).
I learned that a tomato Solanum lycopersicon is from the Greek lyco "wolf" and persicon "peach" so a tomato is a wolfpeach, but here the genus name Solanum was ignored.
I enjoyed her "Plant Profiles" where Harrison explored certain plants in more detail. I particularly enjoyed her explanation of the Genus Achillea which is named for the Greek warrior Achilles who used yarrow Achillea millefolium to staunch the flow of blood from the wounds of his soldiers. I also liked the stories about the plant hunters. Harrison's "Latin in Action" sections were cute and nicely illustrated but it bugged me that in the explanation of Aconitum napellus monkshood, "like a little turnip, referring to the roots" the illustration does not include the root!
I found some inconsistencies which detracted from my enjoyment. Here the author explores the genus name: in Greek, Callicarpa means callos, “beauty” and carpos “fruit”, while the species epithet dichotoma means “in forked pairs” (and this was ignored).
I learned that a tomato Solanum lycopersicon is from the Greek lyco "wolf" and persicon "peach" so a tomato is a wolfpeach, but here the genus name Solanum was ignored.
I enjoyed her "Plant Profiles" where Harrison explored certain plants in more detail. I particularly enjoyed her explanation of the Genus Achillea which is named for the Greek warrior Achilles who used yarrow Achillea millefolium to staunch the flow of blood from the wounds of his soldiers. I also liked the stories about the plant hunters. Harrison's "Latin in Action" sections were cute and nicely illustrated but it bugged me that in the explanation of Aconitum napellus monkshood, "like a little turnip, referring to the roots" the illustration does not include the root!
July 15, 2020
Good collection of Latin names, though I couldn't find all the specific epithets that I was looking for, even some fairly common ones. I imagine that the illustrations must be wonderful but they wouldn't be much of a joy when reading it on your Kindle. The brief plant-hunter stories are interesting.
December 28, 2024
A Handy and Informative Resource
RHS Latin for Gardeners is an excellent resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of plant names and the fascinating stories behind them. The book provides clear explanations of over 3,000 Latin plant names, making it incredibly useful for both beginners and seasoned gardeners.
The structure is engaging, with themed sections that explore the origins of botanical terms, the history of plant discovery, and even the people behind the names. I particularly appreciated the illustrations and helpful tips for pronunciation, which added to the book’s practicality.
The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is that while the content is rich, it could be a little more interactive or include a more in depth glossary for quick referencing. However, it’s still a valuable addition to any gardener’s library and a must have for those pursuing horticultural studies like myself!
RHS Latin for Gardeners is an excellent resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of plant names and the fascinating stories behind them. The book provides clear explanations of over 3,000 Latin plant names, making it incredibly useful for both beginners and seasoned gardeners.
The structure is engaging, with themed sections that explore the origins of botanical terms, the history of plant discovery, and even the people behind the names. I particularly appreciated the illustrations and helpful tips for pronunciation, which added to the book’s practicality.
The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is that while the content is rich, it could be a little more interactive or include a more in depth glossary for quick referencing. However, it’s still a valuable addition to any gardener’s library and a must have for those pursuing horticultural studies like myself!
February 8, 2022
This book is basically a dictionary of plant names in Latin from A-Z, interrupted frequently by brief sidebars called, "Latin in Action".
What I found best in this book is the "bonus" material of articles called "Plant Hunters" on the botanists that through history, have done so much to reveal the wonder of plants too us, such as Sir Joseph Banks, Carl Linnaeus, John Bartram and Andre Michaux.
This book is a reminder on just how much Latin has shaped the English language.
What I found best in this book is the "bonus" material of articles called "Plant Hunters" on the botanists that through history, have done so much to reveal the wonder of plants too us, such as Sir Joseph Banks, Carl Linnaeus, John Bartram and Andre Michaux.
This book is a reminder on just how much Latin has shaped the English language.
April 7, 2020
Distancing week 4: I can honestly say that was the best Latin dictionary I've ever read.
Excellent reference text. A struggle to read but broken up nicely by example images, features on naming themes, and features on notable botanists.
Excellent reference text. A struggle to read but broken up nicely by example images, features on naming themes, and features on notable botanists.
April 8, 2020
I'm not sure this counts as a book I "read." It's a reference book, mostly. But there is really interesting information on the what the Latin names that are applied to plants actually mean. I highly recommend it for people into herbology.
June 10, 2023
A great way to introduce yourself to Latin if you were ever so inclined. As someone who did take Latin years ago, it's a nice refresher tied to a hobby of mine. While there's interesting tidbits and the like, it is more like a dictionary.
April 18, 2018
Many errors, both in translation and in editing and proofreading. But a good effort.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2018
A good book for passionate gardeners that need the latin names of the plants.
August 16, 2018
Lovely book which almost makes me want to learn the Latin names for plants! Some nice illustrations too.
February 13, 2019
A beautiful book, covering more plant names than you are likely to need and with wonderful pictures and essays that make this more than just a reference book.
December 28, 2025
I appreciated the historical and cultural refrences and the parts about horticulturalists and thier contributions
April 21, 2021
Among the best books in what can be a daunting subject. Harrison presents it in an encyclopedic format for easy reference, but also interjects interesting plant profile pages and illustrated feature articles that dive a bit deeper. Speaking of illustrations, they’re gorgeous, as is the book in general. This one holds a special place on my bookshelf.
January 4, 2022
I am absolutely loving this lovely little hard cover that is packed with information. Excellent as a learning and reference tool. Super happy I've added it to my library.
ps: RHS has their name on the exact same book, but this version is MUCH less expensive.
ps: RHS has their name on the exact same book, but this version is MUCH less expensive.
November 21, 2012
This is a beautiful book filled with gorgeous Victorian style illustrations! It's going to take some time to properly enjoy it, and it's also one that I will keep by my chair to refer to often.
While I don't have a garden spot right now, I am a kitchen herbalist and amateur naturalist. It's important to be exact when using plants in the kitchen and knowing the meanings of the descriptive Latin binomial names is helpful for both herbalist and naturalist.
Aside from the long alphabetical listings of plant names and meanings, I find delightful sidebars that explore some plants in greater detail or that tell of the early botanists and their adventures.
Reference books that are fun to use and a joy to behold are rare - this one will serve me well as a guide for planting that garden I surely have in my future...and entertain me on long winter days while I make my herbal preparations.
While I don't have a garden spot right now, I am a kitchen herbalist and amateur naturalist. It's important to be exact when using plants in the kitchen and knowing the meanings of the descriptive Latin binomial names is helpful for both herbalist and naturalist.
Aside from the long alphabetical listings of plant names and meanings, I find delightful sidebars that explore some plants in greater detail or that tell of the early botanists and their adventures.
Reference books that are fun to use and a joy to behold are rare - this one will serve me well as a guide for planting that garden I surely have in my future...and entertain me on long winter days while I make my herbal preparations.
August 13, 2016
This is a well made book, with beautiful illustrations and belongs on the bookshelf of every serious gardener. Besides the many pages that explain over 3,000 plant names, there are stories of great botanists interspersed. While it is not a book to sit down and read from cover to cover, the pages that highlight different plants or explain different types of plant names make for a nice mix of pleasure reading to go with the reference material.
January 11, 2016
En otroligt tjusig bok om ett nörderiområde som ligger mig fasligt varmt om hjärtat. Jag älskar latin, jag älskar trädgård, det är klart att jag blir förtjust i den här boken. En riktigt fet jäkla fyra!
Utförligare recension på bokpotaten.
Tack till Lind & Co för recex!
Utförligare recension på bokpotaten.
Tack till Lind & Co för recex!
February 14, 2013
As a horticulturalist, I've always loved plants and am familiar with their Latin names. However, I didn't know what the Latin names were based on so this book was fascinating in learning those details. It's a great reference book and the botanical illustrations are gorgeous.
April 15, 2013
Suddenly the Latin names make sense. The scales fell from my eyes, as i had aha moments one after the other. I actually get information from plant names now. Now that plant names are no longer nonsense syllables to memorize, I have no trouble remembering them.
April 23, 2017
This is such a beautiful book, it's a pleasure just to hold it. The illustrations are lovely, and the information is exactly what I've always wanted and needed. Well done!
September 18, 2021
This is a very helpful reference and an interesting read.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews