What's in a name? A whole lot when it comes to flowers. The common name of a flower can describe how a flower looks, smells, or feels; it can also tell a story about how the flower came about or tell us the region the flower came from. Many flowers have a variety of common names, which can be confusing - thank goodness for scientific names! Even the scientific names can be interesting. Check out this list of eight fascinating flowers with crazy names and
how they got them. Hooker's Lips (Psychotria elata) Psychotria elata[/caption] Photo by Steven Depolo Is that a pair of wax candy lips over there in the bushes? No, it's a flower! I kid you not, this is a real flower, and once you see it, you will know where the common name came from. I guess I lied - hooker's lips are the flower bracts, not flowers, of a tropical rainforest tree native to central and South America. They don't look like candy lips for long; they quickly open, exposing the tree's true flowers, which are small and white.
Impatiens/Busy Lizzy (Impatiens walleriana) Impatiens walleriana[/caption] Photo by Mike Sutton I think most of you have probably seen this well-known annual for sale, if not in your garden; however, most of you may not know where the many common names come from. The name Busy Lizzy is often used in the U.K. and refers to how the flowers are busy blooming all summer long. The name impatiens is since the seed pods grow all summer long until they are swollen and “impatient†to burst. They are called “touch-me-nots†for the same reason. Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia uvaria)Kniphofia uvaria[/caption] Photo by Kerry Garratt Red hot poker plants are also called torch lilies, and it is obvious how they got their names. These fiery, attention-getting beauties can reach up to five feet tall and add a different shape and texture to your gardens. Additionally, they attract hummingbirds. Eyeball Plant (Acmella oleraceae)Acmella oleraceae[/caption] Photo by Mangrove Mike Eyeball plant is another one that goes by a variety of monikers - peek-a-boo plant and toothache plant are two of them. The globe-shaped yellow flowers have maroon centers that appear to peek out at you like eyeballs; thus, two of the common names are explained. Flowers and leaves contain the analgesic silanol; chew them and your mouth will go numb, thus the common name of toothache plant.
Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena)Nigella damascena Gordon Joly This unusual plant has a plethora of common names, but I believe love-in-a-mist is the most popular. There are many legends surrounding the plant; one legend states that an emperor leading an army during the crusades was seduced and drowned by a water nymph with green hair. Supposedly, this plant grew in the place of his death, with the delicate, misty foliage reminiscent of the nymph's hair. The seed pod of this plant is quite interesting and “pops†open to spill black seeds, which are edible and similar in taste to nutmeg. Bat Face Cuphea (Cuphea llavea) [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="425"] Cuphea llavea[/caption] Photo by The Greenery Nursery and Garden Shop If you love bats, then this plant is a must for your garden. If you look at the center of these flowers, you will see a cute, fuzzy little bat face looking back at you, complete with ears. These Mexican natives are drought-tolerant and attract hummingbirds but will not survive cold winters.
Naked Man Orchid (Orchis italica) Mark Freeth This anatomically correct flower will make you blush! The naked man orchid is a rare flower native to the Mediterranean. On closer inspection of the lovely pink, clustered flowers, you will see how this fascinating flower got its common name. I like how the little men appear to be wearing hats. Naked Lady (Amaryllis belladonna) Photo by Cheryl The Amaryllis belladonna is said to be named after a beautiful Greek shepherdess and singer. The common name comes from the flower emerging from the ground without leaves, thus featuring a naked stalk. In actuality, the flower does have leaves, but they emerge earlier in the spring and then die back. They are also known as magic lilies and surprise lilies because there are no leaves to signal their arrival.
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