Botanical names of the vegetation that home gardening involves may seem complicated. Some are difficult to pronounce or spell. A few seem to be as lengthy as sentences. They seem to be a foreign language because most are Latin. Some are Greek. However, they are more valid than common names. What is common here might be uncommon abroad.
For example, Acer pseudoplatanus is a type of maple here in North America. However, it is a type of sycamore in England. Its common name is regionally inconsistent, so can be confusing. Its botanical name, though, is the same everywhere. Incidentally, Acer is Latin for “maple”. Pseudoplatanus is Latin for “false sycamore”. Technically, it truly is a maple.
Technically though, only a few cedars are truly cedars. Both deodar and blue Atlas cedar are species of Cedrus, which is Latin for “cedar”. However, incense cedar is a species of Calocedrus, which is a separate genus. Western and northern red cedars are species of Thuja, which is arborvitae. Again, botanical names are more valid than common names.
Nomenclature is a standardized application of names. Simple botanical nomenclature is binomial, which indicates that it involves two names. The first is the “general” or “genus” name, which is capitalized. The second is the “specific” or “species” name, which is not capitalized. Both are italicized. Species is singular and plural. Genera is plural of genus.
Botanical names are actually very similar to automotive names. Only italicization and the lack of capitalization of the species are different. Buick, Chrysler and Mercury are all like genera. Electra, Imperial and Grand Marquis are all like species. Sequoia sempervirens uses the same binomial format as Buick Electra. Botanical names really are that simple.
Many automotive species include variants, such as Limited, Custom and LSE. These are like varieties or cultivars of plant species. Such variants are evident by single quotes, but lack italicization. For example, ‘Soquel’ is the cultivar of Sequoia sempervirens ‘Soquel’. (‘Cultivars’ are ‘cult’ivated ‘var’ieties that are true to type only by vegetative propagation. Varieties can be naturally true to type by seed.)
Tony Tomeo 
I hadn’t realized the difference between cultivars and varieties. Interesting to know.
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Yes, they are sort of the same, except that varieties can be self perpetuating by seed, whereas cultivars need some help, either because their seed are not true to type, or they produce no viable seed, perhaps because they are hybrids.
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And using the correct botanical nomenclature is vital for people who want to talk about plants. Common names can vary not only from country, but also from area to area within a country. And sometimes nurseries make up names. I am creating a garden in France and I am so grateful for an international botanical languuage. I speak French but I can’t be bothered to learn French names for plants. I think everybody who loves plants and wants to talk about them should use the correct names.
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Unfortunately, even botanical nomenclature is getting sloppy. I could have continued to write about how cars are not as simple as they used to be, for example, for a while Chryslers were made by Mercedes Benz, so their identification was complicated. Rather than names, many cars are designated by a few letters or numbers, which lack distinctiveness. With all the weird hybrids within horticulture, many of the species names are being omitted, so many plants are identified only by their genera followed by a cultivar name. Botanists used to make up a species name if necessary, even if it was something as simply as ‘hybrida’
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And here in Texas, what many people call ‘cedar’ actually is Ashe juniper: Juniperus ashei. And even though I’d finally figured out that cultivars and varieties differ, you’ve helped to clarify the distinction.
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There are so many species that are known as cedar that I could not mention all of them. Although traditional cedar chests from Vermont are made with Eastern red cedar, old coat closets are made with relatively local ceder, which is incense cedar. I suspect that similar old closets there are made with the most relatively local cedar, which might be Ashe juniper.
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Tony, that is such a clear and excellent explanation of nomenclature in a way that is relatable. Have you even considered teaching? You are a natural! Our Eastern red cedar is also a Juniperus, but smaller, related native species within that genus are known as ‘Junipers.’ I can understand why so many people get confused when trying to learn the proper binomials for common plants.
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I do not work well enough with people to teach. I have been told that I should teach for much of my career, but it is not something that I want to do. Technically, I should not be writing a gardening column either, but I have been doing it for thirty five years.
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Too funny, Tony. You have a gift for explaining things. But that is only a small part of teaching. I taught for many years, but no longer want a teaching job, and so totally understand. I enjoy reading your column so I am glad you have kept at it. It is always a joy to learn directly from working with the plants to see how they grow and perform, and what they are capable of within the environment’s limitations.
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Thank you. I have enjoyed my career, even though I never intended to write about it so regularly for so long.
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