The Name Game

I've been looking for seed starting/growing information for several plants in four different books and online. I come up with some very interesting names. And I still don't know which is correct.

1)common name: Hibiscus
botanical name: Hisbiscus

2)common name: Rose of Sharon
botanical name: Hypericum
botanical name: Althea
botanical name: Hibiscus syriacus

3)common name: Hollyhocks
botanical name: Althaea
botanical name: Alcea
botanical name: Malva

Is this a multiple choice quiz like in school? Are they the same plants or are they all different plants? This is confusing!

Thanks,
Sharon

We're back with the old problem - common names are only local! Everyone has Hibiscus syriacus listed as Rose of Sharon. That's only in the US. Over here Rose of Sharon is Hypericum calycinum - I did wonder at first how you could get them in pink and red, when Hypericum (St John's Wort) is yellow.

The Hollyhock one is confusing everywhere. Some types are Althaea and some are Alcea. As a rough guide:

Alcea is the normal Hollyhock - perennial or biennial, comes in all colours.

Althaea is annuals and perennials, with smallish flowers, all colours.

Malva is Mallows - annuals and perennials with smaller flowers than Hollyhocks, in pink, purple and white - not yellow.

Just to confuse you (if you aren't already), there's Malva alcea, the Hollyhock Mallow (pinkish flowers)!

They're all members of the same plant family, Malvaceae (I'll have to whisper - the Mallow family).

I think Hisbiscus must be a misprint - it's Hibiscus so far as I know. Also in the Malvaceae family.

The solution is to use common names only in the place where they're common - i.e. your own area. Most people outside the US normally use botanical names. If you look up the common names and find out the botanical name, or read a lot of seed catalogues that have both names in, you do soon get to know what's what. Really!

Hi Mary,

Thank you for the help. And it does make sense. I figured they were all part of the same family. But then one book and one online source used the Hypericum name and that's when I got lost. I'm finding out that learning the botanical name is a big help. I have two varieties of seeds that I can't find any information about, Ram's Horn and Lazy Susan. There's no reference in any of the four books I have. I can't find any information online either. But out of 70 varieties of seed, I got down to the Malvacae family in my first post and these two I just mentioned.

Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.
Sharon

Ram's Horn is Proboscidea louisiana - you might know it as Unicorn Plant. Can't find Lazy Susan, but I'll get back to you if I do.

Mary,

Thank you for all of your help. I really appreciate it a lot. It does help to know a little bit about what you're going to grow so you know where to plant it.

Thanks again,
Sharon

Wow! You must be at your computer over there while I'm at mine over here! Found Lazy Susan - I won't tell you where! It's also called Lazy Daisy - botanical name Aphanostephus. Can't find it in my books, but it's an Oklahoma wild flower, and there's a picture of it here: http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/okwild/lazydaisy.html

Mary,

You are amazing! Thank you very much. I looked at the picture. It's a very pretty flower. It's so nice to put a image of a flower with the seed. Now I'll know what I'm growing.

Thanks again for all of your help.
Sharon

Ram's Horn (Proboscidea louisianica)has other common names, such as Devil's Claw, Unicorn Plant and Probocis Flower. It's a pretty plant, however...I grew it last year mainly for the interesting seedpods. Here's some info on it.
http://www.anet-chi.com/~manytimes/album/unicorn.htm

Jean

Hi Jean,

That is a pretty plant. In the picture, it looks like it's a low growing plant. The seed pods are very unusual. Thank you for the information. It's very helpful.

Thanks again,
Sharon