What's in a Name? Decoding Botanical Latin

You've said the names a hundred times. Monstera deliciosa. Epipremnum aureum. Zamioculcas zamiifolia. But have you ever stopped to wonder what they actually mean?

Botanical Latin isn't just scientific jargon — it's a code. And once you crack it, every plant name becomes a tiny story about where it came from, what it looks like, or what it does. Here's your decoder ring.

Why botanical Latin exists

Before a standardised naming system existed, one plant could have fifty different common names depending on the country or region. A Monstera in England might be called something completely different in Brazil, Germany, or Japan — causing endless confusion among botanists, traders, and collectors.

Botanical Latin solved this. It's not the classical spoken Latin of ancient Rome, but a modern utility language — a blend of Latin and Greek — that plant experts anywhere in the world can understand. One plant, one name, universally recognised.

How the names are built

Every plant has a two-part name — called binomial nomenclature — always written in italics:

• The Genus (first word) — Acts like a surname. Always capitalised. Groups closely related plants together. (e.g. Monstera)
• The Specific Epithet (second word) — Acts like a descriptive first name. Always lowercase. Usually describes a physical trait, the plant's origin, or who discovered it. (e.g. deliciosa)
• The Cultivar (in single quotes) — A modern addition denoting a specific cultivated variety bred for particular traits. (e.g. 'Lemon Lime')

Together they tell you exactly what you're looking at — if you know how to read them.

A real example: the plant in our photo

Take the plant pictured above — PHILODENDRON hederaceum 'Lemon Lime'. Every single word is telling you something:

• Philodendron — From the Greek philo (love/affection) and dendron (tree). Literal translation: "tree-lover." This refers to the plant's natural epiphytic habit in the wild, where it uses aerial roots to hug and climb large rainforest trees.
• hederaceum — A Latin adjective derived from Hedera, the Latin genus name for ivy. Literal translation: "ivy-like" or "resembling ivy." It describes the plant's trailing, vining nature and the way it climbs over surfaces — just like common ivy.
• 'Lemon Lime' — The cultivar name, in single quotes, denoting a specific cultivated variety. It refers to the plant's distinctive neon-yellow and chartreuse colouring, which sets it apart from the standard dark-green heartleaf Philodendron.

Three words. A complete botanical biography.

Decoding more of your houseplants

Physical descriptions

Monstera deliciosa — Monstera means "monstrous" or "abnormal," referring to those enormous, naturally holed leaves. Deliciosa means "delicious" — because in the wild, it produces an edible fruit that reportedly tastes like a cross between pineapple, banana, and mango. A monster that bears delicious fruit. Accurate.

Sansevieria trifasciata (Snake Plant) — Trifasciata translates directly to "three-bundled" or "three-striped," describing the distinct bands of colour running across its vertical leaves. Once you know this, you'll never unsee it.

Zamioculcas zamiifolia (ZZ Plant) — This tongue-twister literally means "the Zamioculcas with leaves like a Zamia fern." It's telling you exactly what the foliage resembles. Botanical Latin at its most literal.

Texture and growth habits

Epipremnum aureum (Pothos) — Epipremnum comes from Greek meaning "upon tree stumps," describing how it climbs and clings in the wild. Aureum means "golden," referencing its naturally yellow-variegated leaves.

Ficus elastica (Rubber Tree) — Ficus is the ancient Latin name for a fig tree. Elastica tells you that the plant produces a thick, milky sap that was historically used to make rubber.

Common Latin words every plant lover should know

• albo / alba — White (e.g. Monstera albo — a white-variegated form)
• variegata — Variegated or multi-coloured leaves
• maculata — Spotted (e.g. Begonia maculata — the polka dot begonia)
• compacta — Compact or tightly packed growth
• aureum / aurea — Golden
• gigantea — Giant
• nana — Dwarf or small
• pendula — Hanging or weeping
• cristata — Crested or with a crest

What about common names?

Common names are charming — Snake Plant, Devil's Ivy, Mother-in-Law's Tongue — but they're unreliable. The same common name can refer to completely different plants in different regions. When you're buying a rare plant, always check the botanical name. It's the only guarantee you're getting what you think you're getting.

At BOTANICULT, every plant is listed by its correct botanical name. Because we think knowing what you're growing — really knowing it — is part of the joy.

Browse our full collection at botanicult.co.uk.