Identity Crisis

Like many gardeners, I am probably more at ease with plants than people! I certainly have no problems remembering or spelling plant names but introduce me to a new friend and I will have forgotten their name within moments. My best clanger was after attending the wedding reception of one of Philip's colleagues. A couple of weeks later we met a young lady in a bar and dredging up a glimmer of recognition I proudly said 'We met you at that wedding', to which she replied 'Yes - I was the bride!'

Weigela 'Monet'

Anyway today's blog is stimulated by reading in The Garden magazine about how to prune Wiegela. Yes - note the spelling! Now this colourful and easy shrub has had its fair share of identity crises over the years. I grew up calling it Weigelia. At some stage the second 'i' was dropped and it became Weigela. For a short while they were reclassified as Diervillea but most returned to Weigela. Now I see this spelling, Wiegela,  from the RHS no less, although the Plant Finder, normally regarded as THE easy source of all nomenclature still calls it Weigela. Now I wonder has it changed again or is this a keyboard woopsie from the fingers of the RHS?

Diervillea 'Cool Splash'

This set me thinking about other changes over the years. Buddleja used of course to be Buddleia, Solenostemon were nice friendly Coleus and Aloysia citriodora was better known as Lippia citriodora. The berried Pernettya has now been dumped in with Gaultheria.  Cytisus battandierii has now become Argyrocytisus battandierii and that old stand-by Senecio greyii, which became Senecio 'Sunshine' must now be called Brachyglottis 'Sunshine'. The beautiful blue flowered member of the nightshade family is currently Iochroma australe but since I have known it, it has also been Acnistus and Dunalia.  Oh and by the way, the typical bleeding heart, that we know so well as Dicentra spectabilis has become Lamprocapnos spectabilis - simple isn't it!

Dicentra 'King of Hearts' (Chad - thanks for the name correction)

Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Alba' - note the broader leaves

Such name changes inevitably cause confusion and when common or garden chrysanthemums were reclassified and Dendranthemum some years back,  there was a revolt and they have reverted to being correctly named Chrysanthemum indicum on the basis of horticultural precedent.  Can you imagine going into a florists and asking for some dendranthemums? I could go on - the plant world is littered with confusing name changes all in the cause of correctness and clarity!

A wonderful display from Chrysanthemums Direct

 If plants had feelings, I think some of them would have identity crises and in particular Ilex 'Golden King' which is a female plant, complete with berries and we'll make no comments about 'Silver Queen' that's a male holly!

Ilex 'Silver Queen'