Journal/Plant Science & Curiosities · 5 min read
Why Plants Have Two Names (and How to Read Them)
Monstera deliciosa, Zamioculcas zamiifolia — the two-word system explained, with tricks for pronouncing and remembering the hard ones.
Quick answer
Every plant has a two-part scientific name: the first is its genus (a group of close relatives, capitalised), the second its species (specific type, lowercase). Both are italicised. So Monstera deliciosa means "the delicious species in the Monstera genus". This universal system prevents confusion — one plant, one name, worldwide.
There are dozens of plants called 'lucky bamboo' and none of them are bamboo. Common names are useful but chaotic. The two-word Latin system fixes that in a way any gardener anywhere in the world understands.
How binomial names work
The system was invented by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in the 1750s and is called binomial nomenclature. Every plant gets exactly two words:
- Genus (capitalised) — the broader group of close relatives, e.g. Monstera, Ficus, Philodendron.
- Species (lowercase) — the specific type within the genus, e.g. deliciosa, lyrata, hederaceum.
Both words are italicised. On second mention you can abbreviate the genus: Monstera deliciosa becomes M. deliciosa.
What the species names actually mean
Common species-name meanings
| Suffix / word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| deliciosa | delicious (edible fruit) | Monstera deliciosa |
| lyrata | lyre-shaped (leaves) | Ficus lyrata |
| variegata | variegated | Monstera variegata |
| -oides / -oidea | resembling | Sansevierioides |
| -anus / -ana | named after a person | Ficus benjamina |
| repens | creeping | Ficus repens |
| nigra | black / dark | Colocasia nigra |
| alba | white | Populus alba |
Cultivars — the third name
Cultivated varieties bred by growers get a third name in single quotes, not italicised. Example: Monstera deliciosa 'Thai Constellation' — the yellow-variegated cultivar. "cv." is the old abbreviation you still occasionally see.
Why bother learning Latin names
- One name worldwide. "Snake plant" is called sansevieria, Dracaena trifasciata, and mother-in-law's tongue in different English regions alone.
- You get accurate care information. Searching 'Dracaena trifasciata care' returns better results than 'snake plant care'.
- Cultivars matter. A regular Monstera and 'Thai Constellation' need almost identical care — but their price differs by 100×.
- You'll never be tricked by a rebranded houseplant.
Pronouncing them
Botanists have argued for centuries about correct pronunciation. The honest answer: nobody agrees, and saying 'zam-ee-oh-KUL-kass zam-ee-ih-FOH-lee-a' with confidence is more important than saying it exactly like Cicero would have.
PlantMe's identification returns both the Latin and common name so you always have the right search term for further care info.
Frequently asked questions
Why are the names in Latin?
Latin was the international language of European scholarship when Linnaeus set up the system. It's now a 'dead' language, which is actually the point — no one country claims it, and it doesn't drift over time the way living languages do.
Do family names matter too?
Yes — one level above genus. Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium all belong to family Araceae (aroids), and share broadly similar care preferences. Family knowledge is a shortcut to caring for unfamiliar plants.
What does 'sp.' mean on a plant label?
'sp.' is short for 'species unknown'. Monstera sp. means "some species in the Monstera genus, not sure which". If you see it on a label, the seller didn't identify the plant.
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