Gardening Quiz: Latin Plant Names are All Greek to Me

Whether you think knowing the Latin names of plants makes you a gardening expert, a plant snob or just plain annoying, you have to admit that Latin names can sometimes be useful. One person's Bellflower is another person's Falling Star or Canterbury Bells.

The easiest way to pick up gardening Latin is one plant at a time. As you go along, you'll start to notice other useful aspects of the Latin names, like how descriptive the species, or second word in the plant name, can be. Argentea means silvery, so it makes sense that Saliva argentea is known as Silver Sage. Or that the Latin name for oaks is Quercus and so oakleaf hydrangeas are Hydrangea quercifolia.

You probably know more than you think. Try the Latin Plant Names are All Greek to Me quiz and see how you rate.