What Is In a Name? Plant Classification

Many people find themselves asking the question, “why use Latin to classify?” When you consider that there are over 250,000 species of living plants worldwide, it makes sense to have chosen a single language to label all these plants. This use of Latin allows gardeners and botanists to speak a universal language when talking about plants. This classification uses a binomial, or two name, system.

The genus is always first and is always capitalized. You may think of the generic name as you would a family name: Smith, Jones or Brown. There are broad grouping of similar plants. These names are almost always derived from the Greek language, but often it is derived from the place it was discovered or even the discoverer themselves. Occasionally, the name comes from legend or mythology. For example, Mint’s genus name is Mentha.

The species comes second and is usually lowercase. Mint’s genus name is Mentha, and if we use Spearmint to further our example, its species name is spicata. Therefore, Spearmint’s binomial classification is ‘Mentha spicata.’

If there is a variation in a species, it is denoted by “var.” Also, if there is a subspecies, it comes third.

Once a plant is cultivated or selected for a certain virtue, then the new plant is considered a ‘cultivar.’ These names are capitalized in single quotation marks.

Hybrids are plants resulting from sexual reproduction between two different types of plants. Hybrids are denoted by an “x.”

Lastly, many plants will be given a common name – this is similar to a nickname and is not a correct or scientific name. Below are a few examples of plants, their nicknames and their Latin names.

Common NamesLatin Names
Bee BalmMonarda
CilantroCoriandrum
LavenderLavendula
MintMentha
ThymeThymus

 

Hyssop or “Agastache foeniculum”

Grown Right

Dear Friends:

When we began our nursery in 1987, we were selling plants in our local market – we knew each and every customer and they knew us.  They trusted us to provide them with the highest quality plants at a fair price.

They also trusted us to grow their plants ‘right’.  We have followed that philosophy for the past 25 years and it includes everything we do, both on the farm, in the green house, as well as shipping plants to our customers.

When we went onto the world wide web in 2008, we made a whole new group of friends – our customer base is now over 20,000 – we can’t know every customer but we can sure make it our business to make sure that you know exactly WHO we are and WHAT we stand for and HOW we grow…..

After 30 years of growing and selling plants we have often been asked if we are organic. Technically the answer is no, we are not certified “organic.” However, we follow many practices that are considered organic. The only thing we lack is official certification from the government. Instead, we like to refer to our growing practices as “natural.” Growing naturally, like growing organically, requires more labor than conventional growing. All of our plants are safe to eat as soon as your receive them because they have never known harmful chemicals.

It is important to us that our customers receive happy, healthy plants and we want to provide satisfaction without harming our environment. We also believe our customers have a right to know how their plants are grown and our philosophy is that plants should be “Grown Right.” This is not just some catchy tag line that a PR firm came up with, but a simple philosophy we have followed since the beginning. When we went on the web, we wondered how we could show our new friends that our products were being grown right. The Growers Exchange had always provided high quality plants that were grown right, and we had no intention of changing our values because we moved to the Internet.  We want to share our philosophy with you.

What “Grown Right” means to us:

  • Many people ask if we used genetically modified seeds, and the answer is no. We plant only the best seeds available from select seed houses.
  • The Growers Exchange uses only biodegradable chemicals derived from natural resources, so our plants have never been touched by harmful chemicals. Instead of harsh chemicals, we opt for alternatives such as hot pepper wax and zeretol. The proof of our natural growing practices is evident by the critters we see running around our greenhouses. Baby bunnies, tree frogs, toads and black snakes all use the warm greenhouses as homes. They are able to do this because they will not be harmed by any harsh chemicals or pesticides flowing through the air.
  • Herbs tend to have a wild growth habit and are hard to grow as a potted plant. To keep our plants shaped for symmetrical growth, we have to hand prune. Hand pruning makes sure each plant is touched by human hands several times during the growing process. Our close contact with our plants allows us to nip any sort of insect problem in the bud before it becomes a real problem.  If a plant is in danger of becoming infested, we use a quick spray of an insecticidal soap, rather than spraying the whole crop with harsh pesticides.
  • The plants are kept healthy with compost from our own pile rather than receiving nutrients from chemical fertilizers.

Our views on natural growing processes are also evident in the way we package and ship our plants. Every one of our plants is grown in either recycled or recyclable plastic pots. When you receive your plants, they are packed in biodegradable materials and the boxes are recyclable. The Growers Exchange strives to use biodegradable packing materials like cornstarch peanuts.

As said before, growing right takes more time and effort than conventional growing. To us, the extra labor is worth it because we believe in raising strong, healthy plants while still protecting the environment.

Keeping The Mosquitoes at Bay..

As summer quickly approaches, we have all been plagued with a common annoyance: mosquitoes. Is it my imagination, or are these pesky critters getting bigger and hungrier? So many people I know are getting companies like Mosquito Authority of Norman to help get rid of them because they are becoming such an issue! On top of this, there are also many natural ways to repel these insects using your herb garden.

Citronella (photo below) is the most commonly known plant for repelling those nasty mosquitoes. This perennial’s scent masks the smell of the mosquito’s target, making it hard for mosquitoes to locate us! It is used in many insect repellents, but the scent of the living plant is stronger and more effective. Just a quick rub of the leaf emits the fragrance. Citronella can be found as a small, potted plant but if planted into the ground, it can reach 5-6 feet.

Horsemint is another perennial that also gives off a strong, masking scent to hide us from the ‘skeeters. This perennial does well in dry, sandy soil and can be found in coastal climates. Horsemint is good to have in your herb garden for more reasons than one. Not only will it repel the mosquitoes, but it will also attract butterflies!

Though they are beautiful in color, Marigolds also produce a scent that mosquitoes find repellent. Use these annuals as a border plant for patios and walkways to deter mosquitoes in their tracks! Planting marigolds around areas frequented by mosquitoes can create a barrier. Did you know that the mosquito’s saliva is what causes the itch? Yuck! Try planting them in front of open windows to keep insects out of the house! But be careful! The bright colors might attract wasps!

On a recent vacation, we were attacked over and over again by mosquitoes so we decided to do a little research. As it turns out, mosquitoes are attracted to the scents we emit. These scents we emit also explain why some people get bitten more than others. Mosquitoes can smell the carbon dioxide are emitting, as well as our bodily scents. So, the more carbon dioxide you breathe out, the more attractive you are to mosquitos! Having some of these herbs and perennials in your garden can help by covering up those tasty smells and making us almost invisible to mosquitoes! I keep many of these plants on and around my patio during the summer. I even bring them inside in the winter so they will be healthy and big when summer and ‘skeeter season rolls around again!

How To Create a Hummingbird Haven

 

Hummingbirds love sweet,tubular-shaped flowers like those of the Bee Balm herb plant.

We absolutely LOVE watching hummingbirds dart through our gardens on a warm Summer evening. Attracting hummingbirds to your garden is a wonderful way to enjoy seeing these fast-flying little birds’ aerial antics up close, and will provide you with hours of entertainment from Spring until Fall. Also a very beneficial garden companion, hummingbirds will eat bugs and help increase pollination in your garden be flitting from bloom to bloom.

Hummingbirds do not have a sense of smell, and are instead attracted to brightly colored (usually red), trumpet or tube shaped flowers which their long beaks are specially designed to drink from. Because hummingbirds fly so fast (up to 30 miles per hour!), they spend most of their time foraging to keep their energy levels high. Their need for fuel is so high that hummingbirds may drink up to eight times their body weight in nectar in a day!

Make sure to plant these hummingbird friendly herbs and flowers to make your garden a great place for hummingbirds to feed:

We also have a variety of hanging and staked feeders that are specially designed to attract hummingbirds. Made from recycled glass, the colors change from a lovely orange and yellow color to a vibrant flame red that hummingbirds are drawn to. Click here to view our video and watch the hummingbirds swarm these lovely, hand crafted feeders.

Other tips for creating a hummingbird haven in your yard:

  • Place hummingbird feeders near your garden to attract hummingbirds to your plants.
  • Place the feeders at different heights throughout your yard and garden, as some species prefer different feeding patterns. Placing feeders in different parts of your yard will help keep territorial males from dominating all of the nectar.
  • Make sure to keep your feeders clean and full of fresh nectar to ensure that the hummingbirds don’t get sick. Cleaning  the sugary substance from the feeder’s holes may also help prevent attracting bees or wasps, as they may convene to find leftovers.
  • Make sure to offer a good, clean water source for the hummingbirds to drink and bathe in, such as a bird bath which is shallow enough for them to play in.
  • Add strings that run the length of your garden, above your plants to give hummers something to perch and rest on while flitting from flower to flower.

 

 

 

What Is The 2013 Notable Native Herb?

Just announced this week by The Herb Society of America, the 2013 Notable Native Herb is Monarda fistulosa, or commonly known as Wild Bergamot or Bee Balm. The information debuted at their annual educational conference held this year in Austin Texas, and we are honored to have been selected to be the exclusive grower and distributor for this program! Katrinka Morgan, Executive Director of the Herb Society of America, chose use because we are long term members, are dedicated to conserving natural resources and encouraging native plants, and said “This historic American farm is the perfect partner to help us bring attention to the vast selection of native herbs found in North America.”

The honor of Notable Native is bestowed on native herb plants that are found growing wild throughout the U.S. and who thrive in most any garden in every planting zone. Morgan goes on to mention that, they consider the plants versatility and usefulness as a culinary, medicinal and companion plant, as well as additional benefits like its aroma, usefulness in attracting pollinators, and longevity in the garden.

“Bee balm is used mostly today to attract butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden, but its uses are far greater. We selected it for its culinary, medicinal and aromatic values, as well as its usefulness as a companion plant,” Morgan explains. “It also performs well in most gardens throughout the US.”

We are overjoyed to be a member and partner to the HSA and hope you will visit their site to learn more, donate or become a member, too! You can visit the “Try This” section of our Bee Balm page to read more about the HSA and visit their site!