6 plants with amusing nicknames (and the origins behind them)
Ever heard of Monkey Puzzle Tree or the Sneezewort? We find some of the most amusing nicknames for plants and why they were called so in the first place.
1. Mother-in-law’s tongue
We’re guessing whoever nicknamed the Sansevieria didn’t like their mother-in-law much – or their beloved mother’s just had a sharp tongue reminiscent of the leaves.
2. Sneezewort
The Achillea ptarmica was once used as a sneezing powder. It was dried up and used to make people sneeze to clear up their sinuses.
3. Kiss me over the garden gate
Native to China,the Persicaria orientalis got its nickname for looking so lovely against a white picket fence.
4. Kangaroo paws
The Anigozanthos flavidus cluter of flowers look like a national animal’s paws.
5. Resurrection Fern
The creeping, coarse-textured fern, Polypodium polypodioides, is named so because it can seemingly resurrect itself from the dead. While it normally looks lushly green, when in drought it shrivels up into small, brown, curly leaves. Appearing dead it burst back into colour when water is available.
6. Monkey Puzzle Tree
When the Araucaria araucana was first brought to England from its native Chile, a friend of the gardener remarked, “It would puzzle a monkey to climb that.” The name has stuck despite no monkeys ever attempting to climb the tree.
Related links:
Tips for a cottage-style garden
Common gardening mistakes you can avoid