From the editor…

Here is the gardening version of a Zen koan : Why are they called “ purple coneflowers ” when , clear , the flower are pinkish ? Breeders are , luckily , making this question irrelevant with their new colouration options . Calling the plants simply “ coneflowers ” is the current trend , one we have followed in Stephanie Cohen ’s clause ( “ coneflower : The Best of the Best ” ) . By doing so , we avoid not only the common - name riddle but also the problem arising from the fact that not all of the plants are fromEchinacea purpurea .

The July / August 2010 issue ofFine Gardeningfeatures articles on coneflowers , drouth - tolerant shrubs , garden focal points , and more .

We could call these plants “ echinaceas , ” something that those who assert on “ all Latin , all the time ” would powerfully promote . Echinacea is one of the prettier - sound botanic names , as if it could have been the name of a Greek maiden Zeus tried to catch . prognosticate these plants by their genus also saves us from the awkward common names of some of the cultivars—‘White Swan ’ purple coneflower , for example .

Common name perplex around for a rationality : They often say more to us than Latin I do . Sure , Romance figure can contain cue to a works ’s look , drug abuse , or habitat . But not everyone get significance from the phraseEchinacea purpurea . Say “ coneflower , ” and everyone sympathize that there is something conelike about the flower . Consequently , most folks would have a good guess at identify the plant among other options .

I love coarse names for their personality and often their wackiness . I keep a running play leaning : Queen of flowering trees ( Amherstia nobilis ) , setaceous couch ( Zoysia macrantha ) , cow itching ( Lagunaria patersonii ) , and common common nardoo ( Marsileadrummondii ) are among my favorites .

The common - versus - Romance dubiousness often seek an all - or - nothing answer , which is the wrong direction to go . Common names are flawed because there can be more than one for a plant , they might not be specific enough , or they might have fallen out of use . ( Does anyone still call a hosta “ plantain lily ” or a clematis “ virgin ’s bower ” ? ) But Latin names can be more confusing or heavy than they need to be . And for those who swear by Latin only , I ask what is wrong with saying “ lilac , ” “ flame nettle , ” and “ Lycopersicon esculentum ” instead ofSyringa vulgaris , Solenostemon scutellarioides , andLycopersicon esculentum ?

And address of tomato , why do the cervid eat up mine when they are supposed to avoid plants with fragrant , fuzzy leaves ? I guess I will have to answer that interrogation after I figure out the purple - coneflower one .

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