Plant Information
The Washington County Master Gardeners provide care and revitalization for the landscapes at a number of public and non-profit sites across the county. Of these, several have been chosen for an educational program: they’ve received labels for each type of plant on that site. Each label shows one common name and the scientific name for that plant.
In order to
- improve the public’s knowledge of plant characteristics;
- enhance their ability to grow vigorous plants; and
- assist them in choosing plants that provide benefits to their watershed, to their local wildlife, and to their ecosystem, we’ve gone a step further.
We have reviewed and selected a handful of robust websites that answer these needs. Those websites are listed and linked below.
How to use these websites. As noted above, the plant labels include a common name and a scientific name. You may use either of these to locate information about the plant in question, with the following understanding:
- Each scientific name has two parts: a genus and a species. These names are Latin-based, or they’re based on a person’s name. Typically, there is only one pair of scientific names per plant. The exception to this is when a plant name has recently been changed. Until this century, plant names were seldom changed. However, with the advent of DNA coding, plants are now classified by their DNA instead of their appearance. This has resulted in a number of name changes. Nevertheless, using the scientific name is the preferred method for locating plant information. It is the most reliable way to find information about the plant that interests you.
- Common names vary by region and by cultural group. The same plant may have several common names and more than one plant may be known by the same common name. For example, several plants have “periwinkle” as their common name. The common name may bring up several plants for you to review and with a little work, you’ll likely find the plant you’re looking for. One tip is to have a photo of your plant and use a database that provides photos.
- As mentioned, the labels at each of our selected project sites include the scientific name and one common name. The labels are too small for more than one common name and often we must use abbreviations. The database for the Missouri Botanical Garden, which is called “Plant Finder,” is the one we used the most and we selected the common name they note at the top of each plant page. We chose this database because it includes native plants as well as ornamentals, and it is relatively close to us geographically. Most plants which are native to their region are also native to ours.
- Varieties or cultivars are plants that have been bred for unique characteristics. These changes may have occurred naturally or they may have been hybridized by breeders. Most often, the changes result in plants that have showier or more long-lasting blooms or for unique colors. Size variations are also common in varieties or cultivars. When native plants are “improved” for the enjoyment of people they sometimes don’t work as well for pollinators. These plants are known as nativars and should not be used interchangeably with natives.
- Many of these databases note the region to which plants are native.Others note which bees, butterflies, moths, and birds rely on which plants for nectar or as a larval host. We’ve included a description of each database so you may choose the one that is most likely to answer your questions.
RECOMMENDED BOTANICAL DATABASES
University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service
Focus: Horticultural research, fact sheets on vegetables, fruits, and garden plants.
Arkansas Monarch Conservation Partnership: Arkansas Native Plants Finder
Focus: Native plants by season to support migrating/native butterflies and beneficial pollinators. Filter by light and water requirements.
Arkansas Monarch Conservation Partnership: Arkansas Native Plants Table (pdf document)
Focus: Bloom period, flower color, light and water needs, height, benefits, and comments.
Biota of North America Program (BONAP) North American Plant Atlas
Focus: Plant distribution maps by county, region, etc.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Plant Database
Focus: Native plant descriptions and photos.
Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
Focus: Descriptions, horticultural requirements, and care for natives and ornamentals. Easy to use.
National Audubon Society: Bird-Friendly Native Plants
Focus: Native plants that support birds.
USDA Plant Database
Much information on natives and ornamentals. Cumbersome to use.