# Revolting, embarrassingly awful plant names **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 24, 2019, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453 "2019-03-24T14:53:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2019, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/1 "2019-03-24T14:53:15Z")
Sifting through the 2019 seed and plant catalogues (they make excellent bathroom reading) I found that in desperation to promote sales, hybridizers have been working overtime to come up with dreadful cutesy names. Main offenders: [Echinacea “Orange You Awesome”](https://www.waltersgardens.com/variety.php?ID=ECHOY) and [Rudbeckia “Giggling SmileyZ”](http://ab-cultivars.com/?portfolio=rudbeckia-giggling-smileyz). In the immortal words of Jean Shepherd’s father, “Holy Christ! I’m gonna heave!!” ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2019, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/2 "2019-03-24T16:15:56Z")
Yeah, that’s pretty bad. I only really deal with seed catalogs - maybe live plants are worse? ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2019, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/3 "2019-03-24T22:16:43Z")
Look, this might not be exactly what you were looking for, but: Rubus cockburnianus ([Rubus cockburnianus - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubus_cockburnianus)) Yes, that is me sniggering. I’m sorry. j ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/4 "2019-03-25T13:23:04Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Yeah, that’s pretty bad. I only really deal with seed catalogs - maybe live plants are worse? You may be onto something there. The worst I can find under Zinnia seeds for example is “Zinderella”, but in the live Zinnia plant marketplace we have [this](https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/zinnia/sweet-tooth-cotton-candy-zinnia-hybrid), ecch. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/5 "2019-03-25T14:30:37Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Main offenders: > > [Echinacea “Orange You Awesome”](https://www.waltersgardens.com/variety.php?ID=ECHOY) Echinacea also has “Pixie Meadowbrite” which sounds like it should be someone’s stage name or maybe a Dungeons & Dragons character. Note to self: make halfling named Pixie Meadowbrite. Flowering shrubs aren’t immune: Hydrangeas give us Invincibelle & Incrediball and under lilacs we have Bloomerang and Scent & Sensibility. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/6 "2019-03-25T15:25:10Z")
Clitoria blue pea is pretty gross. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/7 "2019-03-25T15:48:48Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > Clitoria blue pea is pretty gross. Latin names are exempt. Besides, Clitoria makes a nice display with [Gomphocarpus](https://www.theimpatientgardener.com/taking-care-of-family-jewels/) and [Solanum mammosum](http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/content/nipple-fruit.htm).\* \*I have grown all of these, but not at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/8 "2019-03-25T17:08:22Z")
This brings to mind paint sample cards in home improvement stores, with colors like “Moody,” “Glamour Girl,” or “Spirit Animal.” ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/9 "2019-03-25T18:52:12Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > Look, this might not be exactly what you were looking for, but: > > Rubus cockburnianus > > ([Rubus cockburnianus - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubus_cockburnianus)) > > Yes, that is me sniggering. I’m sorry. > > j I’m doing a horticulture degree at the moment- as part of one of last year’s modules, we had to learn to identify, and correctly name, a selection of plants. One of the ones we were given to learn was this one. Everyone remembered the name 😃 _Amorphophallus titanum_ is also pretty good. My Latin’s not great, but I’m pretty sure that’s ‘huge deformed dick’. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/10 "2019-03-25T19:45:50Z")
[Naked broomrape](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orobanche_uniflora) ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/11 "2019-03-25T21:27:42Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > [Naked broomrape](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orobanche_uniflora) Perfect name/post combo Good grief, the alternate names, combined with the pic of the blossom, poor plant doesn’t stand a chance of NOT being creepy ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/12 "2019-03-26T00:20:01Z")
Bearded Iris have some pretty weird names too. I give you Bewilderbeast: [https://www.schreinersgardens.com/page\_6327\_6023/bewilderbeast](https://www.schreinersgardens.com/page_6327_6023/bewilderbeast) I actually planted this one in my mom’s garden. Bought it just because of the name. Very pretty in full bloom. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/13 "2019-03-26T04:21:05Z")
> [@guestchaz](#): > > Good grief, the alternate names, combined with the pic of the blossom, poor plant doesn’t stand a chance of NOT being creepy “One-flowered cancer root”? _Why_? Just why? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/14 "2019-03-26T05:50:20Z")
There’s also [Bastard Toadflax](http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/photox/toadflax2.jpg), [Nipplewort,](http://www.juliasedibleweeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/nipplewortflowering1.jpg) and [Huevos de Tigre](http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/images/apocyn_265.jpg) (Jaguar’s Balls). ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/15 "2019-03-26T05:55:36Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/16 "2019-03-26T07:40:56Z")
Those cutesy names at least don’t sound contagious. I had this friend whose father was a gardener and had a gardening show, and he had names of all kinds of plants. He used to tell his teachers he couldn’t go to school because he had scabiosas, which actually are kind of pretty plants but which sounds like a communicable disease. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/17 "2019-03-26T10:04:31Z")
I’m reminded that there’s a variety of fig whose name derives from the mediaeval custom of checking to make sure a newly-elected pope wasn’t a [female imposter](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Joan) in disguise. It’s called Couilles du Pape, or in English [Pope’s Bollocks](https://images.app.goo.gl/QWWZTSmmDugVMVRaA). ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/18 "2019-03-26T12:02:42Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > Those cutesy names at least don’t sound contagious. I had this friend whose father was a gardener and had a gardening show, and he had names of all kinds of plants. He used to tell his teachers he couldn’t go to school because he had scabiosas, which actually are kind of pretty plants but which sounds like a communicable disease. ‘“Coreopsis has set in,” said [Dr.] Renshaw nervously.’ (from _The Secret Life of Walter Mitty_). As for plant hybrid names, I can do better. Awhile back there was a story about a Caribbean scandal in which a valet working for a wedding party at a fancy hotel was accused of groping the bride. In the ensuing lawsuit he was referred to using a florid term which I thought was the perfect name for my new African violet hybrid. I give you Saintpaulia “Salacious Violator”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/19 "2019-03-27T23:11:55Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > ‘“Coreopsis has set in,” said [Dr.] Renshaw nervously.’ (from _The Secret Life of Walter Mitty_). Coreopsis verticillata ‘Golden Showers’ Phalaris arundinacea var picta ‘Feesey’ ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revolting-embarrassingly-awful-plant-names/831453/20 "2019-03-29T04:22:52Z")
I used to work at a nursery. We sold a lot of roses. One was called “Golden Showers” and another was “Sugar Daddy”.