31 Funny Plant Names That Will Make You Laugh

The garden can be a great source of humor.

Drumsticks
Photo: KarenHBlack/Getty Images

Southerners learn plant names early. From the trees—oak, pine, maple, dogwood—to the shrubs, ferns, and flowers in our region, each plant has a name, family, and specific sun and watering requirements. Spending time outdoors and in gardens teaches us what to call the plants we encounter, and we've run into a few—ok, maybe more than a few—with names that never fail to make us chuckle. These curious plants have names that make us want to learn more about the flowers, trees, and shrubs they describe.

To learn more about these plants and others, check out The Southern Living Garden Book, our source for all things plant-related in the Southern states. And let us know the funniest plant names you've encountered lately. We're sure you've also found a few humorous plant names during your time in the garden. Without further ado—in alphabetical order—here are the plant names that will make you wonder and maybe even laugh a little too.

01 of 31

Balloon Flower

Balloon Flower
Daisuke Oka/Getty Images

Balloon flowers bloom in an intense blue-violet shade throughout the summer in two to three-inch star-shaped flowers. Other varieties include white and pink blooms, but these easy-to-grow flowers are best when planted after the danger of frost passes. While members of the bellflower family, these perennials do not resemble bells. They start as balloon-like buds.

  • Botanical Name: Platycodon grandiflorus
  • Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
  • Soil Type: Well-draining, Rich, Loamy
  • Soil pH: 5.5-7.5
02 of 31

Bear’s Breeches

Bear’s Breeches
Neil Holmes/Getty Images

These tall, eye-catching flowers have bold, spiny, glossy leaves that emerge in clumps. Bear's breeches are large perennials, often used as architectural plants. The flowers on this plant typically appear from late spring to early summer but are considered invasive in some regions because of how quickly they spread.

  • Botanical Name: Acanthus mollis
  • Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
  • Soil Type: Well-draining, Moist
  • Soil pH: 5.6-7.8
03 of 31

Bugleweed

Bugleweed
Federica Grassi/Getty Images

The Bugleweed is a quick-spreading ground cover with thick foliage and small, brightly colored flowers. This plant thrives in shady areas that typically have difficulty growing other species. Bugleweed produces blue, violet, or purple flowers in mid-to-late spring, reaching almost ten inches tall.

  • Botanical Name: Ajuga reptans
  • Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
  • Soil Type: Well-draining, Moist
  • Soil pH: 6.5
04 of 31

Butcher’s Broom

Butcher’s Broom
Valter Jacinto/Getty Images

These leafless plants bear big, pointed shoots that give the appearance of leaves, plus tiny white flowers, sometimes followed by a red or yellow fruit. Butcher’s Broom is a relatively common landscape plant because of its unique colors. These plants thrive in woodlands, hedgerows, deep shade, and coastal cliffs.

  • Botanical Name: Ruscus aculeatus
  • Sun Exposure: Full, Partial, Shade
  • Soil Type: Loamy, Clay, Sandy
  • Soil pH: 5.6-7.8
05 of 31

Candytuft

Candytuft
Vaivirga/Getty Images

Technically a woody shrub, these deer-resistant flowers bloom in a rainbow of hues. The Candytuft has small oblong leaves in a leathery green that brightens gardens with flowers that appear in shades of white or pink blossoms. Start growing Candytuft in early fall in warm climates or the spring in colder areas. These plants reach maturity in about five to 10 years.

  • Botanical Name: Iberis sempervirens
  • Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
  • Soil Type: Well-drained
  • Soil pH: 5.6-7.8
06 of 31

Cupid’s Dart

Cupid’s Dart
Troyka/Getty Images

Cupid's Dart, belonging to the daisy family, appears with grass-like, greyish leaves and small cornflower-like blooms. These flowers, blooming from summer to fall, have petals with a prominent blue-purple hue that radiate from their royal purple centers. These flowers are relatively easy-to-grow, deer-resistant, and resistant to most pests.

  • Botanical Name: Catananche caerulea
  • Sun Exposure: Full
  • Soil Type: Well-drained, Loose, Loamy, Sandy
  • Soil pH: 5.8-6.8
07 of 31

Dame’s Rocket

Dame’s Rocket
dieter1freier1/Getty Images

Dame's Rocket is a biennial plant with purple blooms on branches that grow three feet tall and wide in the second year of growth. The leaves of Dame's Rocket alternate along the stem, while the flower is fragrant. In ideal growing conditions, this plant will spread rapidly and can become invasive. The showy blooms appear in mid-to-late spring.

  • Botanical Name: Hesperis matronalis
  • Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
  • Soil Type: Well-drained, Sandy
  • Soil pH: 6.0-7.5
08 of 31

Dancing Girl Ginger

Dancing Girl Ginger
Chayanan/Getty Images

This plant is a perennial with showy, spidery, and delicate flowers that bloom in yellow, white, orange, or purple hues in the summer with broad, bright green leaves. Dancing Girl Ginger can grow two to three feet tall in containers or gardens. This plant adds a tropical flair to any garden, even when not in bloom.

  • Botanical Name: Globba genus
  • Sun Exposure: Partial, Indirect, Shade
  • Soil Type: Well-drained, Rich, Moist
  • Soil pH: 6.6-7.3
09 of 31

Drumsticks

Drumsticks
KarenHBlack/Getty Images

Flowers shaped like small yellow globes and silvery foliage give this plant its Drumsticks moniker. Start growing Drumsticks six to eight weeks before the last frost, most commonly from seeds. This plant has a long vase life, making it ideal for crafts or cuttings.

  • Botanical Name: Craspedia globosa
  • Sun Exposure: Full
  • Soil Type: Well-drained, Clay
  • Soil pH: 5.8-6.5
10 of 31

Firespikes

Firespikes
liuyushan/Getty Images

Firespikes are spiky blooms in bold colors attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. The combination of large green leaves topping the tall ruby-red-hued flowers create a visually appealing plant in any garden. However, these plants tend to be cold-tender, so plant them well after the last frost.

  • Botanical Name: Odontonema strictum
  • Sun Exposure: Indirect, Shade
  • Soil Type: Well-drained, Moist, Rich
  • Soil pH: 6.5-7.0
11 of 31

Goat’s Beard

Goat’s Beard
Flowerphotos/Getty Images

Goat’s Beard is a perennial with tiny cream-colored flowers covering fuzzy or feathery branches in the summer. These plants spread up to four feet wide and grow four to six feet tall. Goat’s Beard grows in woodlands and is an excellent garden border plant.

  • Botanical Name: Aruncus dioicus
  • Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
  • Soil Type: Moist, Rich, Loamy
  • Soil pH: 5.6-7.8
12 of 31

Hens and Chicks

Hens and Chicks
Elizabeth Fernandez/Getty Images

Hens and Chicks is the moniker for this succulent with rosette-form leaves in shades of green, purple, and red. This plant thrives when planted in the spring but also grows from seeds in containers when started in the fall. Overall, Hens and Chicks has minimal maintenance requirements.

  • Botanical Name: Sempervivum tectorum
  • Sun Exposure: Full
  • Soil Type: Well-drained, Sandy
  • Soil pH: 7.0
13 of 31

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Jack-in-the-pulpit
db_beyer/Getty Images

Jack-in-the-pulpit has an arching, tubular flower striped or spotted with contrasting colors. This slow-growing perennial is relatively easy to grow. Find this species in deciduous woodlands and floodplains.

  • Botanical Name: Arisaema triphyllum
  • Sun Exposure: Partial, Shade
  • Soil Type: Moist, Rich
  • Soil pH: 5.5-7.0
14 of 31

Leopard’s Bane

Leopard’s Bane
skymoon13/Getty Images

Similar in appearance to a daisy, this cheerful perennial blooms in the spring in bright gold with rounded, heart-shaped leaves with toothed edges. Leopard's Bane is easy-to-grow, and the flowers show for several weeks throughout the springtime. This plant goes dormant after blooming, so use this time to divide the clump if needed.

  • Botanical Name: Doronicum
  • Sun Exposure: Partial, Shade
  • Soil Type: Well-drained
  • Soil pH: 6.0-6.5
15 of 31

Lion’s Tail

Lion’s Tail
OpaqueFifty/Getty Images

Fuzzy stems with spherical, whorled orange flower clusters in summer and autumn create Lion's Tail appearance. This plant is excellent for attracting pollinators, such as birds and butterflies, as the red-oranged-hued flower is full of nectar. To help Lion's Tail thrive in the following season, deadhead the plant after it blooms and before the first frost of the season.

  • Botanical Name: Leonotis leonurus
  • Sun Exposure: Full
  • Soil Type: Well-drained, Loamy, Sandy
  • Soil pH: 5.5-6.5
16 of 31

Lobster Claw

Lobster Claw
Dana Edmunds/Getty Images

Large bract clusters that look like lobster claws are this plant's calling card. While they grow best in tropical environments, Lobster Claw can also develop as a houseplant in the right conditions. The flower stem forms extremely colorful waxy leaves, and it's from here that the flower groups emerge.

  • Botanical Name: Heliconia
  • Sun Exposure: Partial, Shade
  • Soil Type: Well-drained, Moist
  • Soil pH: 6.0-6.5
17 of 31

Lords and Ladies

Lords and Ladies
Christophe LEHENAFF/Getty Images

The Lords and Ladies perennial plant can grow 12 to 18 inches tall and contains dense, bright red fruit clusters that resemble tiny ears of corn. The orange-red berries appear in the summer. The leaves of this plant are elongated, heart-shaped, and green with variegated patterns.

  • Botanical Name: Arum maculatum
  • Sun Exposure: Partial, Shade
  • Soil Type: Well-drained, Moist
  • Soil pH: 6.1-7.8
18 of 31

Love-in-a-mist

Love-in-a-mist
RedA&Co/Getty Images

Flowering in late spring or early summer, this plant has thin, threadlike leaves with showy blooms in blue, white, or pink. This plant's moniker derives from the fennel-like, airy foliage that forms around the flowers. This plant will bloom for several weeks.

  • Botanical Name: Nigella damascena
  • Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
  • Soil Type: Well-drained, Moist
  • Soil pH: 6.5-7.0
19 of 31

Nodding Ladies’ Tresses

Nodding Ladies’ Tresses
David Clapp/Getty Images

Dark green rosette-shaped foliage and fragrant, bell-shaped white flowers appear in the summer through early autumn. Described as a classic bog plant, the Nodding Ladies' Tresses has grass-like leaves that can grow up to 10 inches tall. Find this plant in woods, old fields, and prairies.

  • Botanical Name: Spiranthes cernua
  • Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
  • Soil Type: Moist, Clay, Loamy, Sandy
  • Soil pH: 6.1-6.5
20 of 31

Obedient Plant

Obedient Plant
Marcia Straub/Getty Images

This plant, also known as false dragonhead, has tall, upright stems with funnel-shaped flowers that look like snapdragons. This easy-to-grow member of the mint family blooms in summer and remains until the fall. Obedient Plant is excellent for attracting pollinators, such as bees and hummingbirds.

  • Botanical Name: Physostegia virginiana
  • Sun Exposure: Full
  • Soil Type: Well-drained
  • Soil pH: 5.5-7.0
21 of 31

Ostrich Fern

Ostrich Fern
Katrin Ten Eikelder / EyeEm / Getty Images

This plant's bountiful, broad fronds with a narrow base can reach four feet long. Ostrich Fern will go dormant in the winter and are best grown in natural sites, such as woodlands, wild gardens, or bordering streams or ponds. Once established, this plant will spread rapidly.

  • Botanical Name: Matteuccia struthiopteris
  • Sun Exposure: Partial, Shade
  • Soil Type: Moist, Clay
  • Soil pH: 5.0-6.5
22 of 31

Piggyback Plant

Piggyback Plant
Anne Hyde/Getty Images

The Piggyback Plant has triangular or heart-shaped leaves that, when mature, grow plantlets on top. The Piggyback Plant has a unique growing habit as new leaves sprout directly from mature leave where the stem attaches to the leaf. This plant grows indoors throughout the year.

  • Botanical Name: Tolmiea menziesii
  • Sun Exposure: Partial, Shade
  • Soil Type: Moist, Well-drained
  • Soil pH: 5.0-7.0
23 of 31

Pincushion Flower

Pincushion Flower
Achim Mittler/Getty Images

This flower contains a rounded head that resembles a pin cushion full of pins. The perennial is available in various hues, is best planted in early spring, and is relatively easy to grow. The Pincushion Flower attracts pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

  • Botanical Name: Scabiosa
  • Sun Exposure: Full
  • Soil Type: Moist, Well-drained
  • Soil pH: 5.8-6.2
24 of 31

Polka-Dot Plant

Polka-Dot Plant
Julio Ricco/Getty Images

Broad, pointed, variegated green leaves with pink and white spots distinguish the Polka-Dot Plant. These plants thrive in warmer climates, so treating them as annuals is one way to include them in your garden if you live in an environment that experiences colder weather. A mature plant reaches one to two feet tall and wide.

  • Botanical Name: Hypoestes phyllostachya
  • Sun Exposure: Partial
  • Soil Type: Moist, Well-drained
  • Soil pH: 6.1-7.3
25 of 31

Ponytail Palm

Ponytail Palm
James Young/Getty Images

Ponytail Palm has loose green leaves and a trunk with an extensive, swollen base for storing water. This slow-growing and long-living species can take five years or more to double in size. When planted indoors, this plant is relatively carefree.

  • Botanical Name: Beaucarnea recurvata
  • Sun Exposure: Full
  • Soil Type: Well-drained, Sandy
  • Soil pH: 6.5-7.5
26 of 31

Red-Hot Poker

Red-Hot Poker
Neil Holmes/Getty Images

Grass-like foliage, bare stems, and tubular clusters that resemble a glowing torch are characteristics of Red-Hot Poker. The perennials have stunning flower spokes in bright red, orange, yellow, and other color varieties. This deer-resistant plant attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.

  • Botanical Name: Kniphofia
  • Sun Exposure: Full
  • Soil Type: Well-drained
  • Soil pH: 6.0-7.0
27 of 31

Scarlet Pimpernel

Scarlet Pimpernel
Robert Pickett/Getty Images

Sprawling stems and small red-orange flowers that open and close over the day distinguish the Scarlet Pimpernel. These showy flowers, blooming in late spring or early summer, have a bloom size of around one inch. The entire plant grows up to six inches tall.

  • Botanical Name: Lysimachia arvensis
  • Sun Exposure: Full
  • Soil Type: Clay, Loamy, Sandy
  • Soil pH: 5.5-8.0
28 of 31

Skunk Cabbage

Skunk Cabbage
Panoramic Images/Getty Images

Excellent for water gardens, the Skunk Cabbage has big, ridged, verdant green leaves that resemble hostas. Expect this perennial plant to grow around one to three feet tall. This bog garden plan goes dormant and flowers in late winter or early spring.

  • Botanical Name: Symplocarpus foetidus
  • Sun Exposure: Partial, Shade
  • Soil Type: Rich, Loamy
  • Soil pH: 5.5-7.5
29 of 31

Sneezeweed

Sneezeweed
Jacky Parker Photography/Getty Images

Daisy-like blossoms with big, dark, yellow-speckled centers characterize Sneezeweed. This plant quickly grows to its mature size of two to five feet tall and around two feet wide. Attracting butterflies in early summer and fall, this plant is available in different shades of gold, orange, red, and brown.

  • Botanical Name: Helenium autumnale
  • Sun Exposure: Full
  • Soil Type: Moist, Well-drained
  • Soil pH: 5.5-7.0
30 of 31

Toad Lily

Toad Lily
Chris Burrows/Getty Images

A Toad Lily plant contains spotted flowers that resemble orchids. Another reason for its moniker is that the entire plant is hairy, while the leaves alternate as they grow and have parallel veins. Plant the Toad Lily in an area protected from harsh weather, particularly strong winds.

  • Botanical Name: Tricyrtis hirta
  • Sun Exposure: Partial, Shade
  • Soil Type: Moist, Well-drained, Loamy
  • Soil pH: 4.5-6.5
31 of 31

Turtlehead

Turtlehead
Justus de Cuveland/Getty Images

Turtlehead is a slow-growing plant that blooms for three to six weeks in late summer or early fall. The plant has small, puffy flowers with pointed, two-lipped petals reminiscent of turtle heads, giving it the Turtlehead moniker. This plant works well in bog gardens or areas with moist soil and filtered sun.

  • Botanical Name: Chelone obliqua
  • Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
  • Soil Type: Moist, Rich
  • Soil pH: 5.0-6.8
Was this page helpful?
Related Articles