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Funny Plant Names That Will Make You Laugh

Funny Plant Names That Will Make You Laugh

By Southern Living

April 27, 2019

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Credit: KarenHBlack/Getty Images

We Southerners learn plant names early. From the trees—oak, pine, maple, dogwood—to the shrubs, ferns, and flowers that live 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. They’re curious plant names that make us want to learn more about the flowers, trees, and shrubs they describe. To find out 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.

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1 of 31

Balloon Flower

Credit: Daisuke Oka/Getty Images

Family: Campanulaceae

Genus: PLATYCODON grandiflorus

Calling card: Summer-blooming flowers that start as balloon-like buds

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2 of 31

Bear’s Breeches

Credit: Neil Holmes/Getty Images

Family: Acanthaceae

Genus: ACANTHUS

Calling card: Bold, spiny leaves that appear in clumps

3 of 31

Bugleweed

Credit: Federica Grassi/Getty Images

Family: Lamiaceae

Genus: AJUGA

Calling card: Quick-spreading ground cover with thick foliage and small, brightly colored flowers

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4 of 31

Butcher’s Broom

Credit: Valter Jacinto/Getty Images

Family: Asparagaceae

Genus: RUSCUS

Calling card: Leafless plants bearing big, pointed shoots that give the appearance of leaves, plus tiny white flowers sometimes followed by red or yellow fruit

5 of 31

Candytuft

Credit: Vaivirga/Getty Images

Family: Brassicaceae

Genus: IBERIS

Calling card: Deer-resistant flowers that bloom in a rainbow of hues

6 of 31

Cupid’s Dart

Credit: Troyka/Getty Images

Family: Asteraceae

Genus: CATANANCHE caerulea

Calling card: Grass-like, greyish leaves and small cornflower-like blooms

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7 of 31

Dame’s Rocket

Credit: dieter1freier1/Getty Images

Family: Brassicaceae

Genus: HESPERIS matronalis

Calling card: Purple blooms on branches that grow 3 feet tall and wide

8 of 31

Dancing Girl Ginger

Credit: Chayanan/Getty Images

Family: Zingiberaceae

Genus: GLOBBA

Calling card: Spidery, delicate flowers in yellow, white, orange, or purple hues with broad, bright green leaves

9 of 31

Drumsticks

Credit: KarenHBlack/Getty Images

Family: Asteraceae

Genus: CRASPEDIA globosa

Calling card: Flowers shaped like small yellow globes and silvery foliage

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10 of 31

Firespikes

Credit: liuyushan/Getty Images

Family: Acanthaceae

Genus: ODONTONEMA

Calling card: Spiky blooms in bold colors that attract butterflies and hummingbirds

11 of 31

Goat’s Beard

Credit: Flowerphotos/Getty Images

Family: Rosaceae

Genus: ARUNCUS

Calling card: Tiny flowers covering the branches like fuzz in summertime

12 of 31

Hens and Chicks

Credit: Elizabeth Fernandez/Getty Images

Family: Crassulaceae

Genus: ECHEVERIA

Calling card: Succulent rosette-form leaves in shades of green, purple, and red

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13 of 31

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Credit: db_beyer/Getty Images

Family: Araceae

Genus: ARISAEMA

Calling card: An arching, tubular flower that’s striped or spotted with contrasting colors

14 of 31

Leopard’s Bane

Credit: skymoon13/Getty Images

Family: Asteraceae

Genus: DORONICUM orientale

Calling card: Rounded, heart-shaped leaves with toothed edges and bright gold blooms

15 of 31

Lion’s Tail

Credit: OpaqueFifty/Getty Images

Family: Lamiaceae

Genus: LEONOTIS

Calling card: Fuzzy stems with spherical, whorled orange flower clusters in summer and fall

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16 of 31

Lobster Claw

Credit: Dana Edmunds/Getty Images

Family: Heliconiaceae

Genus: HELICONIA

Calling card: Big bract clusters that look like lobster claws

17 of 31

Lords and Ladies

Credit: Christophe LEHENAFF/Getty Images

Family: Araceae

Genus: ARUM

Calling card: Dense, bright red fruit clusters that resemble tiny ears of corn

18 of 31

Love-in-a-mist

Credit: RedA&Co/Getty Images

Family: Ranunculaceae

Genus: NIGELLA damascena

Calling card: Thin, threadlike leaves with showy blooms in blue, white, or pink

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19 of 31

Nodding Ladies’ Tresses

Credit: David Clapp/Getty Images

Family: Orchidaceae

Genus: SPIRANTHES

Calling card: Dark green rosette-shaped foliage and fragrant, bell-shaped white flowers

20 of 31

Obedient Plant

Credit: Marcia Straub/Getty Images

Family: Lamiaceae

Genus: PHYSOSTEGIA

Calling card: Tall, upright stems with funnel-shaped flowers that look like snapdragons

21 of 31

Ostrich Fern

Credit: Katrin Ten Eikelder/EyeEm/Getty Images

Family: Onocleaceae

Genus: MATTEUCCIA struthiopteris

Calling card: Broad fronds with a narrow base, the form of which resembles a shuttlecock

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22 of 31

Piggyback Plant

Credit: Anne Hyde/Getty Images

Family: Saxifragaceae

Genus: TOLMIEA menziesii

Calling card: Triangular or heart-shaped leaves that, when mature, grow plantlets on top

23 of 31

Pincushion Flower

Credit: Achim Mittler/Getty Images

Family: Dipsacaceae

Genus: SCABIOSA

Calling card: Rounded flower head that resembles a pin cushion full of pins

24 of 31

Polka-Dot Plant

Credit: Julio Ricco/Getty Images

Family: Acanthaceae

Genus: HYPOESTES phyllostachya

Calling card: Broad, pointed green leaves with pink and white spots

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25 of 31

Ponytail Palm

Credit: James Young/Getty Images

Family: Asparagaceae

Genus: BEAUCARNEA recurvata

Calling card: Loose green leaves and a trunk with a big, swollen base for storing water

26 of 31

Red-Hot Poker

Credit: Neil Holmes/Getty Images

Family: Asphodelaceae

Genus: KNIPHOFIA

Calling card: Grass-like foliage, bare stems, and tubular clusters that resemble a glowing torch

27 of 31

Scarlet Pimpernel

Credit: Robert Pickett/Getty Images

Family: Primulacaeae

Genus: ANAGALLIS arvensis

Calling card: Sprawling stems and small red-orange flowers that open and close over the course of the day

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28 of 31

Skunk Cabbage

Credit: Panoramic Images/Getty Images

Family: Araceae

Genus: SYMPLOCARPUS foetidus

Calling card: Big, ridged, verdant green leaves that resemble hostas

29 of 31

Sneezeweed

Credit: Jacky Parker Photography/Getty Images

Family: Asteraceae

Genus: HELENIUM autumnale

Calling card: Daisy-like blossoms with big, dark, yellow-speckled centers

30 of 31

Toad Lily

Credit: Chris Burrows/Getty Images

Family: Liliaceae

Genus: TRICYRTIS

Calling card: Spotted flowers that resemble orchids

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31 of 31

Turtlehead

Credit: Justus de Cuveland/Getty Images

Family: Plantaginaceae

Genus: CHELONE

Calling card: Small, puffy flowers with pointed, two-lipped petals that are reminiscent of turtle heads

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