With hundreds of thousands of plant species across the world, we have put together a list of English common to Latin plant names to help you identify what to ask for.
Some common plant names are hundreds of years old and often have a story to tell, for example, an Araucaria araucana was given the common name ‘Monkey Puzzle Tree’ by the Victorians who thought the trees stiff branches would puzzle a monkey trying to climb it. The main advantage of using common plant names is the ease and usage and common understanding by many.
Below is a list of A-Z common plant names and the Latin translation.
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/A-1024x293.png)
Common |
Latin |
African lily |
Agapanthus |
Alder |
Alnus |
Andromeda, Lily-of-the-valley |
Pieris |
Ash |
Fraxinus |
Avens |
Geum |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/B-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Bamboo |
Fargesia |
Bamboo |
Phyllostachys |
Barberry |
Berberis |
Bay Laurel |
Laurus nobilis |
Beech |
Fagus sylvatica |
Bergamot |
Monarda |
Big blue lily-turf |
Liriope |
Birch |
Betula |
Birds nest fern |
Asplenium |
Black-eyed Susan, Coneflower |
Rudbeckia |
Black tower elder |
Sambucus |
Blackberry |
Rubus |
Blackthorn |
Prunus spinosa |
Bluebeard |
Caryopteris |
Boston Ivy |
Parthenocissus |
Box, Common box |
Buxus |
Box-leaved holly |
Ilex crenata |
Broadleaf |
Griselinia littoralis |
Broom |
Genista |
Broom |
Cytisus |
Buckthorn |
Rhamnus |
Bugle |
Ajuga |
Butterfly Bush |
Buddleja |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/C-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Calico Bush |
Kalmia |
Californian lilac |
Ceanothus |
Catmint |
Nepeta |
Cedar |
Cedrus |
Chaenomeles |
Quince |
Chinese silver grass |
Miscanthus |
Christmas rose |
Helleborus niger |
Coneflower |
Echinacea |
Copper beech |
Fagus sylvatica pururea |
Coral bells |
Heuchera |
Corkscrew hazel |
Corylus avellana |
Cow parsley |
Anthriscus |
Cowslip |
Primula veris |
Cranesbill |
Geranium |
Curry plant |
Helichrysum |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/D-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Daisy bush |
Olearia |
Daylily |
Hemerocallis |
Dogwood |
Cornus |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/D-1-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Elephant’s ears |
Bergenia |
Elm |
Ulmus |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/F-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Feather reed grass |
Calamagrostis |
Fern |
Dryopteris |
Field maple |
Acer campestre |
Fir |
Abies |
Flowering Currant |
Ribes |
Flowering quince |
Chaenomeles |
Foamflower |
Tiarella |
Fountain grass |
Pennisetum |
Foxglove |
Digitalis |
Fuji cherry |
Prunus ‘Kojo-no-mai’ |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/F-1-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Globe flower |
Trollius |
Globe thistle |
Echinops |
Golden Bell Bush |
Forsythia |
Golden Oats |
Stipa gigantea |
Golden privet |
Ligustrum’ Aureum’ |
Gorse |
Ulex |
Granny’s bonnet |
Aquilegia |
Gum Tree |
Eucalyptus |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/H-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Hard fern, deer fern |
Blechnum |
Hazelnut |
Corylus |
Heather |
Calluna |
Heather |
Erica |
Heavenly bamboo |
Nandina |
Himalayan honeysuckle |
Leycesteria |
Holly |
Ilex |
Hollyhock |
Alcea |
honeysuckle |
Lonicera |
Hornbeam |
Carpinus |
Horse Chestnut |
Aesculus |
Hyssop |
Agastache |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/I-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Italian cypress |
Cupressus |
Ivy |
Hedera |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/J-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Japanese Spurge |
Pachysandra |
Japanese anemone |
Anemone |
Japanese Maple |
Acer |
Jasmine |
Jasminum |
Juniper |
Juniperus |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/K-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Knotgrass |
Persicaria |
Kohuhu |
Pittosporum |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/L-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Lady’s mantle |
Alchemilla |
Lamb’s ears |
Stachys |
Laurel |
Prunus laur ‘Rotundifolia’ |
Lavender |
Lavandula |
Lawson’s cypress |
Chamaecyparis |
Lenten Rose |
Helleborus |
Lilac |
Syringa |
Lily-of-the-valley |
Convallaria |
Lime |
Tilia |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/M-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Mallow |
Lavatera |
Masterwort |
Astrantia |
Mexican orange blossom |
Choisya |
Mock Orange |
Philadelphus |
Monkey Puzzle |
Araucaria |
Montbretia |
Crocosmia |
Mulberry |
Morus |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/N-1024x293.png)
Common |
Latin |
New Zealand Flax |
Phormium |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/O-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Oak |
Quercus Robur |
Oleaster |
Elaeagnus |
Olive |
Olea |
Oregon Grape |
Mahonia |
Oriental lily |
Lilium |
Ornamental Crab, Crab apple |
Malus |
Ornamental onion |
Allium |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/O-1-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Pearl bush |
Exochorda |
Periwinkle |
Vinca |
Peruvian lily |
Alstroemeria |
Pine |
Pinus |
Plantain Lily |
Hosta |
Poppy |
Papaver |
Portuguese Laurel |
Prunus lusitanica |
Privet |
Ligustrum ovalifolium |
Pussy willow |
Salix |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/R-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Red hot poker |
Kniphofia |
Rock rose |
Cistus |
Rose |
Rosa |
Rosemary |
Rosmarinus |
Rowan, Mountain Ash |
Sorbus |
Russian sage |
Perovskia |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/s-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Sage |
Salvia |
Sea holly |
Eryngium |
Sedge |
Carex |
Sedum, Stonecrop |
Hylotelephium |
Shasta daisy |
Leucanthemum |
Shrubby veronica |
Hebe |
Shuttlecock fern |
Matteuccia |
Siberian bugloss |
Brunnera |
Silk Tassel Bush |
Garrya |
Silver spear |
Astelia |
Smokebush |
Cotinus |
Sneezeweed |
Helenium |
Snowdrop |
Galanthus |
Snowy woodrush |
Luzula nivea |
Soft shield fern |
Polystichum setiferum |
Speedwell |
Veronica |
Spindle tree |
Euonymus |
Spotted Laurel |
Aucuba |
Spruce |
Picea |
Spurge |
Euphorbia |
Star jasmine |
Trachelospermum |
Sweetbox |
Sarcococca |
Switch ivy |
Leucothoe |
Sycamore |
Acer |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/T-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Thorn |
Crataegus |
Tree fern |
Dicksonia |
Tree hollyhock |
Hibiscus |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/W-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Wallflower |
Erysimum |
Walnut |
Juglans |
Weeping fig |
Fiscus |
Western Hemlock |
Tsuga |
Western Red Cedar |
Thuja |
Wintercreeper |
Euonymus ‘Emerald n Gold’ |
Witch Hazel |
Hamamelis |
Wormwood |
Artemisia |
![](https://johnsonsnurseries.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Y-1024x293.png)
Common Name |
Latin Name |
Yarrow |
Achillea |
Yew |
Taxus |
Click here for Latin to Common Names A-Z.
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