Perennial Cross Reference

ALPHABETICAL BY COMMON NAME

Over 300,000 species of plants have been identified throughout the past few centuries by botanists all over the world. A binomial system of nomenclature was developed to help accurately name and classify all of these plants. In this system, each plant is described by two names, first the genus, then the specific epitat. These names are derived Greek or Latin, and together, identify a specific plant. Though accurate, the names can be cumbersome, so plants are also given common names that are easier to use. Thus, Arisaema triphyllum becomes Jack-in-the Pulpit.

The problem of naming plants is especially evident with perennials. There are so many whose names are not well known! This cross-reference was developed to help you find the plant you are looking for. The perennial section is organized alphabetically, by genus. You should be able to find the perennial you are looking for by either the common name or the botanical name with the help of this cross-reference.

A-LEM

COMMON NAME	BOTANICAL NAME		COMMON NAME	BOTANICAL NAME
Aaron's Beard	Hypericum calycinum		Cutleaf Bleeding Heart	Dicentra eximia
African Lily	Agapanthus sp.		Daylily	Hemerocallis sp.
Algerian Ivy	Hedera canariensis		Dead Nettle	Lamium sp.
Allegheny Spurge	Pachysandra procumbens		Dogtooth Violet	Erythronium sp.
Alumroot	Heuchera sp.		Doll's Eye	Actaea sp.
Alumroot	Heuchera sp.		Dragon Plant	Persicaria sp.
Alyssum	Aurinia sp.		Dunce Caps	Orostachys sp.
Anise Hyssop	Agastache sp.		Dwarf Anchusa	Brunnera sp.
Arborvitae Fern	Selaginella sp.		Dwarf Aster	Aster dumosus
Asian Bluebells	Mertensia asiatica		Dwarf Mondo Grass	Ophiopogon so.
Avens	Geum sp.		Dyer's Wood	Isatis sp.
Baby's Breath	Gypsophilla sp.		Edelweiss	Leontopodium sp.
Balloon Flower	Platycodon sp.		Elecampane	Inula sp.
Baneberry	Actaea sp.		English Daisy	Bellis sp.
Barbara's Buttons	Marshallia sp.		English Ivy	Hedera helix
Barren Strawberry	Waldsteinia sp.		European Ginger	Asarum europaeum
Barrenwort	Epimedium sp.		Evening Primrose	Oenothera sp.
Basket Flower	Centaurea sp.		Fairy Bells	Disporum sp.
Basket-of-Gold	Aurinia sp.		Fairy Wings	Epimedium sp.
Bearberry	Arctostaphylos sp.		False Aster	Kalimeris sp.
Beard Tongue	Penstemon sp.		False Bleeding Heart	Corydalis sp.
Bearded Iris	Iris germanica		False Indigo	Baptisia sp.
Bear's Breeches	Acanthus sp.		False Spirea	Astilbe sp.
Bearsfoot Helebore	Helleborus foetidus		False Sunflower	Heliopsis sp.
Beebalm	Monarda sp.		Fennel	Foeniculum sp.
Bellflower	Campanula sp.		Fern-leaf Tansy	Tanacetum sp.
Bellwort	Uvularia sp.		Feverfew	Tanacetum sp.
Bergamot	Monarda sp.		Fleabane	Erigeron sp.
Bethlehem Sage	Pulmonaria sp.		Fleece Plant	Persicaria sp.
Betony	Stachys sp.		Foamflower	Tiarella sp.
Bishop's Hat	Epimedium sp.		Foamy Bells	Heucherella sp.
Bishopsweed	Aegopodium sp.		Forget-me-not	Myosotis sp.
Bitter Root	Lewisia sp.		Foxglove	Digitalis sp.
Black Iris	Iris chrysovgaphes		French Tarragon	Artemisia dracunculus
Black Mondo Grass	Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Niger'		Fringe Cup	Tellima sp.
Blackberry Lily	Belamcanda sp.		Funkia	Hosta sp.
Black-eyed-Susan	Rudbeckia sp.		Garden Heliotrope	Valeriana sp.
Blanket Flower	Gaillardia sp.		Gayfeather	Liatris sp.
Blazing Star	Liatris sp		German Statice	Goniolimon sp.
Bloodroot	Sanguinaria sp.		Germander	Teucrium sp.
Bloody Cranesbill	Geranium sanguineum		Globe Daisy	Globularia sp.
Blue Flag Iris	Iris versicolor		Globe Flower	Trollius sp.
Blue Flax	Linum sp.		Globe Thistle	Echinops sp.
Blue Gentian	Gentiana sp.		Gloriosa Daisy	Rudbeckia hirta
Blue Star	Amsonia sp.		Goatsbeard	Aruncus sp.
Bluebeard	Caryopteris sp.		Gold & Silver	Ajania pacifica
Blue-eyed Grass	Sisyrinchium sp.			(Chrysanthemum)
Bowman's Root	Gillenia (Porteranthus)		Gold Archangel	Lamiastrum sp.
Bugbane	Cimicifuga sp.		Goldaster	Chrysopsis sp.
Bugleweed	Ajuga sp.		Golden Globes	Lysimachia sp.
Bunchberry	Cornus mas		Golden Groundsel	Senecio sp.
Burnet	Sanguisorba sp.		Golden Lace	Patrinia sp.
Burstwort	Herniaria sp.		Goldenrod	Solidago sp.
Bush Clover	Lespedeza sp.		Goldenstar	Chrysogonum sp.
Bush Pea	Thermopsis sp.		Gooseneck Loosestrife	Lysimachia clethroides
Buttercup	Rannunculus sp.		Goutweed	Aegopodium sp.
Butterfly Bush	Buddleia sp.		Green and Gold	Chrysogonum sp.
Butterfly Weed	Asclepias sp.		Guinea Hen Flower	Fritillaria meleagris
Calamint	Calamintha sp.		Hardy Ageratum	Eupatorium coelestinum
Campion	Lychnis sp.		Hardy Asian Orchid	Calanthe sp.
Canadian Phlox	Phlox divaricata		Hardy Begonia	Begonia grandis
Candy Lily	Pardancanda sp.		Hardy Cyclamen	Cyclamen hederifolium
Candytuft	Iberis sp.		Hardy Mum	Chrysanthemum grandiflora
Cardinal Flower	Lobelia cardinalis		Hardy Orchid	Bletilla sp.
Carnation	Dianthus sp.		Heartleaf	Bergenia sp.
Carolina Lupine	Thermopsis sp.		Helens Flower	Helenium sp.
Carolina Phlox	Phlox carolina		Hellebore	Helleborus sp.
Carpathian Bellflower	Campanula carpatica		Hens & Chicks	Sempervivum sp.
Catchfly	Lychnis sp.		Gerb of Grace	Ruta graveolens
Catchfly	Silene sp.		Heron's Bill	Erodium sp.
Catmint	Nepeta sp.		Hollyhock	Alcea sp.
Catnip	Nepeta sp.		Horehound	Marrubium sp.
Chameleon Plant	Houttynia sp.		Horned Poppy	Glaucium sp.
Checkered Lily	Fritillaria sp.		Horseradish	Armoracia sp.
Checker-Mallow	Sidalcea sp.		House Leeks	Sempervivum sp.
Chives	Allium sp.		Ice Plant	Delosperma sp.
Christmas Rose	Helleborus niger		Ice Plant	Mesembryanthemum
Cinquefoil	Potentilla sp.		Indian Pink	Spigelia sp.
Circle Flower	Lysimachia sp.		Irish Moss	Minuartia sp.
Cobra Lily	Arisaema sp.		Ironweed	Vernonia sp.
Columbine	Aquilegia sp.		Ivy	Hedera sp.
Comfrey	Symphytum sp.		Jack-in-the-Pulpit	Arisaema triphyllum
Compass Plant	Silphium sp.		Jacob's Ladder	Polemonium sp.
Coneflower	Echinacea purpurea		Japanese Anemone	Anemone hupehensis
Coneflower	Rudbeckia sp.		Japanese Anemone	Anemone japonica
Copper Iris	Iris fulva		Japanese Aster	Kalimeris sp.
Coral Bells	Heuchera sp.		Japanese Iris	Iris ensata
Cornflower	Centaurea sp.		Japanese Spurge	Pachysandra terminalis
Corsican Hellebore	Helleborus Argutifolius		Jerusalem Sage	Phlomis sp.
Cottage Pinks	Dianthus sp.		Joe Pye Weed	Eupatorium sp.
Cranesbill	Geranium sp.		Jupiter's Beard	Centranthus sp.
Creeping Baby's Breath	Gypsophilla repens		Kinnikinnick	Arctostaphylos sp.
Creeping Bramble	Rubus sp.		Lace Plant	Persicaria sp.
Creeping Currant	Rubus sp.		Lady's Mantle	Alchemilla sp.
Creeping Germander	Teucrium canadensis		Ladyslipper Orchid	Cypripedium sp.
Creeping Jenny	Lysimachia nummularia		Lamb's Ear	Stachys sp.
Creeping Phlox	Phlox stolonifera		Larkspur	Delphinium sp.
Creeping Speedwell	Veronica prostrata		Lavender	Lavandula sp.
Creeping Thyme	Thymus serphyllum		Lavender Cotton	Santolina sp.
Crested Iris	Iris cristata		Leadwort	Ceratostigma sp.
Crosswort	Phuopsis sp.		Lemon Balm	Melissa sp.
Cupid's Dart	Catananche sp.		Lemon Verbena	Aloysia sp.
Cushion Spurge	Euphorbia sp.
LEN-Z
COMMON NAME	BOTANICAL NAME		COMMON NAME	BOTANICAL NAME
Lenten Rose	Helleborus orientalis		Rock Rose	Helianthemum sp.
Leopard Plant	Ligularia sp.		Rodger's Plant	Rodgersia sp.
Leaopard's Bane	Doronicum sp.		Roman Chamomile	Anthemis nobilis
Lily Turf	Liriope sp.		Roof Iris	Iris tectorum
Lily-of-the-Nile	Agapanthus sp.		Rose Mallow	Malva sp.
Lily-of-the-Valley	Convallaria sp.		Rue	Ruta graveolens
Loosestrife	Lysimachia sp.		Russian Sage	Perovskia sp.
Lungwort	Pulmonaria sp.		Rusty Foxglove	Digitalis ferruginea
Lupine	Lupinus sp.		Sacred Lily	Rohdea sp.
Mallow	Hibiscus sp.		Sage	Salvia sp.
Maltese Cross	Lychnis chalcedonica		Sandwort	Arenaria sp.
Marguerite Daisy	Anthemis sp.		Sandwort	Minuartia sp.
Marjoram	Origanum sp.		Saxifrage	Saxifraga stolenifera
Marsh Flower	Marshallia sp.		Scotch Moss	Sagina sp.
Masterwort	Astrantia sp.		Sea Holly	Eryngium sp.
Mayapple	Podophyllum sp.		Sea Lavender	Limonium sp.
Meadow Phlox	Phlox maculata		Seathrift	Armeria sp.
Meadow Rue	Thalictrum sp.		Self-heal	Prunella sp.
Meadow Sage	Salvia sp.		Senecio	Ligularia sp.
Meadowsweet	Filipendula sp.		Shasta Daisy	Leucanthemum superbum
Merrybells	Uvularia sp.		Siberian Bluebells	Mertensia siberica
Mexican Evening Primrose	Oenothera berlanderi		Siberian Bugloss	Brunnera sp.
Mexican Hyssop	Agastache sp.		Siberian Iris	Iris siberica
Miniature Hollyhock	Sidalcea sp.		Silvermound	Artemisia schmidtiana 'Nana'
Mint	Mentha sp.		Skullcap	Scutellaria sp.
Moneywort	Lysimachia nummularia		Snakeroot	Cimicifuga sp.
Monkey Flower	Mimulus sp.		Sneezeweed	Helenium sp.
Monkey Grass	Liriope sp.		Snowdrop Anemone	Anemone sylvestris
Monkshood	Aconitum sp.		Snow-in-Summer	Cerastium sp.
Montbretia	Crocosmia sp.		Soapwort	Saponaria sp.
Moss Phlox	Phlox subulata		Solomon's Seal	Polygonatum sp.
Mother of Thousands	Saxifraga stolonifera		Sorrell	Rumex sp.
Mother of Thyme	Thymus serphyllum		Spearmint	Mentha spicata
Mountain Blue	Centaurea montana		Speedwell	Veronica sp.
Mountain Lover	Paxistima sp.		Spiderwort	Tradescantia sp.
Mountain Mint	Pycnanthemum sp.		Spike Moss	Selaginella sp.
Mountain Pinks	Phlox subulata		Spikenard	Aralia sp.
Mourning Widow	Geranium phaeum var.		Spotted Dead Nettle	Lamium sp.
	purpureum		Spurge	Euphorbia
Mouse Ear Coreopsis	Coreopsis auriculata		St. John's Wort	Hypericum sp.
Mt. Atlas Daisy	Anacyclus sp.		Statice	Limonium sp.
Mullein	Verbascum sp.		Stoke's Aster	Stokesia sp.
Myrtle	Vinca sp.		Stonecrop	Sedum sp.
New England Aster	Aster novae-angliae		Strawberry Begonia	Saxifraga stolonifera
New York Aster	Aster novi-belgii		Strawberry Foxglove	Digitalis x mertonensis
Nippon Daisy	Chrysanthemum nipponicum		Summer Phlox	Phlox paniculata
	(Nipponanthemum)		Sun Rose	Helianthemum sp.
Obedient Plant	Physostegia sp.		Sundrops	Oenothera sp.
October Daphne	Sedum sieboldii		Sunray Flower	Inula sp.
Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart	Dicentra spectabilis		Surprise Lily	Lycoris sp.
Orchid Promrose	Primula vialii		Swamp Milkweed	Asclepias incarnata
Oregano	Origanum sp.		Sweet Box	Sarcococca so.
Oriental Lily	Lillium orientale		Sweet Pea	Lathyrus vernus
Oriental Poppy	Papaver orientale		Sweet William	Dianthus barbatus
Ornamental Onion	Allium sp.		Sweet Woodruff	Galium (Asperula)
Ozark Sundrops	Oenothera macrocarpa		Tatarian Aster	Aster tataricus
Pagoda Violet	Erythronium sp.		Teaberry	Gaultheria procumbens
Painted Daisy	Tanacetum sp.		Thrift	Armeria sp.
Parsley	Petroselinum sp.		Thyme	Thymus sp.
Partridge Berry	Mitchella repens		Tickseed	Coreopsis sp.
Pasque Flower	Pulsatilla sp.		Toad Flax	Linaria sp.
Peacock Daisy	Gazania sp.		Toad Lily	Tricyrtis sp.
Peacock Moss	Selaginella sp.		Torch Lily	Kniphofia sp.
Pearlwort	Sagina sp.		Treasure Flower	Gazania sp.
Pearly Everlasting	Anaphalis sp.		Tree Peony	Paeonia suffruticosa
Peony	Paeonia sp.		Tree Mallow	Lavatera sp.
Peppermint	Mentha piperita		Trout Lily	Erythronium sp.
Perennial Sunflower	Helianthus sp.		Tunic Flower	Petrorhagia sp.
Periwinkle	Vince minor		Turk's Cap	Aconitum sp.
Persian Cornflower	Centaurea dealbata		Turtlehead	Chelone sp.
Persian Ivy	Hedera colchica		Twin Leaf	Jeffersonia diphylla
Peruvian Lily	Alstroemeria sp.		Umbrella Plant	Darmera (Peltiphyllum)
Pigsqueak	Bergenia sp.		Violet	Viola
Pincushion Flower	Scabiosa sp.		Virginia Bluebells	Mertensia virginica
Pink-Flowered Strawberry	Fragaria sp.		Wall Flower	Erysimum sp.
Pitcher Plant	Sarracenia sp.		Wand Flower	Gaura sp.
Plaintain Lily	Hosta sp.		White Snakeroot	Eupatorium rugosum
Plumbago	Ceratostigma sp.			'Chocolate'
Plume Flower	Astilbe sp.		Wild Ginger	Asarum
Poppy	Papaver orientale		Wild Petunia	Ruellia sp.
Poppy Mallow	Callirhoe sp.		Windflower	Anemone sp.
Prairie Baptisia	Baptisia leucantha		Wine Cups	Callirhoe sp.
Prairie Phlox	Phlox pilosa		Winter Savory	Satureja montana
Primrose	Primula sp.		Wintergreen	Gaultheria sp.
Purple Coneflower	Echinacea purpurea		Wood Aster	Aster divaricatus
Purple Leaf Clover	Trifolium sp.		Woolly Thyme	Thymus p.'Pseudolanuginosis'
Purple Rock Cress	Aubrieta sp.		Wormwood	Artemisia sp.
Queen of the Meadow	Filipendula sp.		Yarrow	Achillea sp.
Rain Lily	Zephyranthes sp.		Yellow Loosestrife	Lysimachia punctata
Rainbow Moss	Selaginella sp.		Yellow Flag	Iris pseudacorus
Red Hot Poker	Kniphofia sp.		Yellow Foxglove	Digitalis lutea
Red Valerian	Centranthus sp.		Yellow Waxy Belles	Kirengeshoma sp.
Rock Cress	Arabis sp.
Ornamental Grasses
COMMON NAME	BOTANICAL NAME		COMMON NAME	BOTANICAL NAME
Bamboo	Shibataea sp.		Love Grass	Eragrostis
Big Blue Stem	Andropogon		Maiden Grass	Miscanthus sinensis
Blue Fescue	Festuca ovina 'Glauca'		Mexican Feather Grass	Stipa tenuissima
Blue Lyme Grass	Elymus sp.		Moor Grass	Molinia sp.
Blue Oat Grass	Helictotrichon sp.		Northern Sea Oats	Chasmanthium sp.
Bullrush	Scirpus sp.		Oriental Fountain Grass	Pennisetum orientale
Clump Bamboo	Fargesia nitida		Pampas Grass	Cortaderia sp.
Cord Grass	Spartina sp.		Plume Grass	Erianthus sp. (Saccjari,)
Dwarf Bamboo	Pleioblastus sp.		Quaking Grass	Briza sp.
Feather Read Grass	Calamagrostis sp.		Ravenna Grass	Erianthus ravennae
Fountain Bamboo	Fargesia nitida		Ribbon Grass	Phalaris sp.
Fountain Grass	Pennisetum sp.		Rush	Juncus
Giant Eulalia	Miscanthus floridus		Sedge	Carex sp.
Hakone Grass	Hakonechloa sp.		Sweet Flag	Acorus sp.
Indian Grass	Sorghastrum sp.		Switch Grass	Panicum sp.
Japanese Blood Grass	Imperata sp.		Tufted Hair Grass	Deschampsia sp.
Japanese Silver Grass	Miscanthus sinensis		White Flower Fountain Grass	Pennisetum caudatum
Little Blue Stem	Schizachyrium sp.		Yellow Foxtail Grass	Alopecurus