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Glossary
Confused by plant names? Many people wonder why we list our tree and shrubs by their botanical names. Why don’t we use the common names by which everyone knows them?
The International Code of Botanical Nomenclature is an agreed code based on the original idea of the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus that every plant could be given a unique name which would describe the plant. The international scientific language at the time was Latin and this has persisted as a way people from all over the world can define exactly which plant they mean without confusion.
To help with translation the English generic names correspond to the Botanical Latin Genera listed.
Alder Alnus |
Larch Larix |
Other terms we use which you may find an explanation useful
Bare root
A tree or shrub dug up (lifted) when dormant and supplied with a minimal amount of soil around the roots.
Rootballed
A tree lifted when dormant and supplied with a ball of soil around the root, held together with hessian sacking and often wire mesh. This is left around the roots when the tree is planted.
Container grown
A tree grown in a container (pot) of a suitable volume for its size and vigour.
Girth
The circumference of the tree in centimetres measured one metre from the ground.
Transplant
A small tree or shrub that has been lifted from its seedbed and grown on at a wider spacing for a further year or two.
Whip
A young tree, usually less than 2 metres tall which is flexible.
Feathered
A whip or tree which retains its lower side branches.
Clear Stem
A tree with the lower branches removed to a height of 1.2-1.5m.
Deciduous
Woody plants that lose their leaves in the dormant season.