Complete Gardening
Have you ever walked through a garden and done a double-take at the name on a plant label? The plant world is full of strange, funny, and downright bizarre names that can make even serious gardeners giggle.
Some names come from how the plants look, while others honor people or places. Get ready to discover some truly head-scratching plant names that might make your next garden visit more entertaining!
1. Monkey Puzzle Tree
This spiky evergreen got its peculiar name when someone remarked that even a monkey would be puzzled trying to climb its sharp, scale-like leaves and oddly arranged branches. Native to Chile, these prehistoric-looking trees can grow over 100 feet tall in their natural habitat. They’ve been around since dinosaur times! Despite their intimidating appearance, they make striking specimen trees in large gardens where their unique silhouette creates an unforgettable focal point.
2. Corpse Flower
Holding the record for the world’s largest unbranched inflorescence, this botanical oddity earned its morbid nickname from the powerful stench it releases when blooming – exactly like rotting flesh. The smell serves a purpose, attracting carrion beetles and flies that pollinate it. Native to the rainforests of Sumatra, it blooms rarely, sometimes with years between flowerings. When it does bloom, the massive burgundy flower can reach 10 feet tall and draws crowds willing to endure the smell for a glimpse of this wonder.
3. Naked Man Orchid
Giggle-inducing at first glance, these Mediterranean orchids feature flowers that genuinely resemble tiny nude men. The resemblance is uncanny – with distinct “arms,” “legs,” and a “head” clearly visible on each bloom. Scientifically known as Orchis italica, these plants grow wild across the Mediterranean region. They typically stand about 20 inches tall with dozens of little “men” clustered on each flower spike. Beyond their humorous appearance, they’re becoming increasingly rare in the wild due to habitat loss, making them a protected species in many areas.
4. Butcher’s Broom
Long before plastic cutting boards, European butchers used bundles of this plant’s stiff branches to scrape clean their wooden chopping blocks – hence the grisly name. Look closely and you’ll notice something odd: what appear to be leaves are actually flattened stems called cladodes. The tiny true flowers grow directly from these false “leaves,” creating a botanical oddity. Modern gardeners appreciate this drought-tolerant evergreen shrub for tough spots where other plants struggle, completely unaware of its bloody past in butcher shops across Europe.
5. Bastard Toadflax
No, this plant isn’t the illegitimate offspring of a toad and flax! Its unfortunate name stems from medieval times when “bastard” simply meant “false” or “substitute.” Farmers noted it resembled true flax but wasn’t useful for making linen. This delicate European wildflower has a fascinating secret life as a partial parasite. Its roots tap into nearby plants to steal nutrients while still producing its own food through photosynthesis. The small white flowers bloom in summer, creating a lacy effect in meadows and grasslands where it grows naturally.
6. Voodoo Lily
Emerging from the soil like something from a horror movie, the Voodoo Lily sends up a single mottled stalk resembling snake skin before unfurling its dramatic purple-black flower. The flower produces heat – yes, actual heat – and releases a smell like rotting meat to attract pollinating flies. Some varieties can raise their temperature nearly 15 degrees above ambient air! After flowering, an umbrella-like leaf appears that can reach 6 feet across. Despite its creepy reputation, plant collectors prize this conversation-starting oddity from Southeast Asia.
7. Kiss-Me-Over-The-Garden-Gate
Victorian gardens were filled with plants whose names spoke the romantic words people couldn’t say out loud, and this beauty topped the list. With its cascading chains of pink flowers hanging like jewelry, it created the perfect spot for stolen garden kisses. Growing up to 8 feet tall in a single season, this annual makes a dramatic statement. Thomas Jefferson grew it at Monticello, carefully saving seeds each year. The nodding flower clusters contain hundreds of tiny blooms that attract butterflies and hummingbirds, adding movement and life to the garden.
8. Dragon’s Blood Tree
Cut into the bark of this otherworldly tree and red sap oozes out like blood, giving rise to its mythical name. Ancient Romans prized this resin as medicine, makeup, and even varnish for violins. Found almost exclusively on Yemen’s Socotra Island, these trees look like giant mushrooms or upside-down umbrellas. Their bizarre shape helps collect moisture from fog in their arid homeland. Some specimens are believed to be over 600 years old, though they grow extremely slowly in their harsh environment. Climate change now threatens these living fossils.
9. Dead Man’s Fingers
Emerging from forest floors like zombie hands clawing their way out of graves, these creepy blue-black fungi live up to their macabre name. They typically grow in clusters of 3-6 “fingers” pushing up through wood mulch or rotting stumps. Despite their gruesome appearance, they’re actually helping decompose dead wood. The fungus starts out with a bright blue coating before turning black with age. Foragers beware – while not deadly toxic, these aren’t edible mushrooms. They’re best appreciated for adding spooky charm to woodland gardens during fall.
10. Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
The sharp-pointed leaves of this popular houseplant inspired its cutting name – supposedly as sharp as a mother-in-law’s criticism! Also called Snake Plant, it’s nearly impossible to kill, thriving even in dark corners with minimal water. NASA research identified it as one of the best air-purifying plants, removing toxins like formaldehyde and benzene from indoor air. A single plant can significantly improve a bedroom’s air quality overnight. Native to West Africa, some cultures believe it provides protection from evil influences – perhaps including difficult in-laws!
11. Jack-Go-To-Bed-At-Noon
This wildflower earned its quirky name from its punctual habit of closing its yellow blooms precisely at midday, as if heading off for an afternoon nap. Country children once used it as a natural clock to know when to head home for lunch. The plant produces spectacular seed heads resembling giant dandelion puffs, but much larger – sometimes reaching 8 inches across! These silvery spheres catch the breeze, dispersing seeds far and wide. Goats particularly love munching on this European meadow plant, which has naturalized across parts of North America.
12. Hottentot Bread
No, you can’t eat this bizarre plant! The name refers to its massive above-ground root that resembles a loaf of crusty bread sitting on the soil surface. These woody “caudexes” can grow up to 3 feet wide, storing water for drought periods. From this strange woody base emerge climbing vines that can reach 20 feet long. The plants are dioecious, meaning individual plants are either male or female. Indigenous people of southern Africa traditionally used the plant medicinally to treat digestive problems, though its common name now is considered culturally insensitive.
13. Dutchman’s Pipe
The flowers of this unusual vine look exactly like old-fashioned curved smoking pipes, complete with bowls and stems. These bizarre blooms aren’t just novelties – they’re clever insect traps! Tiny flies enter the pipe-shaped flower, following the scent of what they believe is rotting material. Once inside, they’re trapped by downward-pointing hairs until they’re covered with pollen, then released to pollinate another flower. The dense heart-shaped leaves create excellent privacy screens on trellises and fences, hiding the weird flowers that bloom underneath.
14. Sneezeweed
Despite what its name suggests, this cheerful late-summer bloomer doesn’t actually cause sneezing. Native Americans dried the leaves to make snuff that induced sneezing – they believed this would expel evil spirits from the body! The bright yellow flowers have distinctive “skirts” of drooping petals around a raised center, creating a look like tiny ballerinas in yellow tutus. They’re butterfly magnets in the garden. Modern gardeners value this native North American plant for providing crucial late-season nectar for pollinators preparing for winter or migration.
15. Scarlet Pimpernel
More famous as the hero of a swashbuckling novel than as a plant, this tiny wildflower has earned multiple nicknames including “Poor Man’s Weather Glass.” Its flowers close tightly when rain approaches, providing a natural weather forecast. The delicate salmon-colored blooms are tiny – barely 1/4 inch across – but they open wide in sunshine, creating speckles of color in lawns and garden paths. They close promptly at 3 PM each day, regardless of weather. Despite its charming appearance, the plant contains toxins that traditional herbalists once used in tiny amounts to treat mood disorders.
16. Love-Lies-Bleeding
Dramatic crimson tassels cascade from this plant like streams of blood, creating one of the most visually striking and aptly named plants in any garden. The rope-like flower clusters can dangle up to 2 feet long! Also called amaranth, its seeds were a staple food of ancient Aztecs. Modern health food stores sell these protein-rich grains for cooking, though ornamental varieties are grown primarily for their spectacular appearance. Victorian gardeners adored this plant for both its beauty and its melancholy name, perfect for their love of sentimental, romantic language in the garden.
17. Witch Hazel
Nothing says weird like a shrub that blooms in winter when everything else is dormant! Witch hazel explodes with spidery yellow flowers on bare branches, often while snow still covers the ground. The “witch” in its name comes from Middle English “wiche” meaning bendable – its branches were favored by water dowsers searching for underground springs. Its bark and leaves contain medicinal compounds still used in skincare products today. Perhaps most bizarre is how it disperses seeds – the pods literally explode, shooting seeds up to 30 feet away with an audible snap!