I have a plant in my garden. Funny that. It’s a trailing ground over with cute little white flowers that is fast growing and tough. I got it from Bunnings years ago and lost it label. I knew I knew it’s name but couldn’t remember it. Between myself and some like minded botanical friends we tried a few names but alas, nothing quite fitted. 

Then I remembered. Bacopa!

So I looked it up. Hmmm. Not quite right. The genus Bacopa was tropical to subtropical and virtually aquatic… but I was sure it was Bacopa. 

Google ‘Bacopa bunnings’ and there it was. 

But the plot thickens. Bunnings even has its botanical name listed as ‘Bacopa snowflake’ and it’s common name as ‘Bacopa white’. This in itself made me suspicious. 

Google ‘Bacopa white’…

Turns out it isn’t bloody Bacopa at all! Nowhere near it. They have used Bacopa as the common name which also happens to be the genus name of a complete different plant… silly silly. 

Sutera is the genus. Haven’t worked out anything further than that yet. I’m assuming it will be a cultivar of some description. But after weeks of being irritated by this plant and not knowing it’s name I can now relax. 

For those who know me, know I don’t have a good relationship with common names for plants. I appreciate that they are easier. Especially for the people who aren’t botanical Latin orientated. People are more likely to remember a name like ‘dogwood’ than they are Pomaderris. Or is ‘dogwood’ really referring to the genus Cornus… see the problem here. Two complete different plants with the same common name. 

Botanical names have an important role to play in plant identification. They are universal. A Pomaderris is a Pomaderris no matter which country you are in. But a dogwood isn’t a Pomaderris if you are in a different country. 

I challenge you. Be one with the botanical names. Embrace the crazy Latin. Once you get used to them you realise how beautiful a lot of them are. And you shall never be confused again. Unless you go to bunnings and trust the labels on the plants…