Create Blog post “herbs-and-the-importance-of-knowing-botanical-names…

…/index”

content/posts/herbs-and-the-importance-of-knowing-botanical-names/index.md

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
++++
+draft = true
+title = "Herbs and the Importance of Knowing Botanical Names"
+slug = "Herbs and the Importance of Knowing Botanical Names"
+date = 2024-01-09T18:29:28.710Z
+author = "Samantha Togstad"
+
+[cover]
+relative = false
++++
+Early spring is right around the corner and you’ve been planning your new herb garden. You know where it will be and you’ve got it all laid out in your Planter app. You decide to check out your local garden center for some more inspiration. You see a beautiful witch hazel named ‘Jelena’, that would look good in your medicinal garden. Then you see another one named ‘Diane’. Which can you use as an herb? Is it either of these at all? When it comes to herbs, knowing the plant’s botanical name is very important.
+
+### Why Plants Have a Botanical Name
+
+With hundreds of thousands of known plant species, and over 2,000 new plants being discovered every year, it’s a good thing we have a universally recognized naming system. The botanical name, also known as the scientific name or Latin name, is made up of two names, the genus and species. When there is a third name with quotations, that means it’s a cultivated variety. The botanical name is the same worldwide. You can run into confusion if you don’t know a botanical name. In England, using the common name Aaron’s rod could refer to mullein, but in Scandinavia, it could refer to Rhodiola. Using the botanical name ensures everyone is on the same page.
+
+### Reasons to Learn Botanical Names
+
+When growing your vegetable and flower garden you can choose by color, size, or even by name. Who can resist a ‘Teddy Bear’ sunflower? With herbs, you need to have some knowledge of specific varieties. In the case of the witch hazel shrub, there are many cultivated varieties . Hamamelis virginiana is preferred for herbal use. The types mentioned above, 'Diane’ and ‘Jelena’, are a type of Hamamelis x intermedia.  Finding a good book on herbalism will help you learn which varieties are the ones you want to use. Another good reason to learn is because some herbalists and books will only refer to a plant by its botanical name.
+
+### Safety First
+
+Many herbs have different species and each species can have different levels of the plant's active ingredients. All elderberries’ leaves, stems, roots, and seeds have some level of toxicity from their cyanogenic glycosides. Sambucus racemosa, or the red elderberry, has the highest levels of these compounds so it’s best to avoid it for herbal use. The black and blue elderberries, Sambucus nigra, Sambucus canadensis, and Sambucus caerulea, are preferred, as they have the least amount of cyanogenic glycosides, and with proper preparation, are the safest elderberries to use.
+
+Passionflower is an herb known for its sleep-enhancing qualities. Many nurseries have passionflower for sale. But there are over 400 species of passionflower! Passiflora incarnata is what’s used for traditional medicine.  Passiflora edulis is where we get passionflower fruit from , but it’s not usually used as an herb. Other types might be toxic. Knowing the botanical name is very helpful in this case. 
+
+### How Planter Can Help
+
+Remembering the exact botanical name of an herb can be tricky. It helps if you have the names written down. This can be an old-fashioned pen-and-paper list or you can use your [Planter](https://planter.garden/) app and have it available any moment you need it. Create a garden in the “Gardens” tab. Next, click the notepad icon in your garden. This will bring up “Garden Notes and Events”. You can choose “Note” and then fill it in with your herb wish list with the botanical and common names. Click “Save”. You can also fill in your garden with the growing variety of herbs available in Planter. Clicking on the information will show all you need to know about growing that plant, but also the botanical name. You can create a [new plant](https://info.planter.garden/plant-information/create-plants/) if it isn’t in Planter. 
+
+Labeling your herbs in Planter is also helpful when perennial herbs disappear in the winter. Let Planter be your garden map and you won’t confuse your *Echinacea purpurea* with your *Echinacea angustifolia* in the spring. 
+
+### Conclusion
+
+It might seem overwhelming to learn the botanical names, but it’s an important part of having an herbal garden. With a little studying and the help of Planter, you’ll be inviting friends over for a cup of homegrown *Melissa officinalis* tea in no time.