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Common Plant Name Misconceptions

Gardening by the Yard : Episode GBY-1311 -- More Projects »
Within the world of gardening, things aren't always as they appear. Many plant names can be misleading. Here's a short list of some common garden misnomers.
PHOTO

Figure A
  • Bermuda grass (figure A) is one of the most popular warm-season grasses, but it isn't from Bermuda. It's actually native to Africa.
PHOTO

Figure B
  • The Boston fern (figure B) hails from the tropics and wouldn't last more than a few seconds outside in a Bostonian winter.
    • PHOTO

    Figure C
  • Heavenly bamboo (figure C) isn't really bamboo at all—it's actually Nandina domestica.
    • PHOTO

    Figure D
  • The red cedar evergreen tree (figure D), called such by amateur and professional gardeners alike, isn't a cedar—it's a juniper.
    • PHOTO

    Figure E
  • Jerusalem artichokes (figure E) are the tasty tubers that add a nice crunch to salads. But they aren't from Jerusalem, and they aren't artichokes. They're actually related to sunflowers.
  • According to a Supreme Court decision rendered in 1893, the tomato is legally a vegetable, even though technically it's still a fruit. The same is true of most nuts, which is to say they aren't really nuts at all, but fruits.
    • Also in this Episode
    Gardening by the Yard : Episode GBY-1311
    •Soil Is the Key to Successful Gardening
    •Colchicums
    •Uncommon Fruit Trees
    •Common Plant Name Misconceptions
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