Since few people speak Latin these days, an obvious question might be, “Why can’t we just use good English names for plants, like Sugar Maple?” The main problem with common names in any language is that they can vary from region to region, and it’s a big world out there.  In some parts of the U.S. the Sugar Maple is called a Rock Maple, and in other areas it’s called a Hard Maple. What we call a Bluebell in Oregon is not what they call a Bluebell in Texas, nor is it what the English call a Bluebell. To standardize plant names around the world, a Latin binomial, also known as a “scientific name” has been established for every known plant. In his Species Plantarum (1753), Carolus Linnaeus first proposed this system, now known as the Linnaean Binomial System of Nomenclature. Using this system, plants are given two Latinized names. The first name is called the genus and the second is the specific epithet. For example, the binomial for the Sugar Maple is Acer saccharum. The genus Acer is the ancient Latin name for maples, and the specific epithet saccharum is Latin for sugar or sugar cane. So today, if you wished, you can go into a nursery in Oregon, Japan, England, or just about anywhere and ask for Acer saccharum, and you’ll always get a Sugar Maple. Although it may be confusing at first, the binomial system is fun to learn and is the best way for gardeners to be sure they get the exact plant with all of the hoped-for attributes. Plus, you can always stun and amaze your friends by dropping a little Latin into your daily conversation.