Some of the funniest real plant names include the sausage tree, sneezeweed, butter-and-eggs, sticky willy, pussytoes, shaggy soldier, turkey tangle frogfruit and the Dracula orchid. Most names come from how a plant looks, how it was once used, or old folklore. Below are 40 real names, the stories behind them, and pun names for your own houseplants.
Fun fact: Common names vary by region, so one plant can have a dozen silly names. Botanists use Latin names to avoid confusion.
Real Plants With Funny Names
| Plant | Scientific name | Why it’s called that |
|---|---|---|
| Sausage tree | Kigelia africana | Huge sausage-shaped fruits hang on rope-like stems |
| Sneezeweed | Helenium spp. | Dried leaves were once used as snuff |
| Butter-and-eggs | Linaria vulgaris | Yellow and pale flowers look like butter and yolk |
| Sticky willy | Galium aparine | Tiny hooked hairs stick to clothes |
| Pussytoes | Antennaria spp. | Fuzzy flower heads look like cat paws |
| Shaggy soldier | Galinsoga quadriradiata | Hairy stems on a tough little weed |
| Turkey tangle frogfruit | Phyla nodiflora | A ground cover with a gloriously odd name |
| Dracula orchid | Dracula spp. | Flowers look like they have fangs |
| Hot lips | Palicourea elata | Bright red bracts look like puckered lips |
| Monkey cups | Nepenthes spp. | Monkeys were said to drink from the pitchers |
| Mother-in-law’s tongue | Dracaena trifasciata | Long, sharp-tipped leaves |
| Bleeding heart | Lamprocapnos spectabilis | Heart-shaped flowers with a drip |
More Silly Plant Names
- Naked lady (Amaryllis belladonna)—flowers appear without leaves
- Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate (Persicaria orientalis)
- Love-in-a-mist and devil-in-a-bush (Nigella damascena)
- Lamb’s ears, elephant ears, rabbit’s foot fern and kangaroo paw
- Corpse flower—famous for smelling like rotten meat
- Old man cactus—covered in long white ‘hair’
- Chocolate cosmos—smells like chocolate
- Butcher’s broom, mad-dog skullcap, goutweed and lungwort
- Dead man’s fingers, devil’s tongue and witches’ butter (a fungus)
- Bladderwort, stinking Benjamin, skunk cabbage and toothache plant
- String of pearls, string of bananas and string of dolphins
- Heavenly bamboo and lucky bamboo—neither is a true bamboo
Funny Names for Your Own Houseplants
Naming a houseplant can actually help you remember to water it. Popular puns include:
- Leaf Erikson, Fernando, Fern Gully and Kale Kardashian
- Planty McPlantface, Aloe Vera Wang and Sprout Springsteen
- Spike (for a cactus), Pot Malone and Vincent van Grow
- Photosynthesis Phil, Bud Lightyear and Elvis Parsley
Common Names vs Latin Names
Pros
- Common names are easy to remember
- Stories behind names teach plant history
- Fun way to get kids into gardening
Cons
- The same name can mean different plants
- Some names are misleading about edibility
- Nurseries may label by Latin name only
Ready to grow a few of your own? Start with how to propagate spider plant babies or try how to plant a mango seed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the funniest plant name?
Popular picks include sticky willy, turkey tangle frogfruit, sneezeweed and the sausage tree.
Why do plants have such strange common names?
Names often describe the plant’s look, smell, folk use or the place it grew, and they were passed down locally long before scientific naming.
Is the sausage tree fruit edible?
Raw fruit is not eaten; it’s fibrous and considered toxic raw. It is used in traditional preparations after processing.
Are plants with scary names dangerous?
Not necessarily. Names like ‘devil’s tongue’ describe looks. Always check toxicity separately, especially with pets.
Should I name my houseplants?
Many plant owners do—it’s a fun way to bond with plants and keep track of watering schedules.
