Plant Labels Explained

Plant labels can be confusing to the uninitiated, and sometimes to those of us with a little more experience too. What does ‘part shade’ mean in real terms, what does it mean when it says ‘suits coastal conditions’. What does ‘hardy’ mean in relation to a plant. Here is a bit of deciphering which may help you when you next purchase a plant.

The Name 
A plant label should always include the scientific name but may also include a common name. Each plant has a unique name, which is the same no matter where you are in the world. This means you can be sure of what you are buying (presuming of course that it is labelled correctly). Never rely on a common name. These can be misleading as some common names are given to  several different plants (for example ‘Black Eyed Susan’ is the common name for Tetratheca thymifolia, Rudbeckia hirta and Thunbergia alata) and some plants have several different common names.
The scientific or Latin name has two parts. First is the genus followed by the species as in Grevillea juniperina. This is simplified but gives you the gist.

PBR or Plant Breeders Rights
This indicates that the plant has been bred and registered as such through a legal process which gives the breeder the sole right to produce clones of the plant for sale. This is akin to intellectual property rights.

Sun requirements
Full sun means 6 – 8 hours of sun. These plants will not perform as well in less sun.
Part shade means plants will most likely prefer morning sun and afternoon shade with a minimum of three hours direct sun. Too much sun and these plants are likely to burn, expect more water than usual, or become stunted.
Full shade means very little if any direct sunlight. These plants can be placed under or to the south of another plant or tree, or on the south side of the house.
Dappled sun means the plant likes filtered sun as though it were growing in a lightly forested area where the sun comes through in intermittent patches as the day progresses.

Water requirements
Drought tolerant. Once a plant is well established with a good root system it may be classed as drought tolerant. This means that it should be able to withstand prolonged dry periods. It does not however mean that it would not benefit from additional water if it were to be available.

Moderate water means that this plant will not like to go for long without some moisture.
Moist conditions is as it suggests…this plant prefers constant moisture in the soil.
Well drained soils. This can be ascertained by digging a hole (where you want to plant) big enough for a bucket of water. If this drains within ten minutes this is well drained soil.

Size
Measured in height by width. Once you have this information you can plan how far apart to plant your plants. Tiny little plants do look very silly planted so far apart but it is good to be disciplined in this regard so that the plants can grow to their full potential. Don’t forget that these measurements are average only. If you give your plants extra food, water and super soil they are likely to be bigger than mine!!!

Other terms
Hardy means that this plant will withstand freezing temperatures.
Coastal conditions means that this plant can withstand salt spray and coastal winds but does not necessarily mean that it cant also withstand inland heat, dry conditions or frost.
Suggestions on what the plant might be used for such as ‘hedge’, ‘pot plant’, ‘border’ are suggestions only.
LOCAL. Our labels at IDP Nursery additionally note if the plant is local. This is an indication that we have sourced our parent material from local grown indigenous plant stock.

I'm sure you will find plenty more confusing or ambiguous instructions on plant labels. If you have any queries at all we are always happy to answer plant questions.  You can contact us via Facebook, email or phone.