Funny plant names can turn a garden walk into a word game. Some describe a plant’s shape or color; others come from older common names or a story. Use the botanical names below to keep the discussion grounded, because different plants can share the same everyday name.
Make this an observation activity: look, sketch and compare. Do not ask children to taste leaves, make powders to smell, or test old medicinal uses. A memorable name tells you nothing about whether a plant is edible. Choose any plants for a children’s garden by their suitability and safety, not their name alone.
1. Hens and chicks — Sempervivum
A large rosette surrounded by smaller offsets makes the name easy to picture: one “hen” and several “chicks.” Ask children to find the biggest rosette and count the little ones without pulling them apart.
The RHS sempervivum guide explains their offset growth. These succulents are often grown in well-drained containers or rock gardens. The name also gets used for other rosette-forming plants, so check the label before assuming two “hens and chicks” need identical care. Drawing the rosettes as a family makes a simple activity without needing an elaborate origin story.
2. Sneezewort — Achillea ptarmica
Sneezewort is a real common name, but it is not an invitation to make anyone sneeze. Compare its small pale flower heads with other flowers in the border and imagine a new name based only on what you can see.
The RHS plant profile identifies the species and its growing conditions. Skip experiments with dried plant powder and avoid presenting historical remedies as things to try at home.
3. Butter and eggs — Linaria vulgaris
The pale yellow flowers with deeper yellow-orange centers suggest the colors in the name. Another common name is yellow toadflax. Children can sketch the flower and label the two colors rather than inventing a story about a dragon eating breakfast and treating it as history.
This plant spreads and can be invasive outside its native range. See the NC State profile and check local guidance before planting it. It can be an interesting name to learn without being a good addition to your garden.
4. Hooded skullcap — Scutellaria galericulata
The dramatic name belongs to a small flowering plant, not a piece of armor. The hood-like structure associated with its flowers makes a useful subject for a close-up drawing. Let children decide which part looks most like a little cap.
Native Plant Trust’s Go Botany account provides identification details. Avoid substituting another skullcap species or repeating claims about treating rabies; a shared common name is not reliable identification or medical guidance.
5. White goosefoot — Chenopodium album
Goosefoot invites children to compare a leaf outline with a bird’s foot. This plant is also known as lambsquarters. Ask which name is easier to remember and why; there is no need to promise that every leaf will have exactly the same shape.
Use the NC State species account for identification. Keep the activity separate from foraging. An unfamiliar weed should not become a snack because a website mentions edible uses, and similar-looking plants need careful identification.
6. Skunk cabbage — Symplocarpus foetidus
The eastern North American skunk cabbage is a wetland plant with a memorable smell and unusual early flowers. Its broad leaves are another reason the common name sticks in the imagination.
Observe it from an appropriate path rather than entering sensitive wet ground or crushing leaves to release a smell. It is not an edible cabbage for a children’s tasting activity. The NC State profile helps distinguish this species from other plants called skunk cabbage.
7. Snake plant — Dracaena trifasciata
The snake plant profile from NC State identifies this familiar houseplant, which has upright, sword-like leaves. It is also sold under the older name mother-in-law’s tongue, but snake plant gives children an easy shape comparison without making a relative the target of a joke.
Invite them to trace the leaf silhouette on paper by looking at it, then add stripes to their drawing. Houseplants belong in the same no-tasting rule as garden plants. Keep the actual pot in a suitable place rather than handing leaves around as toys.
8. Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate — Persicaria orientalis
Long, drooping clusters of pink flowers and tall stems make this name especially theatrical. Ask children to design an imaginary garden gate on paper and draw flowers leaning above it.
The NC State profile describes the plant. Check its mature size, tendency to self-seed and local suitability before growing it. A charming common name does not make every vigorous plant appropriate for a small bed.
9. Monkey puzzle — Araucaria araucana
This evergreen tree has stiff, pointed foliage and an unusual branching pattern. Kew’s account relates the common name to a remark that climbing the tree would puzzle a monkey.
Use the story as a prompt to study the silhouette, not to climb it. A monkey puzzle can become a substantial tree; its nursery size does not predict the space it will eventually need. Children can compare a young tree’s outline with a photograph of an older specimen.
10. Inch plant — Tradescantia zebrina
The striped leaves and trailing stems of inch plant make it easy to recognize as a houseplant. “Wandering dude” is another name in use. Some older labels contain an offensive name; inch plant is a straightforward alternative for a family activity.
The NC State profile identifies the species and its growth habit. Look at how the stems spread across the pot and ask children to invent a descriptive nickname. Keep trimmings contained rather than discarding pieces outdoors where they might establish.
Turn the list into a garden game
Give each child a card with a name and ask them to draw what they imagine before showing the real plant. Then compare the drawing with its leaves, flowers or overall shape. Separate made-up stories from documented name histories, and write the botanical name on the back of the card so you can check it later.
You do not need to buy all ten plants. Photographs, labeled collections and plants already growing in suitable locations provide plenty to explore.
