We write our plant tags out by hand on discarded vinyl blinds with indelible markers, and there’s always the internal debate of whether it’s better to be informal and recognizable or technically correct (because writing both gets tiresome). Personally I lean towards accuracy rather than approachability because technically correct is the best kind of correct, but even my plant friends think I’m a nerd. Who’s with me?
I am totally with you! Mostly in conversation I try to use the Latin names. Works fine, because the person I’m talking to generally either 1) doesn’t know anything about plants and wouldn’t know the common name either, or 2) does know about plants and most likely does recognise the Latin.
Common names are really impractical IMO. For example, a while back I was giving away some cuttings, and someone offered me a cutting from her “umbrella plant” (translated) in exchange. So I said sure, fully expecting a schefflera. But she showed up with a cyperus alternifolius, which (at least in my language) has exactly the same common name. How is this useful? 🙄