We end up trading for the same plants otherwise! And we as humans do like to name things.
Tally HO!

And now we have some one who has had an allergic reaction to a plant and he doesn't even know what it is. I have a feeling it may be a Euphorbia, but the pain has lasted two months, how will the doctor tell the pain center what the plant is I doubt is the doctor will be able to ID it either. Thanks for responding.

We would also be buying the same plant again, and again. Norma

What the plant name is and were it came from may give us clues how to grow it. The name will help you order your own that you like. Be leary of Ebay. Norma

Now this is an interesting question.
I don't know that plants "must" be named, after all it doesn't mean anything to the plant. It's not the same as "must be watered" or "must have light". No, I think it's because we humans have an innate need to identify/categorize things.
In the past (it was a few years after we discovered how to make fire) I've read some cultures only identified plants that they used or needed to avoid and didn't worry about others. (Please don't ask me which ones, it would take me a looooong time to dig up the info. and I'm not that young.) Other cultures, such as ours, must name everything in sight and keep renaming or categorizing it for years thus keeping plant taxonomists employed way past their use-by-date. Unfortunately, unless we keep on our toes, this re-categorizing can lead to us purchasing the same plant again and again.
Then there is the discussion of common vs. scientific names which can then lead to the "how is pronounced correctly?" debate. Nothing as stimulating as an argument over the pronunciation of a dead language is there?
But names do give us a common ground for discussion, both in enjoyable and emergency contexts.

Good question Norma.

If they are your plants and you don't care and don't have a reason thats fine. I'm not your mother and not telling you what to do.
But if you see a picture on this forum and you want that plant you will want to know what it is. But your friend who posted it will just say it's a green plant don't know where I got it so tough luck. I don't know it's name.

Or I lost my plant and label, don't know what it was, it was green, I would like to replace it how can I get another one. Don't remember where I got it. I can't tell you more about it.

Or I need to know how to care for this plant. I'll ask you what it is so I can look it up and be sure I give you the correct information and you say I don't know and I'll say tough luck.

Example of two more reasons why you should have names on your plants, they are your plants, you can make a choice. Norma

I probably should have used the word should instead of must.
Any more reason why we should have names on plants? Norma

Should we than call them shoes? spiders? Botanical Latin is not out of date and it is a spoken language. Church Latin I don't believe is still a spoken language? I have a whole book on Botanical Latin, by William Stern it certainly helped me out in some cases, and if it wasn't for the Botanist across the street. I would never been able to figure out how to explain the word Photosyntheis or Respiratiion I didn't know what words to look up.
I have 350 Sansevieria it help me to discuss them by knowing a name. I wouldn't be able to help the Sansevieria forum, we couldn't discuss each species, and I need to look up each one and find out where they grow, not just the country, rocks, ancient coral beds, along streams, or in a foggy area or in grasslands, without a name it would be impossible. Also why are these people on our forum always asking about the names, they don't buy them with a name, so then why are they interested in them after they buy them. I know why, do the rest of you know why please give me a response? Norma

Did I say something wrong?
It appears I've ruffled some feathers, if so, that was not my intention. I thought you were interested in a discussion but from your responses it seems you're either in lecture mode or looking for a platform.
Apparently I don't understand the reasoning behind your question.
Correction: Botanical Latin is not a "spoken" language as it is never used in everyday conversation as the only means of complete communicate. For example in the sentence "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" the only words that Latin names in common usage are " fox" & "dog". Is there such a creature as a brown fox? If so, then toss the word "brown" in there too.
However botanical Latin is quite successfully used as a means of identification. And as anyone from any culture on this planet has to learn it (since it is a "dead" language), it is a fair choice for use in labeling .
Re: Church Latin is still used on a daily basis but usually only for ritual purposes. Hmmm, sounds like botanical latin, same use-different rituals.
Anyhooo, point is, both languages aren't considered "living". But that doesn't mean portions of them aren't in use.

Have a great day!

Again, I said I don't want to start a fight here. I am hoping to give reason why a plant needs a name if you don't wish to participate in good mood don't do so. There are beginners here that need this information. It is a living language as I deal with plants every day of my life and it is vital for us to get the clean oxygin that that they produce. I frankly don't care what you do with your plants, and don't know why you are looking for a fight. You don't need to read this and it's okay for you not to agree because I really don't care what you do.
I am only trying to help the begeinners, you are not a beginner, so don't need this information.
For those who are interested, I write my labels with a #2 soft lead pencil. Ink washes off and so does magic marker. I use plastic markers and they last about 5 years in my hot sun, I put two labels in the pots one that I can see and one down into the soil that the sun can't see. It works for me as well and the professionals that I have worked with over the past 19 years. Hot meaning San Fernando Valley at times up to 116F Labels help me replace the plants that were in the now empty pots. It also keeps me from replacing plants that I don't need to, and it helps me find the plants that I offered members here. NMgirl I sounds to me like sour grapes here, well you may remember all the details regarding your plants I don't, again this post is for the beginners, if you don't care to join us that's okay, I will understand and my feeling arn't hurt. I use my botanical Latin daily, I may not pronounce it correctly but if people know what I am talking about then they can help me learn. At my age I still want to learn, and when I don't I'm dead. Now you have a nice day, just remember I wasn't just talking to you, this is an open forum, for those who want to know and if it doen't apply to you wonderful, just move on to another post and let the rest of us learn from each other. I am published and don't need a platform, people know my intentions, are extremely polite and I'm happy to send plants. Thank you, Norma

I like to put my plants in shows and it needs to have the name...hopefully a correct name! hehe! This is one group of plants that is horribly over looked. (we have them growing in almost every yard in my city-2 common types & that is all most people know) Education of the public is key. For those who are interested knowing the name is all important.
Hmm...I've bought plant that I thought had the tag and when I got it home all it said was Sansaveiera. Bah! I've also gotten plants in swaps or on the cheap w/o names. To the best of my ability I buy plants with name tags...in a perfect world they'd all have tags!

I bought a Sansevieria and the tag had the cultivar name listed as "Crane's Black Sport". Its a super nice plant with unique name.

For me, it a compulsive thing. I go nuts if things aren't labeled, named, organized, catagorized, numbered etc. My dad thinks I'm nuts...he may not be too far off...

Sanseveria collectors are weird. I have been observing this for the past 30 years or more. Since 1978 or before. I think your dad has guessed it. I agree.
I like to have them, named and documentated because I'm on a forum that needs this information, just look at all the question for ID we get. Even the experts are having difficulty pinning down the names. They write a book then change their minds every 5-10 years and fight over it. Rename it as a new plant when found and it's was discovered 30 years ago, then go back and change it to the oldest name published. This is nonemenclature (spelling) rules. I am not going back and make corrections here.

"Looking for a fight"? Huh??
"Not agree"? I don't believe I ever stated I don't agree with naming plants.We must have names for things otherwise there'd be a lot of gesturing and making of odd noises in the effort to communicate. It's one thing to do that face to face, it's really difficult over the phone or Internet.
I reread your original post and nowhere was it stated that the questions was for "beginners" as you refer to them. However if that's your reason for posting mainly rhetorical "questions", I'll keep that in mind for the future. Silly me, I thought this was an open forum and you were wanting to start a discussion.
"Use my botanical Latin daily", that's nice. Many of us do, I don't think you're unusual in that.
Ready, fire, aim!
Well, I'm all funned out so I think I'll get off this ride.
Veni, vidi, vapulavi.

To see a sports fans or even two lovers fight can be pretty darn funny but to see two plant hobbyist fight is just down right dorky . Yes we need to label stuff because labeling things is instilled into our brains .But if you wanna get down to it , a plant is a plant is a plant that produces O2 in exchange for our CO2 . I've got 100's of plants and I hope I'm recieving the best O2 out there . NOW kiss each other's plants and move on !

hey nmgirl,

don't leave and don't feel bad. norma (or little bulldog)is just a rude person. don't let her bully you.

Brian.

Let her leave if she wants. She hasn't read much here or she'd know who Norma is & that she's not being rude deliberately.

No Brian, it's not that she's rude, it's that she's an older person to start & as she ages, her brain goes far too fast & she & her hands can't keep up.

She also tries to help everybody, perhaps too indescriminately as she goes. It's only one person's opinion, she needn't agree, not required here.

Some folks might benefit from a bit thicker skin.

As a personal friend of hers Brian, we could do w/out your name calling.

hi pirate girl,

you're a nice person and my quarrel is not with you. in fact, i don't have a quarrel at all. i'm just pointing out the obvious. if you read the thread again, nmgirl was just responding to norma's original question in a thoughtful, cheerful and enlightened way. thick skinned or not, she does not deserved to be treated that way. i reread her posts several times and found NOTHING offensive or argumentative in any way. she actually she gave one of the best responses. it was in-depth and informative.

regardless of whether there was intent, people's feelings can still be hurt by others'rude behaviour so long as it can reasonably be perceived as rude. and while i am not a "personal friend" of nmgirl and don't know how she really feels, i think she would be absolutely justified to feel hurt.

and along that line, i am NOT a "personal friend" of norma's, however, i have met her in person and will only say that my original post is not based solely on this thread.

and as an aquaintance of nmgirl, we could do without being called (unjustifiably) thin-skinned.

Brian.

Another reason why a name must be on a plant, I had numbers before but the plants could not be discussed no now three have been named this past month, and now the Huntington can put a label on the plants we have. And guest from all of the world will know what they are, and they are identified. Now before Hermine gives her program I must notify her of progress finally being named after all of these years. Now they can be discussed on this forum, and get them ready for distribution. Yeaaaaaaa Norma

We can make it easy and just name them all the same thing. I do it with my kids, just named 'em all Phyllis. My sons hate me but I say let them tell it to their analyst. At least the analyst will remember their name.

I call all my plants Harold or George. No kids or I would have named them Tracy. I have 2 brothers named Tracy, a nephew named Tracy, a co-worker named Tracy, my best friends daughter is named Tracy....you yell Tracy and SOMEONE answers. I call my great nephew T3, even though Tracy named him Adam for some unknown reason. And Tracy named his kid Tyler! At least it has a T in it. I think it's Tyler, I call him Tracy Too. Tracy is the only one that got it right and named his son Tracy. Though Tracy didn't name either of her kids Tracy. And Tracy doesn't have any kids. Both of my brothers named Tracy have a sister named Christy.

Confused? You won't be after tonights episode of Soap!!
Tally HO!

Sorry you think I'm thin skinned, and a pit bull, I have your name on my list now. Calling names is childish, I just got a good laugh.

Hermine Stover's program went over well. She gave the program regardless of the terrible accident she had the previously day. I car had hit her and yet she showed up. Now that is a real trouper, Norma