Sedum or Hylotelephium? Aster or Symphyotrichum?

But which is which?

I’m sure you know by now that herb garden favourite rosemary had its botanical name changed following DNA testing. It was reclassified to the Salvia family and its proper name is now Salvia rosmarinus (while the common name of course remains ‘rosemary’). Another common garden plant, Perovskia (aka Russian sage), has been renamed Salvia yangii. And then there are the sedums, some (but not all) of which must have needed a few more syllables to sound properly botanical!

Gardeners often wonder why this happens, and feel like botanical names are simply there to confuse us. Many gardeners choose to stick to the ‘old’ names, and occasionally (but not usually!) this is rewarded as science progresses, as is pointed out in this useful article from Gardens Illustrated.

Rosy Hardy, of Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants, made a video in 2021 about some of the changes.

I don’t know about you but I’m still getting my head around (some) Asters being renamed Symphyotrichum, which is not one that trips off the tongue. I think I’ll stick to ‘Michaelmas daisy’…

Kathy / Ali