A jasmine by any other name is... confusing!

Last month, when I wrote about some of the popular scented plants, I was pleasantly surprised by your responses! Several readers were shocked to learn that scented geraniums aren’t actually mosquito repellents. Some of you also asked, “Are lemongrass and citronella the same?” These questions got me thinking—how do we truly know which plant we’re dealing with?

When a plant is native to a region, it often has a unique local name. Depending on the place, culture, and language, a plant that spreads widely and grows in many regions across the world may have both local and common names. Local names make it simple to recognise the plant’s characteristics, such as Ondelaga, which means “a single leaf” and refers to Brahmi, or Centella asiatica, which is an apt description of the plant.

Sometimes, local and common names overlap and create confusion. Take a look at chayote, which is a very common vegetable in our cuisine. It was once a seasonal vegetable available in the winter months. Bengaluru refers to it as Seeme Badanekai (foreign brinjal), while Tamil Nadu and Andhra call it Bangalore Kathrikai! (Bangalore brinjal). People also refer to it as chow-chow, both locally and globally.

Ironically, this Mexican-native vegetable is a gourd and has no relation to brinjal, demonstrating how common names can sometimes be misleading. Many flowers have jasmine or rose as a suffix, a common misconception. They usually refer to the fragrance and appearance of the flower and not the genus. For example, a table rose is not a rose but a Portulaca. 

Pavazhamalli, also known as harsingar or night-flowering jasmine, is the common name of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis. Some people call it parijatha as well. However, in many regions, Citharexylum spinosum, also known as fiddlewood, is often referred to as parijatha. Despite pavazhamalli having jasmine in its suffix (malli=jasmine), neither of these plants belongs to the Jasminum genus.

To add a bit of humour, there’s the popular Sansevieria trifasciata, often known as Snake Plant or Mother-in-Law’s Tongue. Whether it truly resembles a mother-in-law’s tongue or not is left to the reader’s imagination.

Anyone who spends time in nurseries would have noticed that the gardeners often mention scientific names when showing plants. This is their way of ensuring that you are getting the plant you want. Unfortunately, misleading plant labels, such as those for citronella, have made this even more crucial. Social media influence and marketing have led to the sale of scented geraniums as mosquito-repelling citronella plants. Some nurseries have even branded them, playing on a popular mosquito repellent brand. This may increase sales, but it also spreads misinformation.

I tested this myself. Upon requesting citronella at a nursery, I was immediately shown scented geraniums. I did not correct them at first, waiting to see if they would. When I politely pointed out the difference, the gardener smiled knowingly, delighted to have a customer who understood the difference. Knowing scientific names is important as it allows us to identify and purchase the exact plants we’re looking for, cutting through marketing gimmicks and local nomenclature variations.

The answer to the question “Is mango ginger lemongrass?” is no. Mango ginger, also known as Curcuma amada, is a variety of ginger that shares similarities with turmeric. The rhizomes look like those of turmeric and have a flavour of both mango and ginger.

Lemongrass and citronella grass both belong to the same genus, Cymbopogon. They have small rhizomes. If the lemongrass leaves that you bought from the store to make tea have roots, you can propagate in water. Immerse the roots in a glass of clear water and allow a week or 10 days for new roots to form. Then transfer them to a pot. When established, divide and replant rhizomes to grow more.

The next time you go in search of a plant, spend some time researching its scientific and local names, as this can assist both you and the nursery in selecting the correct plant.

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The author believes gardening is more than just cultivating plants. It’s also about the bees, butterflies, insects, flies, and bugs that make the garden their home. She posts as @all_things_in_my_garden. Send your queries to [e-mail]