By Julie Boudreau
It’s pretty easy to suppose that I have a great passion for plants, gardens, natural environments and all that has anything to do with photosynthesis. But that’s not my one and only passion. I’m into a lot of things! I also like mycology and my knowledge in ornithology has gone beyond warblers. I now have a curious interest in Laridae, the family of gulls, seagulls and terns! And finally, I’m also a fan of B-movies, graphic novels and science fiction! Yes, I admit, I am a bit of a geek. I know a few words of Klingon, I can wish you to live long and prosper in Vulcan and I’ve already made a Dalek Christmas tree.
I often come across articles announcing that insects have been named after famous rock stars. For example, in 2019, a beetle (Ptomaphagus thebeatles) was finally named after The Beatles. An Australian entomologist immortalized Beyoncé by dedicating a fly (Scaptia beyonceae) in her name. Then there is a small wasp, Metallichneumon neurospastarchus, which is a clear homage to Metallica’s album “Master of Puppets”! Recently, I came across an article that mentioned the arrival in the world of amphibians of seven new species of frogs, each named after one of the captains of the Star Trek series.
It took no less to spark a question in me that unites two of my passions: has the same thing ever been done for plants? Are there plants anywhere in the world that have been named after celebrities? Are there, among 21st century botanists, self-confessed geeks who enjoy Latinizing characters from cult TV series?
Yes! Botanists Are Such Geeks!
Of course, botanists, like many scientists, have a great sense of humor. Plant hybridizers too! For example, in 2014, a new species of begonia with almost black leaves was discovered in the tropical rainforests of the island of Borneo, which was named Begonia darthvaderiana. Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia’s father (spoiler alert!) therefore has his begonia! Despite its evocative name, the Force is not necessarily on his side. It is a fairly rare plant in its natural environment. It is therefore advisable to find out about the origin of the plants, which must be propagated vegetatively, to ensure the protection of the species. The young Queen Amidala also has her begonia (Begonia amidalae) found in the same region, also vulnerable to habitat destruction.
In the same spirit, there is a Mandevilla sherlockii. This refers to the famous private detective, a fictional character that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle never managed to get rid of, even after throwing him into the depths of the Reichenbach Falls.
Another South American orchid, Pterichis aragogiana, found its inspiration in the famous Harry Potter books and in particular in Rubeus Hagrid’s giant spider friend, Aragog. Could it be that this plant has a preference for human flesh?
May the Force be Green!
The Star Wars series has also aroused passions among hybridizers. Thus, there is a pulmonaria named ‘Dark Vader’ and primroses named ‘Darth Vader’, ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Palpatine’. These are all very beautiful auriculate primroses (Primula auricula) which would be potentially hardy in northern gardens of North America.
The Galactic Empire also gave birth to the Louisiana iris, Iris ‘Princess Leia’, introduced in 1997. Our beloved princess also has her pineapple flower, Eucomis ‘Leia’. Then, it’s with the daylilies (Hemerocallis spp.) that we will find our irreplaceable ‘Han Solo’, his ship, the ‘Millenium Falcon’.
The ‘Star Wars’ magnolia, the ‘Star Wars’ fuchsia, and the ‘Star Wars’ dahlia also feature in the horticultural possibilities of true geek gardeners. In another manner, there’s also a dahlia named ‘Braveheart’, ‘Dracula’, and ‘Pulp Fiction’!
Trekkies Boldly go Beyond with Hostas and Daylilies
A few years ago, I bought, without asking any questions, the hosta ‘Captain Kirk’… only because of its name! A beautiful large hosta with variegated green foliage, tone on tone. Then, I added the Planet of its most faithful companion, ‘Vulcan’. Then I transgressed towards the heroes of the Marvel series by acquiring the hosta ‘Wolverine’. I deliberately planted it far from the ‘Vulcan’. So as not to cause conflicts or slippages in the multiplex multiverse! You never know… There is also an ‘Enterprise’ hosta and a ‘Starship’ hosta that I still have to find to complete my collection!
But it is among the daylilies that one can confirm his degree of geek knowledge of the Star Trek series (including Deep Space Nine, Voyager and anything Khan related) with names like ‘Borg Technology’, ‘Cardassian Borders’, ‘First Officer’s Log’, ‘Gort’, ‘Neelix’, ‘Photon Torpedo’, ‘Vulcan Logic’ and ‘Spock’s Ear’.
For the Nostalgic
Some plants take us back to our sweet childhood memories. Fans of the Peanuts comic strip, featuring Charlie Brown and Snoopy, will be delighted to discover the ‘Peppermint Patty’ bergenia.
And for those like me who learned to read and speak English by listening to the popular children’s show Sesame Street, a small orchid has been named to honor, surprisingly, Oscar the Grouch… The Stelis oscargrouchii flower looks a bit like this grumpy, hairy, khaki-green puppet.
And the list goes on! What a fabulous playground! Let’s continue our journey by recommending the cultivation of Venus flytraps, direct descendants of the carnivorous plant from Little Shop of Horrors. And let’s dive into high literature by mentioning Alexander Olsen (or Alec Holland, depending on the era) the only photosynthetic superhero (or antihero, depending on the perspective of the moment) from the 70s DC Comics series, Swamp Thing. A must-read for any self-respecting horticultural geek!
I’ll have to tell my brother, a”Trekkie” about this article! Thank you…
Oh my! I have actually grown some of these examples. We grew ‘Star Wars’ magnolia on the farm for a while. One of the pulmonarias that I recently acquired from Tangly Cottage Gardening may be ‘Dark Vader’. Should I be embarrassed?