In case you don't know Latin...

I never studied Latin and occasionally plant names completely stump me. Other times, I think I have them down completely and realize when I'm describing them to a friend or sales person that I've never actually heard them pronounced before.

Here are some of the funnier ones I've blundered this season:

• Spirea - I was asking a friend's dad for advice on pruning these earlier this year. I had inherited the shrubs and identified them in a book. I pronounced them "SPIR-ea". He corrected me (ever so kindly) that its "Spi-REA".
• Artemesia - I pronounced it with a strong "s-i-a" at the end instead of the "sya" sound.
• Euryops (bush yellow daisy) - I didn't even try pronouncing this one, but I really wanted one so I described it to the sales person instead.

Tonight in Fine Gardening, I found a Latin plant name pronunciation resource that might save some future embarrassment.