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Thank you so much for this article. I have tried many times to explain the reason why I feel the most important thing to be placed on a label is the LATIN name. You have done this for me beautifully!!
Now I can refer everyone to your article.
I work with many new members, so I will never make it mandatory for a trade, but now I have a place to send people when they ask me why I like and use Latin names! ((HUGS))
I appreciate this article very much!!
I'm with you! It's hard to explain why Latin names are so useful on seed packets without sounding pedantic. :-) A bonus of sending people to PF to look up names for plants they "already know" is that they often end up finding out something new other than just the botanical name... I use PF a lot to see if a plant in my garden might be suitable for somebody with more shade, in a warmer zone, etc... and if I hadn't started looking up Latin names in PF, I probably wouldn't have gotten into the habit of using it so much.
And you're right about not making it mandatory. It's better to just encourage people in that direction than to make it a requirement -- new traders have enough already that they feel uncertain about!
IMO, the very most important piece of information on a seed packet is the name of the DGer... because if I have that, I can ask questions about pretty much everything else! :-)
Be sure to catch tomorrow's article by Elizabeth (shearson) on the History & Origin of Botanical Plant Names.
