As far as I can tell, there are two approaches to tracking updates.

The BONAP (Biota of North America Program) keeps a database of vascular plants north of Mexico, but the software is expensive and a complete list does not appear to be available online. The North Carolina Botanical Garden provides a partial list of updates since 1999.

The other approach is to try searching for specific families, genera, or species that interest you. The following websites can help you do that:

1. You can download the USDA's Complete Plant List. You can search for plants by scientific or common name here as well.

2. The GRIN database (also maintained by the USDA) offers several searching options and provides information on changes for each plant retrieved.

3. The International Plant Names Index also allows you to search for plants by scientific name; in addition, you can search for publications. And, statistics for plant names added in 2004 and 2005 are provided (but not the names themselves).

4. And here are two more name databases for plants in various parts of the world: Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database and Flora Europaea.

5. Finally, here are two links to more info about taxonomy.

Kew Gardens has info about why plants change their names.

The Horticultural Taxonomy Group (HORTAX) was set up in 1988, with the objective of providing a forum for taxonomists and horticulturists in the British Isles who have an interest in the taxonomy and nomenclature of cultivated plants.

Season All Season
Date 2007-12-06
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I think what you mean is Russian sage, Perovskia atriplicifolia. You might want to phone your favorite retail nursery to see whether they carry it (it is very popular). If it is not available, here are two Oregon nurseries that list it in their current catalogs:

Forestfarm in Williams, OR.
Joy Creek Nursery in Scappoose, OR

The following article from University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana Extension describes the confusion between Russian sage and 'Siberian lavender:'
"To the best of my knowledge, there is no such plant as Siberian Lavender. I have heard of English lavender, French lavender and Spanish lavender. By law all of these offers must list the Latin name of the plant; although sometimes it is in the tiniest of print. Check the ad again and see if you can find the words Perovskia atriplicifolia anywhere in the ad. Russian sage. It is a really fine plant, but it is not lavender. It does not look like lavender and it does not smell like lavender.
Do your homework and read the fine print. I know many people are not familiar with botanical names, but that is the only way to know what you are getting. Once you know the botanical name, even if you cannot pronounce it, you can find information about the plant. Botanical names are unique. Common names can be very misleading. A good example is an ad I saw recently in the newspaper. It was touting the luxurious beauty and fragrance of Siberian lavender. I had never heard of anything called Siberian lavender so I kept reading. The ad stated (with lots of exclamation points) how Siberian lavender produces thousands of flowers and has the delicate scent of lavender perfume year after year. Wow, sounds pretty fantastic. I continued to look to find the botanical name. In the minuscule fine print it said, Variety: perovskia atripliafolia (which I assume to be the misspelling of Perovskia atriplicifolia) also known as Russian sage. Russian sage is a nice perennial plant with silvery white leaves and soft bluish-purple flowers held in loose spikes. However, even from far away on a foggy day I doubt Russian sage would hold even a slight resemblance to lavender. Russian sage does have a fragrance, but it is more reminiscent of sage than of lavender."

Season All Season
Date 2008-01-24
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Pearly Everlasting is Anaphalis margaritacea, which is in the plant family Compositae (also called Asteraceae), according to David Mabberley's The Plant-Book (Cambridge University Press, 1997). Below are links to images and information about this plant.

• USDA Plants Profile
• Wikipedia
• Connecticut Botanical Society
• Arthur Lee Jacobson, local plant expert.

The problem with common names like 'daisy' is that they may refer to a large number of different plants. 'Daisy' can refer to Bellis perennis, Gerbera jamesonii, Olearia species, Chrysanthemum coronarium, Felicia bergeriana, Leucanthemum vulgare, and many other disparate plants.

Below are web links to sites which may help you with plant identification. There are also many good books on the subject, and an excellent starting place is Roger Phillips and Martin Rix's The Botanical Garden (Firefly Books, 2002).

• Burke Museum Herbarium: search by plant family, genus, or individual plant name
• San Diego County Wildflowers site, which has a useful key

Season All Season
Date 2008-05-10
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The best book I have found is Geoffrey Grigson's A Dictionary of English Plant Names, published by Allen Lane in 1974. It goes into a great deal of detail, and usually provides the approximate date when the name came into use. Another good resource is Flowers and Plants: An International Lexicon with Biographical Notes, by Robert Shosteck (Quadrangle, 1974).

Season All Season
Date 2008-12-04
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The United States Department of Agriculture's Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) prefers the name Epilobium canum, though you will find this plant under Zauschneria as well. I have certainly seen this plant being grown in our area, but the wet winters could be a concern. According to the book, Plants and Landscapes for Summer-Dry Climates of the San Francisco Bay Region (2004), Zauschneria californica (synonymous with Epilobium canum)needs good drainage and occasional to no water.

Anecdotal evidence from GardenWeb's online forum suggests that if you have a well-drained spot, you may be able to grow this plant there successfully. Oregon State University Extension has this to say:
"California fuchsia (Epilobium canum, also sold as Zauschneria californica) is another California native that grows well in Oregon both east and west of the Cascades."

There are several journal articles which have information about this plant. The Oct-Dec 2007 issue of Pacific Horticulture includes Bart O'Brien's "Getting Enough Zs in Your Garden: Enjoying Zauschnerias." Here is an abstract:
The author discusses growing Zauschnerias in the Mediterranean climate of the Pacific Coast area. The plants are native to California and commonly known as California fuchsia. They bloom in an orange-red color during the autumn and the flowers attract hummingbirds. Varieties and cultivars vary in size to suit a variety of garden applications.

Avant Gardener, April 2007, has an article entitled "Hardy Fuchsia Bushes." Here is the abstract:
The article discusses the varieties of California fuchsias, or Zauschneria, which has been renamed Epilobium. The shrubby 3' perennials are cold hardy to -25 degrees F and are native from Idaho to New Mexico. They have tubular flowers that bloom in late summer and early fall. Sources for plants are presented.

Robert Nold has written about Zauschneria in American Gardener, Jul/Aug 2005:
Presents information on California fuchsia or zauschneria shrub. Temperature resistance of the plant; species of the shrub; tips on growing zauschneria.

Season All Season
Date 2009-01-24
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You are right in observing that there is variability in how plant names are pronounced. See the following essay, What's in a Name?, by Susan Mahr of University of Wisconsin Horticulture. Here is an excerpt:
There are 'official' ways to say Latin words. You can read the rules, but memorizing them may end up being more work than it's worth. For gardeners, I think the most important rule is to pronounce every letter and in the correct order. Unlike English, with all those silent vowels and diphthongs and whatnot, just separate the word into syllables and say it like it sounds. You might want to say each syllable separately, then string them together so you don't leave anything out or mix up the sounds (as people do when they pronounce 'anemone' as 'anenome'). As long as you say all the letters, the listener should be able to figure out what you mean, even if your pronunciation differs from theirs."

Fine Gardening magazine online has a pronunciation guide with phonetic spelling and audio clips, but even here, you may find that you have heard variant pronunciations from other trusted sources. Another resource with audio files is University of Connecticut's Plant Database.

There are a number of useful books which provide guidelines for pronunciation, such as Dictionary of Plant Names by Allen Coombes (Timber Press, 1994). Keep in mind that the author is British, and his recommended pronunciations differ in some cases from American versions.

Season All Season
Date 2009-07-24
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