NOMENCLATURE AT THE BICKELHAUPT
Every plant at the Bickelhaupt Arboretum has a black label at the base. Board member Dr. Ed Hasselkus and Advisory Board member Justin "Chub" Harper offer this explanation:
The scientific name of plants consists of the genus and specific epithet (taken together=species) and may be followed by a variety or cultivar name. Our authority for plant nomenclature is Mark Griffiths, 1994. "Index of Garden Plants" from the Royal Horticultural Society. Our authority for conifer nomenclature is Welch & Haddow. 1993. "The World Checklist of Conifers".
Common names are included on most plant labels. As there are often several common names for the same plant, we use as our common name authority Kelsey & Dayton. 1942. "Standardized Plant Names".
Of note:
The botanical nomenclature is at the top of the label. The common name appears below the botanical name. In the lower left hand corner is the plant's accession number. These two numbers reflect the year the plant was received here at the Arboretum (i.e. 97 would indicate 1997). The second set of numbers designates the accession number, which is the number that particular plant is in our database records (i.e. 20 would designate that the plant was the 20th one accessioned that year). This is like a social security number for this particular plant as it relates to the arboretum's database plant records.
To determine the precise age of any plant in the arboretum there is a need to access the database plant records.
If there are any questions about labels and a particular plant, please consult arboretum personnel (563-242-4771); they will be happy to answer any questions.
It is the hope that the labeling helps our visitors to determine the accurate name of each plant, as well as to provide a guide to judge how fast the plant grows. It is important to remember that the scientific name of the plant is the same worldwide, while the common name may vary regionally.