Plants That Move: Botanical Names Suggesting Motion and Action

Inspired by a writer's request, I crowdsourced plants with movement-evoking names—over dinner with Florida Extension colleagues and later from Facebook friends.

Core List

Quaking aspen, running bamboo, running cedar, creeping fig, jumping bean, wandering Jew, climbing fern, walking iris, climbing hydrangea, flying dragon citrus, rambling rose, walking palm, creeping thyme, clumping bamboo, tumbleweed, traveler's palm, spiral ginger, spiral juncus, shooting star, weeping willow, creeping Jenny, creeping Charlie, creeping fescue, creeping raspberry, nodding thistle, nodding onion, screw pine.

From Facebook Friends

Weeping blue atlas cedar, creeping rosemary, bleeding heart, climbing rose, Virginia creeper, hearts-a-bustin', white runner beans, touch-me-nots, climbing hempweed, climbing milkweed, floating bladderwort, flaming Katy, weeping cherry, snapdragon, walking onion, Johnny jump up, climbing hydrangea, Knock Out rose, creeping phlox, turnip greens ("turn up—get it?").

Creeping fig on garage door