A few years ago, I launched a series of plant-based puzzles with some of my plant-obsessed friends on Facebook. As an admin of a group called Plant Idents – a page where members can either post photos of plants whose identities they don’t know and wish solved, or plants whose identity they do know and wish to challenge other plantaholics – I thought it would be fun to start something a little different. The basic idea: using Photoshop, I created a numbered puzzle using my own plant photos. As a stock photographer of plants, I have thousands of photos organized by Latin name. The puzzle had a name or solution — often regarding something that had happened on that day – which I kept secret, the name being spelled out with the first letter of the genus (botanical name) of each plant. To make it much tougher, I mixed up the letters/photos anagram-style, and told members what they were looking for, e.g. 4-word puzzle. After the members (often with lots of clues) guessed the plant genus (sometimes, to be mean, I made them guess the species too), I’d put the first letters of the guessed plants together. Then it was time to solve the anagram and the puzzle. (there are good anagram solver sites on the web).
I stopped doing the puzzles on the Plant Idents page when the members became too numerous, since it involved a lot of rapid-fire guessing and meant everyone had to be looking at the same guesses and answers minute by minute, so fast broadband speed was vital. Running the puzzles was like being an air traffic controller at a very busy airport! But I came across them in my files and thought it would be fun to gather some of them here in my blog, to commemorate a particular time and friendships that Facebook has enabled amongst like-minded people who, without meeting each other in person, share a passion for plants and a fanaticism for fun. So here goes…..
Holiday greetings! I explained the rules – but the points were virtual….
“MERRY CHRISTMAS”
9 Marrubium vulgare – Horehound
5 Eucharis formosa – Amazon Lily
12 Restio quadratus – Square-Stalk Restio
3 Ruellia humilis – Wild Petunia
5 Yucca filamentosa – Adam’s Needle
13 Chamerion angustifolium – Fireweed
7 Hydrocleys nymphoides – Water Poppy
6 Rhus aromatica ‘Gro-Lo’ – Fragrant Sumac
11 Illicium floridanum – Purple Anise
2 Schisandra sphenanthera – Schisandra
1 Tacca chantrieri – Black Bat Flower
4 Metapanax delavayi – Delavay’s False Ginseng
14 Ajania pacifica – Pacific Chrysanthemum
10 Stewartia rostrata – Upright Stewartia
But, as a Canadian, I felt it needed to be done in French too!
“JOYEUX NOEL”
5-Justicia carnea
4-Orlaya grandiflora
6-Yucca filamentosa
3-Enkianthus campanulatus
2-Urtica dioica
10-Xeranthemum annuum
9-Nyssa sylvatica
7-Omphalodes cappadocica ‘Starry Eyes’
8-Eragrostis elliottii ‘Wind Dancer’
1-Leucoryne coquimbensis
This one commemorated Martin Luther King Day: “I HAVE A DREAM”. And you can see that here I recorded the FB friends who guessed correctly.
6-Isotoma axillaris – Alys
5-Hardenbergia violacea – Jo
1-Abutilon striatum -Rebecca
11-Veronica ‘Eveline’ – Liberto
7-Euryops acraeus – Liberto
9-Alocasia cuprea – Sven
3-Diervilla lonicera – Jo
2-Rodgersia aesculifolia – Jo
10-Erinus alpinus – Liberto
4-Alkanna tinctoria-Alys
8-Melinis nerviglumis – Jo
Then came Valentine’s Day, and I thought a little Fred-and-Ginger was in order:
A DANCE STEP (for Valentine’s Day)
6-Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’ – Japanese spikenard
8-Dicentra spectabilis ‘Valentine’- Bleeding heart
10-Amaranthus caudatus – Love-lies-bleeding
2-Nigella damascena – Love-in-a-mist
9-Catanache caerulea – Cupid’s dart
7-Eragrostis elliottii ‘Wind Dancer’ – Love Grass
3-Sutera cordata – Bacopa
4-Tilia cordata – Little-leaf linden
1-Euonymus americana – Hearts-a-busting
5-Pontederia cordata – Pickerel weed
Birthdays were fun to commemorate. This one honoured the father of reggae (note the Rasta colours)….
” BOB MARLEY” – RBBALEOMY
3. Bouvardia ternifolia
7. Oncidium goldiana
2. Brugmansia aurea
8. Malvaviscus arboreus
4. Allamanda cathartica
1. Rhapis excelsa
5. Licuala spinosa
6. Euphorbia pulcherrima
9. Yucca aloifolia
And here he is:
This one sang the blues, in honour of Billie Holiday’s 100th on April 7, 2015:
LEUSBBLESILI = BILLIES BLUES
6-Brunnera macrophylla
10-Iris sibirica ‘Bennerup Blue’
7-Linum perenne
11-Lobelia erinus ‘Sapphire Blue’
12-Ipomoea tricolor ‘Heavenly Blue’
8-Echium vulgare
9-Scilla siberica
5-Borago officinalis
1-Lithodora ‘Grace Ward’
3-Utricularia resupinata
2-Eryngium planum
4-Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’
There was a bonus photo that day…..
The birthday could be of a writer, like……
“EZRA POUND” –
DRNOEAZPU
5-Euphorbia pulcherrima ‘Maren’
2- Rotheca myricoides
7 – Z – Zantedeschia aethiopica
6 – A – Acanthus hungaricus
8 – P – Penstemon barbatus ‘Rondo’
4 – O – Olea europea
9 – U – Ulex europaeus
3 – N – Nepenthes sp.
1 – D – Datura metel
Or perhaps a modern writer like…..
“VONNEGUT” – GETUVNON
5 – Vriesea carinata
7 – Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Ogon’
6 – Nyssa sylvatica
8 – Nephrolepis biserrata ‘Macho’
2 – Encephalartos villosus
1 – Glaucium corniculatum
4 – Ulmus glabra
3 – Taxodium distichum
It might be a performer, a favourite comedian. I had fun with layered meanings on this botanagram, for as we know, the legumes or “bean” plants make their own nitrogen from the soil via nodules on their roots. Thus the inclusion of an atomic number in #2.
“MR BEAN” (so legumes)
4. Medicago sativa – Alfalfa, Lucerne – Alys
5. Robinia pseudoacacia – Black locust – David & Amrita
6. Baptisia sphaerocarpa ‘Screaming Yellow’ – Yellow baptisia – David & Amrita (& Liberto’s clues…)
1. Erythrina caffra – African coral tree – David & Liberto
3. Amorpha canescens – Lead plant – Amrita & David
2. Nitrogen – atomic number 7 – Liberto!!
I liked marking the seasons. This one was June 21, 2014. School’s out!
SUMMER….
4 –Stapelia gigantea
8-Umbilicus rupestris
14-Myrrhis odorata
7-Menyanthes trifoliata
11-Encephalartos horridus (steward’s enquiry)
6-Rubus cockburnianus ‘Golden Gale’
SOLSTICE!!!
9-Salvinia auriculata
12-Olearia x scilloniensis
13-Limnanthes douglasii
3-Scilla peruviana
2-Tapaeinochilus ananassae
1-Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Red’
5-Catalpa bignonoides ‘Aurea’
10-Erodium manescavii
And school’s heading back in so it must be…..
“SEPTEMBER” (marking the first day of Sept. 2014)
5-Staehelina unifloscuosa
6-Eragrostis elliottii ‘Wind Dancer’
2-Poncirus trifoliata
9-Tedradium danielli
7-Eumorphia sericea ssp. robustior
8-Marrubium vulgare
1-Barleria cristata
3-Eurybia furcata
4-Reseda odorata
Not far into autumn, and it’s time for Thanksgiving when we express our….
“GRATITUDE” – For Thanksgiving
5-Gunnera manicata-Jo Astridge
9-Rhodotypos scandens-Liberto Dario
7-Actaea erythrocarpa-Liberto
1-Trochodendron aralioides-Liberto
3-Illicium floridanum-Liberto
8-Trachelium caeruleum-Liberto
4-Urtica dioica-Jo
6-Deinanthe bifida-Liberto
2-Erodium chrysanthum-Rosemary Hardy
Winter in Canada is cold and snow, so I like to do a little……
CALIFORNIA DREAMING
7. Calandrinia spectabilis
8. Arctostaphylos spp.
17. Layia platyglossa
6. Impatiens omeiana
15. Ficinia nodosa
14. Ozothamnus diosmifolius ‘Pink’
16. Retanilla ephedra
13. Nicotiana glauca
11. Iochroma cyaneum
1. Amsinckia grandiflora
2. Dodonea viscosa ssp. cuneata
18. Ruta chalepensis
3. Erica patersonia
5. Azara dentata
9. Maianthemum flexuosum
12. Isopogon anethifolius ‘Curra Moors’
4. Nothofagus obliqua var. obliqua
10. Greyia radkoferi
The botanagram below suited a day that appealed to mathematicians. Why? Because March 14, 2015 at precisely 9:26:53 = the famous equation 3.141592653 = π (and yes I punned with “pie” which, of course, is round).
PIE ARE SQUARED
12- Paradisea lusitanica-John Lamin
13-Isatis tinctoria-Bradley Newton
9-Eccremocarpus scaber-Bradley Newton
7-Abelia mosanensis-David Mason
8-Rostrincula dependens-John Lamin
2-Echium wildpretii-John Lamin
6-Symphoricarpos albus-Rebecca Alexander
4-Quercus agrifolia-Davis Mason
5-Uncarina grandidieri-Bradley Newton
3-Reseda luteola- ?
10-Eumorphia sericea-?
D-Dombeya wallichii-?
How about plant parts? Instead of boring terms like stamens and stigmas, I made a puzzle for……
“THE VITAL SEXY BITS”
9-Tibouchina urvilleana
15-Heuchera villosa ‘Autumn Bride’
8-Epimedium x rubrum
13-Vicia cracca
7-Inula helenium ‘Goliath’
12-Turnera ulmifolia
1-Amorpha canescens
16-Lobelia siphilitica
6-Sinopodophyllum hexandrum ‘Majus’
14-Eremurus x isabellinus ‘Cleopatra’
5-Xerochrysum bracteatum
4-Yucca rigida
2-Bauhinia kockiana
10-Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Red’
11-Thalictrum rochebrunianum ‘Lavender Mist’
3-Silphium perfoliatum
…. and one that featured those interesting leaf-like and flower-like parts…….
“LOVED THESE BRACTS” (yes, they’re all bracts)
10. Leucadendron ‘Jester’
12. Ochna serrulata
7. Vriesea carinata
1. Eryngium planum
15. Davidia involucrata
9. Tillandsia cyanea
13. Heliconia rostrata
6. Euphorbia fulgens
5. Salvia mexicana ‘Limelight’
14. Euphorbia amygdaloides ‘Purpurea’
2. Bougainvillea glabra
4. Rhodochiton atrosanguineus ‘Purple Rain’
16. Aechmea fasciata
3. Clerodendrum thomsoniae
8. Tacca chantrieri
11. Spathiphyllum sp.
…. and one for summer’s end, so I could fill a…….
“FRUIT BASKET”
6. Fagus grandifolia –Alys
8. Rhodotypos scandens – Liberto
11. Ulmus glabra –Jo
7. Ilex verticillata ‘Afterglow’-Marcel
1. Thuja occidentalis-Jo
2. Bismarckia nobilis –Liberto
10. Ailanthus altissima – Liberto
4. Sambucus candensis – Alys
3. Koelreuteria paniculata –Amy
5. Euonymus sachalinensis –Jo/Alys
9. Taxodium distichum-Liberto
As a music lover, it was fun to find fellow music-lovers to challenge. This was a fun one of a favourite old song with a colour theme…..A Whiter Shade of Pale
“PROCOL HARUM” – (Colour theme: A Whiter Shade of Pale)
11-Platycodon grandiflorus ‘Albus’
4-Rodgersia aesculifolia
9-Orlaya grandiflora
5-Crataegus mordenensis ‘Snowbird’
10-Ornithogalum saundersiae
1-Lysimachia clethroides
12-Hosta ‘Hoosier Harmony’
2-Anemone nemorosa ‘Vestal Virgin’ **
6-Rehderodendron macrocarpum
7-Umbilicus rupestris
3-Mukdenia rossii
* Odd one out is #2 – Anemone nemorosa ‘Vestal’ for Vestal Virgin
I’m just mad about saffron, yes I am…..
“DONOVAN” (Mellow Yellow)
3-Draba brunifolia
6-Osterospermum ‘Summertime Breeze’
4-Nuphar lutea
7-Opuntia humifusa ‘Lemon Spreader’
2-Verbesina helianthoides
1-Aeonium ‘Voodoo’
5-Narcissus ‘Tamar Fire’
This one was more of a logic puzzle, and required both Genus and Species names.
“ALPHABET” (not an anagram, a logic puzzle)
1 – Melinis nerviglumis
2 – Encelia farinosa
3 – Kalmia latifolia
4 – Ophiopogon planiscapus
5 – Clematis dioscoreifolia
6 – Iris japonica
7 – Quercus rubra
8 – Geranium himalayense
9 – Astrantia bavarica
Ab, Cd*, Ef, Gh, Ij, Kl, Mn, Op, Qr
(* I went with the plant label, but learned after I made up the puzzle that Clematis dioscoreifolia is a synonym for Clematis terniflora)
Finally, a little homage to the honey bee, or as we say in Latin…..
“APIS MELLIFERA” – Latin for honey bee
9-Asclepias syriaca
5-Pycnanthemum virginianum
8-Ilex verticillata
11-Silphium perfoliatum
2-Malva sylvestris
10-Eremurus ‘Cleopatra’
3-Lychnis flos-cuculi
6-Lathyrus latifolius
13-Iris pseudacorus
12-Filipendula ulmaria
1-Eranthis hyemalis
4-Ruta graveolens
7-Althaea officinalis
I can imagine how much work it took to put these together — and how much fun people had solving the puzzles. Very impressive, Janet.
Thank you Pat. They were a lot of work to put together, but they were very high-octane fun to play and solve. Naturally, I could not identify 75% of these plants if someone presented them to ME! Ha. 🙂
They were such fun, Janet, and I appreciate the pains you took to create them. Friendships made through them have endured, and, as with me and Liberto, have become real rather than virtual. If it weren’t for your botanograms, I wouldn’t be going on these wonderful plant hunting trips to Greece with him! Plus the photos are fantastic 🙂
Alys, I know they brought quite a few of us together in our shared plant passion. And I’m so happy you got to go to Greece to be guided by the best botanical mind there! I hope this can turn into a full-fledged business – or as much as he wants it to be – for Liberto. Someone would have to water all his plants, though…… 🙂
I never had the patience to try to solve them, Janet, so I can only admire your patience (and knowledge and talent and skill) in putting them together.
Ah, thanks, Helen. Just takes a little Photoshop. And since I don’t seem to be selling a lot of plant photos 😉 might as well put them to good use!
Wow!
This is quite extraordinary and very impressive! We spend so much time outside, thanks to our wonderful Mediterranean weather, there doesn’t seem to be enough time for such elaborate puzzles. Next time you’re in Greece, please come and visit us in Evia (www.theeviaislandgardenclub.com)
It may be of interest to your group to visit the Villa Livano garden as well, designed by Jennie Gay and Piers Goldson, using Olivier Filippi plants, right next door!
Lillian… thank you so much. The puzzles were fun and challenging. I made many friends. Your garden sounds lovely, as does your neighbour’s. I have a friend leading a garden tour here next year… perhaps I could send this to her?