How do Sempervivums get their names?
Do people just choose their own names for plants that they buy?

Sorry, you don't get to make up your own names unless you hybridize a new plant but even then, most of the name will be set for you. Read this to learn more:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

Sempervivum is from the Latin "semper" or "always". The second half is "vivum" meaning alive or living. Sempervivum - always alive.

Not sure what you mean. You could always make up a name for your plant, (like calling your sempervivum "bob" of "Jeff")... i know, bad example.

Now, if you are talking about cultivar names, your plant has to be special in some way. For example, maybe it is a hybrid. Or maybe it's a plant that shows a mutation.

I doubt we will ever here from @ronswold again as they won't be able to find their thread. Why does someone insist on moving other peoples threads? I'm sure if ronswold wanted the thread here, it would have been started here.

@ronswold
Hi, good question.
1. Usually the hybridizer names the new seedling. A search is done first to make sure there is not another cultivar with that name.
2. If you purchase a semp without a name, it will forever be known as a NOID (no id).

Hope this was helpful?

Lynn is absolutely right. Don't name anything that has arrived without a name. It is a NOID forever after. The reliable nurseries mentioned on this site take many pains to make sure the names are correct. When you share the NOID with others do not make up another name as that perpetuates the confusion.

I raise tens of thousands of seedlings each year and only a few of these are good enough to get a name. These plants have been grown through several seasons so that they are known to take a wide range of weather conditions. The nursery propagating it might find another problem that makes the seedling not a successful plant. Thus, when you get the plant, you are getting something that has gone through lots of hoops.

Choosing a name is difficult as I try to pick out something that inspires some aspect of the plant. Several of the seedlings of mine are part of series and these names are selected by the nurseries marketing strategy.

Kevin

@ronswold will get notified regardless of where the thread gets relocated. That's how this site works.