jeffersonia diphylla

Have you ever heard of jeffersonia? This small, seasonal flower is named for an extremely important individual- Thomas Jefferson. American botanist Benjamin Barton named the flower in homage to Jefferson’s love of horticulture. Be it a flower, shrub, tree or root, many other important figures have been honored by having plants named after them.

Mister Lincoln rose

Many presidents have their own namesake roses. President Lincoln has four! There are also roses named for first ladies. Nancy Reagan, Lady Bird Johnson, and Laura Bush all lend their name to especially popular roses. While most republican presidents have a presidential rose named for them, only three democratic presidents do. Those three are Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy.

Laura Bush & her namesake rose

caloplaca obamae

Barack Obama has yet to have a presidential rose, but he has something no other president has- a lichen. Caloplaca obamae is a mossy plant named in “appreciation for the president’s support of science and science education”, according to the discovering scientist, Kerry Knudsen.

Prince Charles clematis

Princess Diana clematis

Plants have been named after other world leaders as well. Princess Diana and Prince Charles both have clematises named for them. The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge have a rose dedicated to them, as well as several other flowers.

Tina Turner & her namesake rose

Cher iris

Contemporary society is celebrity-obsessed. It stands to reason, then, that there are many flowers named for celebrities. There are roses named for Judy Garland, Julia Child, Barbara Streisand, Tina Turner, Bing Cosby, and Marilyn Monroe- just to name a few. There is an iris named after Cher.