What's in a name?

From living stones to wandering dudes, Linda Piegl looks at strangely named plants and how to grow them in your garden.

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There's no doubt that the people behind plant names are a wildly creative bunch.

From the weird to the wonderful, common plant names capture the imaginations of gardeners around the world and inspire them to grow all sorts of oddball specimens.

In South Africa, we're no different, proudly showing off our 'poor man's orchids' and 'bird of paradise' flowers to our braai guests.

If you're thinking of adding a quirky touch to your garden, what follows are a few examples and how to grow them.

MICKEY MOUSE BUSH

This attractive and hardy Southern African bush displays profuse, bright-yellow flowers in spring.

Its playful common name comes from the fruit – shiny black berries dangling beneath red sepals are said to resemble Mickey Mouse's face. The flowers attract bees and butterflies to your gaerden, while many bird species feast on the berries.

Growing tips: the Mickey Mouse bush (Ochna serrulata) grows best in full sun and frost-free regions but can manage semi-shade and light frost.

The soil should be well-composted and mulched, and the plant should be watered regularly.

CORPSE FLOWER