Plant Names and Plant Lore Among the Pennsylvania Germans

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Zhe Pennsylvania :^©erman Society

PART

III

PLANT NAMES AND PLANT LORE AMONG THE PENNSYLVANIA GERMANS By David

E.

Lick

FREDERICKSBURG, PA.

AND REV.

Thomas

R. GREEN lane,

Brendle PA.

PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY

publication Committee

PACKENTHAL, JR., SC HIRAM H. SHENK, A.M.

B. P.

ULYSSES

S.

KOONS, ESQ.

To THE Memory OF

ABRAHAM STEINMETZ BRENDLE.

FOREWORD. Brendle, of Schaefferstown, Pa., sent a list of Pennsylvania-German plant names, current among the residents of his community, to the writer,

In the year 1914, A.

S.

nephew. This list was a mere enumeration of names without any accompanying scientific nomenclature and without any folklore. To this list the writer added a considerable number of Pennsylvania-German plant names, also the correspondSeveral ing scientific nomenclature and some folklore. Lick, E. D. to forwarded years later the revised list was enlarge of Fredericksburg, Pa., with the request that he in touch with. it and add such folklore as he had come Mountain, Blue the of Mr. Lick, who lives in the shadow mountain of added a large number of names, especially He likewise included the names of cultivated and plants. his

ornamental plants. Up to the time that the list came been into his hands only wild plants and weeds had treated.

Mr.

Lick, through his love for the etymological sig-

names and his interest in the comparative study of names and folklore, widened the field of the By patient and untiring research work investigations.

nification of

he arrived independently at results which later were found wonderfully substantiated in the works of German authorities on the names of plants and on folklore.

The Pennsylvania-German Society.

vi

In order that the reader may bestow credit where it is due it is here stated that the creation of a manuscript of worth and significance out of a mere list of plant names is

the

work

of

D. E. Lick.

Brendle's connection with the work ceased soon His untimely after he forwarded his list to the writer.

A.

S.

and deeply lamented death took away one who would have been of great help in many instances. His influence alphabetical is preserved in two features of the work: the arrangebotanical a of instead names the of arrangement the relationships; plant on ment, which would be based woody division of the work into an herbaceous and a section.

The

first

justified

because

folklore are studied

and not

feature

popular nomenclature and

easily

is

the specific relationships of plants.

The second

cannot be justified so easily. Its retention denkes" of the work of a friend. The purpose of the work is fourfold:

is

feature

an *^Aw-

A. The collection of Pennsylvania-German plant names and the scientific identification of the plants to which they are applied. Every name listed has been personally heard by one or the other of the authors. have been largely increased

The number if

of

names would

a thorough canvass could

have been made of all Pennsylvania-German communities, for the plants com.mon or known to one community are

frequently

uncommon

or

unknown

to

another.

found in restricted areas and are known to a comparatively small number of persons. The farmer is familiar with the plants along the fences and hedge rows, and with the weeds of his fields and barnyard. He is familiar, too, with the different grasses and forage plants. His wife knows the cultivated

Many

of our plants are

"^^^

Foreword, flowers

and medicinal herbs

of the garden. a knowledge

One cannot woodland

of however, look to the farmer for plants The fisherman and the miller notice the plants margms streams and line the that frequent the banks of

of ponds.

The woodchopper knows

the different trees,

shrubs, and woodland plants. plants, and The miller knows very little of woodland knows very little of inthe dweller in the woodlands the work of many troduced weeds. It will require many persons to make a years and the cooperation of names of Pennsylvania-German plant

complete collection we could not do more field It is to be regretted that which we covered, work for our collection. The territory comprised Lebanon, however, was well canvassed. It Lehigh counties. and Berks, Montgomery Lancaster,

The most

difficult

part of our work was the correct It was one thing of the plants.

scientific identification

name, it was another to scientifically was applied. A mere list identify the plant to which it is interesting but has no of German and English names change from permanent value. Popular plant names names and English time to time. There are no official Many names. there are no official Pennsylvania-German Our forgotten. names used a hundred years ago are to according vary Localisms plant names are localisms. localPennsylvania-German time and place. To bind and unchangeable is not fixed are isms with names that

to collect a plant

work. the least significant purpose of our comparison of our B. The second purpose was the

Pennsylvania-German names. C. D. scientifically drawn up, the one by

names with other

Two

other

lists,

Mell, the other

lists of

L. King, furnished excellent Many names are also to be found

by Wilbur

comparative material.

The Pennsylvania-German Society.

viii

vocabulary of A. R. Home's Pennsylvania German Manual, in the excellent dictionary of M. B. Lambert, and in the vocabulary of Pennsylvania-German words published by Hoffman in the Proceedings of the American in the

Philosophical

Society,

Vol XXVI, No.

129.

These not

Pennsylvania-German vocabularies, however, do give the corresponding scientific nomenclature.

We

have carefully searched for plant names among them and have included the names which we found, in our text for two reasons: (l) to show the similarity or dissimilarity in spelling and pronunciation between them and the names listed by us; (2) to bind them up with a scientific nomenclature. The latter end was quite easily attained in the case of Lambert, for, while he was preparing his dictionary, he went through our manuscript and followed it

to a large extent.

The third aim was to find the origin of the names. have been able to trace the names to four sources:

C.

We

(1)

They

names current in Here, however, one must not jump at

are adaptations of English

Pennsylvania.

Not every name that has a literal counterEnglish came to the Pennsylvania-Germans from

conclusions.

part in

association with English-speaking persons in America.

The

early discoverers and explorers carried

to England and the

European mainland.

many

plants

Only a precise

history of the plant will enable us in individual instances

how the name came into being. We have names that are gang und gabe among our Existence and usage are sufficient grounds for

to determine

included people.

all

inclusion.

are names or corruptions of names used in we have Wijk. We see how the official Here Germany. and the vernacular German exist side by side. (2)

They

ix

Foreword,

The immigrant

of the eighteenth century,

if

not famil-

iar with the names in the old country, came into contact with them through Saur's paper or through the German

drug store at Philadelphia. (3)

The names

are original, that

is,

given on account

of the appearance or the supposed medicinal properties of the plant. (4)

Some names

com.e to us from the Indians.

The

peaceful relations between the Pennsylvania-German and

the Indians, especially in the southeastern section of Pennsylvania, lead us to suppose that the Indians influenced our forefathers to a greater extent than is at apparent. Trappers, traders, and hunters, refirst

the herb gardens, would remedies in case of illIndian and turn to native plants Their experiences and knowledge would slowly ness. become known to the settlers. We have heard of families where the sick were regularly visited by Indian medicine men. D. Our last object was to record the folklore and We practices that still exist or are still remembered. we that had scrupulously avoided recording anything

moved from the settlements and

not heard or seen except by way of comparison. We used no **Brauchbicher," for in dealing with them one is at a loss to distinguish between that which was suggested by the authors and that which was current among the people.

We found

that "the

and much of the weiwerglawwe."

women"

lore

are the household oracles

which we recorded

is

**Alder-

Above we stated that the territory covered by our field work comprised Lebanon, Berks, Lancaster, Montgomery, and Lehigh counties.

By

including the

list

of

The Pennsylvania-German Society,

X

Mell we gain names from Lebanon, Dauphin, and Lanobtain caster counties; through the list of King we counMonroe names from Northampton, Lehigh, and Hoffman we get ties; through Lambert, Horne, and addenda, howThe usage. names that are in general

show that there is still room for a great deal The number of names recently obtained field work. Lehigh County, where Horne, Lambert, and King

ever, will

of in

have collected, shows that the field of PennsylvaniaGerman names and folklore is almost inexhaustible. We have spelled the names, as far as possible, in accordance with the modern High German spellings. Pennsylvania-German speech is a fluid dialect. to a certain extent a ''gelegenheits" dialect. spelled the \vords as we heard them.

We the the

have used

German German

Final

azv as azv in the

Thee, ie as ie in the

English

German

We

lazv, ee

Dieh,

The It

is

have

as ee in

ei as ei in

drei.

a, e,

and

i

are short.

In words like blumme the

sound vacillates between short a and short e. The d and t sounds are not constant. The same person will often use the same name successively with the two

final

different sounds, as, for example, drefse trefsa. Pennsylvania-German words which have their counter-

part in High

German

words,

example, Schzuamm, Beere,

as, for

are spelled like the

High German

Thos. R. Brendle. Green Lane,

Pa.

BIBLIOGRAPHY. 1.

2.

New Manual

of Botany^ Seventh Edition, 1908. scientific nomenclature of native on the Authority plants, and also of introduced plants that have escaped from cultivation. Bailey, Encyclopedia of Horticulture, Last Edition. Authority for scientific nomenclature of cultivated

Gray's

plants. 3.

Thomas Porter,

Flora of Pennsylvania, 1903.

Authority for distribution of native plants in Pennsylvania. 4.

Mell, "Pennsylvania German Plant Names" in The Pennsylvania-German, Vol. XI, No. 9, 1910. This excellent list with scientific nomenclature is based on the notes of Frederick Knopf, an immigrant from Germany, who botanized extensively in Dauphin, Lebanon, and Lancaster counties. Frequently it ap-

C. D.

is drawn between the High German and the Pennsylvania-German spellings. C. D. Mell, "Pennsylvania Germian Names of Trees" in The Pennsylvania-German, Vol. XI, No. 12, December,

pears no distinction

5.

1910. 6.

King, "Pennsylvania German Plant Names" The Pennsylvania-German, Vol. XII, No. 2, February,

Wilbur in

L.

1911.

more extensive than MelPs. It covers northeastern Pennsylvania. Like Mell, King has a

This

7.

list

is

corresponding scientific nomenclature. Dictionary of Plant Names, Vol.

Gerth van Wijk, 1911; Vol.

2,

1916.

I,

The Pennsylvania-German

XII

Society.

Dutch, compilation of French, English, German, and stupenA names. with corresponding Latin scientific

A

dous work.

Does not

list

localities

where names were

collected. 8.

Manual, AUentown, A. R. HoRNE, Pennsylvania German 1910.

plant names, but no scientific nomenclature. Dictionary of the Non-English Words of 9. M. B. Lambert, A the Pennsylvania-German Dialed, 1924.

Many

The best Has an

authority on the Pennsylvania-German dialect. no excellent collection of plant names, but

nomenclature. Englisch-Deutsches und 10. Muret-Sanders, Encyklopddisches Worterhuch. Deutsch-Englisch deutschen Friedrich Kluge, Etymologise hes Worterhuch der scientific

11.

Sprache, 1921.

Wdrierbuch

der

Elsdssischen

12.

Martin und Leinhart,

13.

Mundarten. Brauch, Berhn, E. L. Rochholz, Deutscher Glauhe und

14.

Karl Weinhold, Die

15.

Franz Sohns, Unsere Pflanzen, Leipzig-Berlin, 1920. William Barton, Compendium florae Philadelphica^,

1867.

alter,

16.

Deutschen Frauen in der Mittel-

Wien, 1897. ^

1818.

medical Valuable for occasional reference to folklore or practice. 17.

Frederick Pursh, Flora Americae Valuable

for

disinterested

Septentrionalis, 1814.

occasional

references

to

folklore or medical practices of that time. Superstitions of the Pennsyl18. E. M. Fogel, Beliefs and

vania Germans, Philadelphia, 191 5. An excellent authority on Pennsylvania-German folklore.

19.

Christopher Sauer, Kleines Krauterbuch, 1 762-1 778. at Copy in the Historical Library at Perkiomen School Pennsburg, Pa.

Bibliography.

xiii

Kreuterhuck/Durch Otho Brunnfelsz/Newlich beschriben/M.D. XXXII. zu Strassburg bey Hans Schotten/Zum Thygarten. This is the title to the second part. The title page to the

20. Contrafayt

first

in

part

the

is

The copy which we

missing.

Historical

Library

attention v/as called to

it

by H. W.

21. Proceedings

of the

XXVI, January

It

is

is

Our whom we

Pa.

Kriebel, to

here express our sincerest thanks.

comparative study of plant

consulted

Pennsburg,

at

valuable for a

lore.

American Philosophical Society

^

Vol.

to July, 1889.

"Grammatic Notes and Vocabulary of the Pennsylvania German Dialect," William J. Hoffman. "Folk-medicine of the Pennsylvania Germans," William J. Hoffman.

Articles:

22.

Heinrich Marzell, Die

Tiere

in

deutschen

Pflanzen-

namen^ Heidelberg, 1913. This is a very exact treatment of German plant names 23.

24.

that embody the names of animals. Johannes Juhling, Die Tiere in der deutschen Folksmedizin alter und neuer Zeit, Mittv/eida, no date. G. Lammert, ?^oiks medizin und medizinischer Aherglaube in Bay em Wiirzburg, 1869. Dr. AiCKE'SiO'ST,Folkserotik u. Pflanzenzveli^ Leipzig, 1919. Wilhelm Mannhardt, Der Baumkultus der Germanen und J

25. 26.

ihrer

Nachharstdmme, Berlin, 1875.

Antike iVald- und Feldkulte^ Berlin, 1877. 27.

Paul Drechsler,

Sitte,

Brauch und Volksglaube in Schles-

ien^ Vol. i, Leipzig, 1903;

Vol.

2,

Leipzig, 1906.

28.

Adolf Wuttke, Der

29.

Grimm, Deutsche Mythologie, 4th edition. HovoRKA UND Kronfeld, Vergleicheude Volksmedizin,

deutsche Folksaberglaube der Gegen-

wart, 4th edition, Leipzig, 1925.

30.

Vol. 31.

I,

Stuttgart, 1908;

Vol. 2, Stuttgart, 1909.

Heinrich Marzell, Unsere Heilspflanzen, ihre und ihre Stellung in der Folkskunde, 1922.

Geschichte

The Pennsylvania-German Society,

xiv 32. E.

Fehrle, Badische Folkskunde, 1924.

John Baer Stoudt, The

33.

Folklore of

the

Pennsylvania

Germans, Pliiladelphia, 1916.

We

received

many

helpful suggestions

from the Rev.

Dr. Stoudt while we were preparing our manuscript, for which we here give grateful acknowledgment. 34.

A. Wrede, Rheinische Folkskunde, 1922.

35.

Albert Becker,

Pfdizer Volkskunde, 1925.

This is the best authority for the study of the life and customs of the Pennsylvania-Germans from a European background. Pflanzenzvelt in Voiks36. Heinrich Marzell, Die heimische hrauch und Volksglauhen, 1922.

Pflanzennamen im Sprachschaize der 37. Julius Wilde, Die Pfdizer,

ihre Herkunft,

Entzvicklung

und Anwendung,

1923. It

is

a source of gratification to us to have found a

book

which treats the vernacular plant names among the "Pfalzer" as we treat them among the PennsylvaniaGermans. Unfortunately the book came into our hands just when our manuscript was going into the hands of the printer, and we were unable to use it as we would have done if we had had it during the preparation of our manuscript.

We

were able to use Wilde's book in only a few instances, We have to a great part, in the in the revision of the text. listed by Wilde, but Wijk names the dictionary of Wijk, the names were collected. where does not give us the localities

Here Wilde has done work of inestimable value to the student He not only gives of Pennsylvania-German life and speech. or communities towns the the names of plants, but he records changes phonetic the in which they are used; he explains the records he which have taken place in their pronunciation; the rhymes, the beliefs and the superstitions, the proverbs and world plant the customs and the usages which cling around as

it is

known

to the Pfaizer.

xv

Bibliography.

names from his book may show how interhis work is and how closely allied our own valuable and esting it. work is to

A

selection of

Gloggeblumm, Glegg(e)lche Aquilegia vulgaris L. Names due to the form of the pendulous flowers. Rumex acetosa and acetosella Saueramp(e)l, Sauerambl(e) Halwer Gaul

The

Rumex

L.

crispus L.

seeds are half as large as those of Gaulskimmel. Andon Marrubtum vulgare L.

Weisser Andon, Liewer

Abbelbaam, Ebbelbaam, Ebbelbaam Holzabbel

Arum

— a common designation

Arum maculatum

Pirus malus L. Wild Apple.

for the

L.

Symphytum

officinale L. Schwarzworzel Ehrh. verrucosa Betula Berk, Berge Birebeem Biereboom, Beerebaam, Beerebaam,

Pirus com-

munis L.

The dried cut fruit is called HutzCe)l, Hutz'le, Hutz(e)lcher. Bohme kreidel, Buhne kreidel Saiureia hortensis L. Buratsch, Boratsch Borage officinalis L. Uriica dioica L. Brenneesel

Dernbeere, Dernerbeere Rubus L. Buuche, Buche, Buchebaam Fagus silvestris L. Bochs Buxus sempervirens L. Hansworz(e)l Sernpervivum tectorum L.

Dahlia

Dahlia variabilis Desf. Carduus.

Dischd(e)le, Dischle

Budderblumm

Caltha palustris L.

Effei— ^^^^r^ Helix L. Aach, Aache, Eech Quercus L. Handivie, Handifdich, Andivich Cichorium Endivia L. Pisum horiense Asch. & Gr. Erbs, Arbs, Arbs Efei,

Errbeere, Erble, Eerbele

Fragaria vesca L.

Alnus gluiinosa Gartn. Esch Fraxinus excelsior L. Eschbe, Aschbe, Babbel Populus iremula L. Fahrn, Fahrekraut Polypodiacecs L.

Arle

xvi

The Pennsylvania-German Society,

Fenichel

Fceniculum vulgare Miller.

Finffingerkraut

Potentilla L.

Ganse blimmclie

Bellis perennis L.

Gaal(e)newe Daucus Carota L. Storchschnawwei Pelargonium zonule L'Her. Gerst, Gaarst Hordeum L. The heads are Grahne. Gallerrieb,

Christusdorn

Gleditschia tricantha L.

Fuchschwanz Solidago Virga aurea L. Schmelme Air a L. and other long slender Gunnelreb Glechoma hederacea L. Gummer, Gugummer Cucumis sativus L.

grasses.

"Den Gurkensalat soli man sehr gut mit Essig und Oel und Gewiirzen *anmachen' und ihn dann auf den Mist schiitten." Some

of our old country doctors gave the

Hawwer

Avena

same advice.

sativa (L.) Thell.

Hohnefuss, Budderblumm Ranunculus L. Hannef, Hanft Cannabis sativa L. Jesu Blut, Johannis Blut, UQXtkvdiMt—Hypericum perforatum L*

Hasselnuss, Hasselniss Corylus avellana L. Wildi Ros Rosa canina L. Blobeere Vaccinium Myrtillus L.

Hem beer, Hembier, Imbeer, llimhtQv—Rubus Idceus L. Dasch(e)iche— Cap/