How Did Trees Get Their Names

Last Updated on August 13, 2021 by

The names of many trees, plants, and herbs have interesting origins. Others, of course, have simply come down to us from other languages. Let’s look into some of the more interesting names of plants, trees, and herbs. The pine tree gets its name from the Latin word pinus, which means a “point” The spruce tree should really be called “Prussia Tree”. It was long thought to be a native of Prussia. The name gradually became “spruce”.

The magnolia is named after Pierre Magnol of France, who was a professor of botany. The cypress was first brought front the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean. Willow comes from the old Anglo-Saxon word while. In Madagascar, there is a to called “the Traveller’s Tree’. It has large, fan-shaped leaves that catch the rain and passing travelers can quench their thirst at this tree!

Among plants with interesting names, there is the Barber Plant which grows in the Orient. The natives rub their leaves on their faces to keep the beard-growing. Mint owes its name to Menthe, a woman in an ancient fable who was transformed into a plant by her rival Prosperina. Thyme comes from the Latin thymes, which means “to sacrifice”.

This plant was burnt by the Romans on their altars. Dandelion comes from the French dent de lion because the leaves of this plant were supposed to resemble the teeth of a lion. Arrowroot was said to be used by North American Indians for extracting the poison from arrow wounds.