Swine's Snout, Nosebleed, and other Weird Plant Names

Swine’s Snout

This name is unusual because it refers to not one, but TWO plants. Swine’s Snout is a wildflower, and after the flower has matured and is ready to develop seeds, the flower closes up and resembles that most prominent part of a pig’s face. It’s also another nickname for a dandelion! 

Speaking of which, the name “dandelion” itself is rather strange; it stems from the French dent-de-lion, meaning “lion’s tooth” (a reference to the plant’s toothed leaves)!

Nosebleed

Also called yarrow, this ferny-leafed plant looks nothing like a nose! However, its leaves have been used for centuries to both stop and start nosebleeds.

Bird’s Nest

This wildflower gets its name from the lacy clusters of tiny white flowers that often have one reddish-brown flower in the center. Once the flower has been pollinated, the entire cluster forms a cup that resembles a bird’s nest. Bird’s nest is also known as Queen Anne’s Lace and wild carrot.

Bugbane

Bugbane. Photo by H. Zell/Wikimedia Commons.

Talk about ominous! This plant gets its name from its long spikes of flowers, which put off a strong fragrance that is said to repel some insects, but attract others. It’s also known by an equally displeasing name: Snakeroot!

Pussytoes

Do you think the small fuzzy flower heads look like toes (pads) of tiny kitten’s paws? When the “toes” are open, there are numerous small white flowers. If you saw this perennial flower on the ground, you’d see that it’s also quite small and only reach one foot high, like a small cat underfoot. If you’d like to plant pussytoes, they love rock gardens and they don’t mind dry weather.

See 10 more unusual plant names and plant lore.

And learn about what those Latin plant names really reveal!