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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Blow flower

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  • From: Doc Lisenby <longdistshtr@shtc.net>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Blow flower
  • Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 11:17:15 -0500

In a message dated 12/15/2005 1:47:46 PM US Eastern Standard Time, longdistshtr@shtc.net writes:


We used to bread and fry the elderberry "blow" (flowers)


Well that is a new one on me. What is a blow (flower)? As opposed to a normal flower? Local term?

Jerry
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry Jerry, but we retained some of the Old English down here while the trend at one time was to switch the official American language to German. Ironically "blow" was akin to the Old High German verb,"bluoen" meaning "to blossom". Why elder blow (elder blossom) hung on, is beyond my comprehension. It could be because an elder, especially Sambucus nigra, may be referred to as a bourtree (bower tree). The blossoms were claimed to have medicinal properties and these attributes may have previously exceeded the berries importance as a dye or food. Over time, elder became elderberry to describe the plant.
Incidentally, the bark, leaves, shoots and roots are claimed to contain cyanogenic glycosides which are poisonous and shouldn't be ingested.
So, to answer your question; "blow" means "blossom"/"flower"/"bloom".
Doc Lisenby Zone 7/8 (So. Car.)





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