Frau Haselin und Drecksäck

When a shrub is called "Frau Haselin" and a tree is named "Drecksäck," these two plants have stories to tell. They speak of ancient tales, of names given to them by their ancestors, or of their behavior like a "Drecksäck." "Frau Haselin" points to the realm of our forebears, when all trees and shrubs had female names and were to be addressed as "Frau." They were highly revered; they wanted to be greeted or asked for something, like a branch to make a divining rod. As in her first book "Jungfer im Grünen und Tausendgüldenkraut. About the Magic of Old Plant Names," Rosemarie Gebauer connects historical insights about the origins and distribution of trees and shrubs with references to their current uses and healing effects, blending botanical information with literary aspects.