Work

Symbolic sex in polish folk plant taxonomy: the case of shrub names

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This article examines the role of symbolic sex in Polish folk plant taxonomy, focusing on the cultural representations of three shrubs: guelder rose ( Viburnum opulus ), hazel ( Corylus avellana ), and juniper ( Juniperus communis ). Drawing on linguistic data (plant names), folklore texts (primarily folk songs), and ethnographic sources (beliefs, rituals, and folk practices), the study reconstructs the symbolic sex attributed to these shrubs and identifies the criteria underlying its reconstruction. The analysis demonstrates that the attribution of femininity and masculinity to shrubs is neither incidental nor merely metaphorical, but constitutes a systematic and culturally embedded mechanism for organising knowledge about the plant world. Female shrubs (guelder rose and hazel) are consistently associated with fertility, maidenhood, and reproductive symbolism, whereas the male shrub (juniper) is linked with strength, activity, and male social roles. These associations are corroborated by convergent linguistic, folkloric, and ethnographic evidence, including symbolic oppositions, parallel constructions, and ritual practices. The findings suggest that symbolic sex functions as an important classificatory principle in Polish folk plant taxonomy, complementing morphological and utilitarian criteria. Furthermore, the observed correspondence between grammatical gender and symbolic sex indicates a possible interaction between linguistic structure and cultural conceptualisation. The study argues that symbolic sex represents a second-order taxonomic principle that organises folk knowledge of plants beyond biological classification and reveals the close integration of the plant world with the human and social domains in the traditional Polish worldview.

Source: Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine

DOI: 10.1186/s13002-026-00946-w

Author: Olga Kielak

Institution: Maria Curie-Skłodowska University

Language: English

Topic: Linguistic and Cultural Studies

Subfield: Plant Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,590

Funder: Narodowe Centrum Nauki