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PLANTS

The txʷəlšucid language, our teaching and culture come from the land. These are some of the names, phrases and domains for plants in the txʷəlšucid language.

Disclaimer

The intent of this page is to highlight the Twulshootseed language. These are not intended as a guide for gathering, harvesting, or processing plants.


If you are not 100% positive on what you are gathering or eating -- do not gather it and do not eat it.


We receive many requests for plant translations from our community to create signage. If you are interested in creating signage from any of the Twulshootseed vocabulary, we ask that you send proofs to language@puyalluptribe-nsn.gov. Many mistakes can be made and we want to ensure Lushootseed Country is represented properly in our communities.


The initials in parentheses refer to the First Language speaker who was our source for the plant name. Plants without an attribution were formed from words that have an attribution using txʷəlšucid grammatical features.

Search the plant database
Twulshootseed English Img
spiq?ulcac, spiq?ucac (BHH, GG)Wapato Plant
c’?k?i?ac (AB/BHH)Spiny Wood Fern Plant
c’?x???dac (EB)Indian Plum Bush, Osoberry Bush
c’??x???dac, c’?x??a?dac (GG), c’??x???bac (VH)Chokecherry Shrub
?’?lx?ulc? (EC), s?’?x?ul’c? (EB), ?’?l?lc (ESi) Highbush Cranberry, Viburnum Berry Or Other Product Of This Bush
Full Plant List Categories
Twulshootseed English Img
?ap?lsacApple Tree
x?ubtilac (AB)Ash Tree, Oregon Ash Tree
c?’u?ac (VH)Bigleaf Maple Tree
k’??lwast?d ?? t? plil?? (VH), sk’??k’?alwasac (BHH), sq’??q’?alwac?ac (DS/VH)Canoe Birch Tree, Paper Birch Tree, White Birch Tree
c??lisac (AB)Cherry Tree
c’??x???d, c’?x??a?d (GG)Common Chokecherry or other product of Common Chokecherry Tree
q’??diq’?ac (EB)Cottonwood Tree
qa?x?ac (AB)Crabapple Tree, Pacific Crabapple Tree
c??bidac (VH), sc??bidac (EB)Douglas Fir Tree
k??dabidac, q?lub ?? sbiaw (AB/EG)Flowering Dogwood Tree
c?a?ad?ac (BHH, GG)Garry Oak Tree
c?ibidac (AB), c?ibádac (GG)Hawthorn Tree
q’ap’ux??ac, q’p’ux???c (BHH)Hazelnut Tree, Beaked Hazelnut Tree
q?u?’?c (TTW), k’?u??’?c (VH, JM, ZZ)Madrone Tree
c’?x?bidac c’?x?bidac (VH), c’?x??bi?dac (GG)Pacific Yew Tree, Western Yew Tree
pasac (NR)Pear Tree
q’?i??q’??di?q’?ac (GG)Quaking Aspen Tree
yusa?wi?ac (BHH, GG)Red Alder Tree
sc’abtac (BHH, GG)Red Elderberry Bush
k?ik?(?)x?icac (AB), p?x?p?qiac (EB)Red Willow Bush, Creek Dogwood Bush, Red-osier Dogwood Bush, Red Brush Bush
c’a?x??yac (GG)Shore Pine Tree
c’apac (AB)Silver Willow Tree
c’?lqay?ac (AB)Sitka Spruce Tree
c?’uc?’u?ac (BHH, GG)Vine Maple Tree
t’?q’?di?ac (VH), k?al?k??c (ED), sk?up?c (ESi), sq?x?bix?ac , t’u?x??c (LG) skupac (AB)Western Hemlock Tree
x??payac (VH)Western Red Cedar Tree
??q’t(a)c?i?ac (AB/EB)White Fir Tree, Silver Fir Tree
plil??ac (BHH)Wild Cherry Tree
c’??x???dac, c’?x??a?dac (GG)Common Chokecherry Tree
sc??bi?dac (EB) Tree, General
c’??x???dac, c’?x??a?dac (GG), c’??x???bac (VH)Chokecherry Shrub
Twulshootseed English Img
c?’italbix? (AB)Any Product Of Bear Grass Plant
?ulal (BHH, GG)Any Product Of Cattail Plant
sb?c’?cdali??dac (AB)Baneberry Plant
bid?ac (AB)Bean Plant
c?’italbix?ac (EB)Bear Grass Plant
bicac (AB)Beet Plant
c?’iq’?(i)lac (AB)Bigleaf Avens Plant
x?aawšac (LO)Biscuitroot Plant, Nineleaf Biscuitroot Plant, Desert Parsley Plant, Indian Parsley Plant
piy?x?iac (AB)Bitterroot Plant
g??dbix?ac Blackberry Vine
c’abidac (BHH)Blue Camas Plant
c’ik?ik?ac (AB)Blue Elderberry Bush
sw?da?x?ac, w?da?x?ac (EB)Blue Huckleberry Plant, Black Huckleberry Plant, Mountain Huckleberry Plant
bul’c?bac, bu?s?bac (BHH)Bog Bilberry Plant, Bog Blueberry Plant, Northern Bilberry Plant, Western Blueberry Plant
c?’al?s?ac (GG)Bracken Fern Plant
x?ibx?ibac (EG)Burdock Plant, Common Burdock Plant
s?agaqac (AB)Carrot Plant, Queen Anne’S Lace Plant, Wild Carrot Plant, Bird’S Nest Plant, Bishops Lace Plant
q’ayx?ac, t’ac’abac (HR)Cascara Bush, Cascara Buckthorn Bush, Cascara Sagrada Bush, Bearberry, Chittem Stick Bush, Chitticum Stick Bush
?ulal (BHH, GG)Cattail Plant
sq?ubac (AB/GG)Celery Plant
c?mc?m?sac (GG/EG)Columbine Plant
c’aq’abac (GG)Common Gooseberry Bush, Coast Black Gooseberry Bush, Mountain Gooseberry Bush
s?is??lc’ac (LG)Common Horsetail Plants
sk’??bs??dac (AB/EB)Cow Parsnip Plant
?’x?ulc?ac (AB)Cranberry Bush
baq’a?ac (AB/EG)Death Camas Plant
tic?ac??lwi?ac (EB) c?ic?a?c??lwiac (GG)Devil’S Club Plant
q’?q’??lac (EB/LW)Evergreen Huckleberry Bush
x?ax?alc? (TTW), x?acx?acac (AB), cudadx?iac (AB)Fireweed Plant
k’ag?alx?ac (AB/GG)Flax Plant, Linseed Plant
k’ag?alx? (AB/GG)Flax, Linseed Or Other Product Of This Plant
q??d??bac (EB), q’ic?’ayac (GG)General Moss
sq?i?q?ali? (BHH), sq?iq?ali? (BHH)Grass
sq?ali? (BHH)Hay
?’?lx?ulc?ac (EC), s?’?x?ul’c?ac (EB), ?’?l?lcac (ESi) Highbush Cranberry Bush, Viburnum Bush
q?lub ?? sq?dix? (ZZ), yidu??ac GGHoneysuckle Vine Or Bush
haps (WS)Hops
q??lu?tac (LG, MC), q???lutac (ZZ)Hudson Bay Tea Plant, Labrador Tea Plant, Marsh Tea Plant
s?x??? ?? st?qayu? “urine of wolf” (AB)Indian Pipe Plant
c’?x???dac (EB)Indian Plum Bush, Osoberry Bush
k’ayuk’ayuac (EB), sq’?ywa?dac (BHH, EG, GG MS)Kinnikinnick Plant, Bearberry Plant
q’alq’alac (AB)Lady Fern Plant
c?ilax?ac (AB), d?id??g?ac (AB)Larkspur Plant
s?’wilq?ac (AB/EB)Licorice Fern Plant
c’ay?p ?? sw?q’iq’ (GG), waq’waq’ilqs (GG)Liverwort Plant
cabc?bac (AB)Maidenhair Fern Plant
sq?dix??di?ac “muskrat ear” (AB)Monkey Flower Plant
sc’?d?x?ac (BHH), c’?d?x?ac (GG)Nettle Plant
qaqalqal?k?ac (AB)Nickname For Violet Plant
c’k’apa?ac (BHH)Nootka Rose Bush, Bristly Rose Bush, Wild Rose Bush
qcag??c (VH, BHH, GG)Ocean Spray Bush, Oceanspray Bush, Ironwood Bush
q?sq?si?ac (AB/EG)Old Man Root Plant, Wild-Cucumber Plant Poisonous, Do Not Eat!!!
x?ucx?uciac (AB)Pacific Bleeding Heart Plant
p?q?ac (EG)Pacific Ninebark Bush
k’??lwas ?? k?i sqiq?d?uhap (AB)Pearly Everlasting Plant
q’?sk?iac (AB)Peppermint Plant, Mint Plant
c?ic?lax?ac (EB), c?ic?ilac (GG/AB)Prince’S Pine Plant
c??lq?ub??ac (BHH), c??lq?ubac (GG)Raspberry, Black Cap Plant, Black Raspberry Plant, Whitebark Raspberry Plant, Blue Raspberry Plant
p’?p’ay?q?dac (BHH)Red Flowering Currant Bush
st’it’ix?ac/st’?t’ix?ac (LG), st’(i)x?ibac (ESi), st’ix?ibac (EB)Red Huckleberry Bush
t’?ba?saac (LG)Rhubarb Plant
t’aqa?ac (BHH, GG)Salal Plant
st?g??dac (BHH, GG)Salmonberry Bush
q’??last?bac (ML)Serviceberry Bush
q’ilt’ (BHH)Skunk Cabbage Plant
sx??iac (BHH)Small Oregon Grape Plant
si?sk’?idac (GG)Snowberry Bush Poisonous, Do Not Eat!!!
sx??as?b (VH), sq?as?b (EB)Soapberry Bush
k’a?k’a?di??dac “crow food” (AB)Solomon’s Seal Plant
c’?k?i?ac (AB/BHH)Spiny Wood Fern Plant
sk?as?ac (AB)Squash Plant
t’il?q?ac (BHH)Strawberry Plant
sx?ax??lc?ac (BHH), sx??x?ulc?ac (EB)Sword Fern Plant
q??bq??bc?ac (BHH)Tall Oregon Grape Plant
qiq?d?uhap (AB)Tansy Plant
???aqac (BHH)Thimbleberry Plant
cag?ic?ac (WS)Tiger Lily Plant
p’uq?ac (AB/EB)Trailing Black Currant Bush, Spreading Currant Bush
s??x?s??x?abac, q?lub ?? swatix?t?d the eye of the earth“ (AB)Trillium Plant
sk’?ik’?aac (GG)Tule Plant
did?bu?ac (AB, GG)Turnip Plant
k’a?k’a?dali??dac “crow food” (EB)Vanillaleaf Plant
spiq?ulcac, spiq?ucac (BHH, GG)Wapato Plant
q’ubciac (AB/TTW)Water Lily Plant
x?alc??’ac (AB)Wild Ginger Plant
c?ic?lax?ac (AB)Wild Pea Plant, Vetch Plant
y?st’adac (AB/EG)Wild Rose Bush
k??d?abdupac (AB)Wood Sorrel Plant
sqiqd?uhapac (EB)Yarrow Plant
t’?bucac (AB/GG)Yellow Dock Plant
s?aliac (AB) Yellow Glacier Lily Plant
stutx??dup (AB)Yerba Buena Plant, Oregon Tea Plant
Twulshootseed English Img
?ap?ls (AB)Apple
c??lq?ub?? (BHH), c??lq?uba? (GG)Raspberry, Black Cap, Black Raspberry Or Other Product Of The Bush
g??dbix? (BHH, GG)Blackberry Or Other Product Of The Vine
c’ik?ik? (AB)Blue Elderberry Or Other Product Of This Bush
bul’c?b, bu?s?b (BHH)Bog Bilberry, Bog Blueberry, Northern Bilberry, Western Blueberry
c??lis (AB)Cherry Or Other Product Of The Tree
qa?x? (AB)Crabapple, Pacific Crabapple Or Other Product Of Crabapple Tree
?’x?ulc? (AB)Cranberry, Or Product Of Cranberry Bush
q’?q’??l (EB/LW)Evergreen Huckleberry Or Other Product Of This Bush
c?ibid (AB), c?ibád (GG)Hawthorn Fruit Or Other Product Of This Tree
q’ap’ux?? (BHH)Hazelnut Or Other Product Of The Tree
?’?lx?ulc? (EC), s?’?x?ul’c? (EB), ?’?l?lc (ESi) Highbush Cranberry, Viburnum Berry Or Other Product Of This Bush
c’?x???d (EB)Indian Plum, Osoberry Or Other Product Of This Bush
k’ayuk’ayu (EB), sq’?ywa?d (BHH, EG, GG MS)Kinnikinnick Berry, Bearberry Or Other Product Of This Plant
c’?k’apa? (BHH)Nootka Rose Hip Or Other Product Of The Bush
pas (NR)Pear
q?litx?a? (AB)Red Form Of Salmonberry
st’it’ix?/st’?t’ix? (LG), st’(i)x?ib (ESi), st’ix?ib (EB)Red Huckleberry Or Other Product Of This Bush
t’aqa (BHH, GG)Salal Berry Or Product Of Salal Plant
st?g??d (BHH, GG)Salmonberry Or Product Of Salmonberry Bush
q’??last?b (ML)Serviceberry Or Other Product Of This Bush
sx??i (BHH)Small Oregon Grape Berry Or Product Of Bush
t’il?q? (BHH)Strawberry Or Product Of Strawberry Plant
q??bq??bc? (BHH)Tall Oregon Grape Berry Or Product Of Bush
???aq (BHH)Thimbleberry Or Product Of Thimbleberry Plant
p’uq? (AB/EB)Trailing Black Currant, Spreading Currant Berry Or Other Product Of This Bush
plil?? (BHH)Wild Cherry Or Other Product Of Wild Cherry Tree
c’??x???d, c’?x??a?d (GG), c’??x???b (VH)Chokecherry
Twulshootseed English Img
bid? (AB)Beans
bic, x?ik?i?’ did?bu? (AB)Beet
piy?x?i (AB)Bitterroot Or Other Product Of The Bitterroot Plant
c’abid (BHH)Blue Camas Bulb
sx??d??b (BHH, GG)Processed And Dried Camas Bulb
s?agaq (AB)Carrot Or Other Product Of The Plant
t’?di? (WS)Bracken Fern Rhizome
??j??d (IB, NR)Onion
l?puys (AB)Pea
sk?as? (AB)Squash
c’?c’a?us (BHH)Thimbleberry Sprout
sbulabac (AB), sx?alx? (AB)Thistle, Edible Thistle
did?bu? (AB, GG)Turnip
spiq?ulc, spiq?uc (BHH, GG)Wapato Potato, Potato (Modern Usage)
cag?ic? (WS)Tiger Lily Bulb Or Other Product Of This Plant
s?’wilq? (AB/EB)Licorice Fern Root
First Language Speaker Key
Initals First Language Speaker
EB Earnest Barr – Snoqualmie speaker lived at Muckleshoot
IB Iola Brayford – Muckleshoot, daughter of Annie Jack
ED Ed Davis – Snoqualmie, also spoke Skagit
LG Louise George – Skagit
VH Vi Hilbert – Upper Skagit
ML Martha Lamont – Tulalip
LO Lillian Ortiz – Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Puyallup
HR Hellen Ross – Skagit
NR Nellie Ramirez – Squaxin
DS Dora Soloman – Skagit
WS Walter Sam – Skagit, raised in Southern Lushootseed territory
ESi Edward Sigo – Suquamish speaker
Books/Publications/Recordings
Ballard, A. C. (1927). Some Tales of the Southern Puget Sound Salish. University of Washington Publications in Anthropology, 2(3), 57–81.
Ballard, A. C. (1929). Mythology of the Southern Puget Sound. University of Washington Publications in Anthropology, 3(2), 31–150.
Barr, Ernie. Recorded by Zalmai ʔəswəli Zahir, November 18th 1995
Bates, D., Hess, T., & Hilbert, V. (1994). Lushootseed Dictionary. University of Washington Press.
Cross, S. (n.d.). Puyallup Language (Vol. 1). Puyallup Tribe of Indians Medicine Creek Treaty Nation.
Gibbs, G. (2009). A Lushootseed Analysis of a 1877 Dictionary by George Gibbs. (Z. ʔəswəli Zahir, Ed.). Zahir Consulting Services.
Gunther, E., & Janish, J. R. (1993). Ethnobotany of Western Washington: The knowledge and use of indigenous plants by Native Americans. University of Washington Press.
Sanders, A. (1941). Salmon Life Cycle Narrative [Speech audio recording]. Smithsonian Collection, J.P. Harrington Collection Recordings.
Smith, M. W. (1969). The Puyallup-Nisqually. AMS Press.
Snyder, W. A. (1968). Southern Puget Sound Salish: Texts, place names and dictionary. Sacramento Anthropological Society, Sacramento State College.
Turner, H. (1976). Ethnozoology of the Snoqualmie. Harriet Turner.
Waterman, T. T., Hilbert, V., Miller, J., & Zahir, Z. (2022). Puget Sound Geography. Lushootseed Press.

Plant Videos



This section is a collection of short videos about plants, flowers and fruit. The videos that correspond to the seasons and what sort of things you might encounter in the Puget Sound region. The names for the plants were compiled by Zalmai ʔəswəli Zahir. The plant names used in the videos are generally from the Southern Dialect of Lushootseed. The scripts for each of the videos is in the video description. Please keep in mind that there may be variations to some or all of these names and that they way they are spoken and written in the videos is not intended to exclude all others. We strive to document and respect all variations of our language and, to that end, we ask that if you heard your Elders say something different please share with us!