Monkey Jugs

In Appalachian and Southern speech, monkey jugs refers to wild ginger (Asarum canadense), a woodland plant whose root and jug-shaped flowers inspired the name.

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synonyms: wild ginger, Asarum canadense, ginger root

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I ain't never found any, but monkey jugs is a cool lookin' plant. Probly go good with some dry land fish.

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I ain't never found any, but monkey jugs is a cool lookin' plant. Probly go good with some dry land fish.

Pronunciation

[MUNG-kee jugs]
/ˈmʌŋ.ki dʒʌɡz/

Meaning & Usage

- Wild ginger (Appalachian plant name) (noun)

Elmer:

What’s that little plant with the heart leaves?

Mae:

That there’s monkey jugs. Grows thick up toward the Smokies.

variations: monkey-jugs

★ If you spot heart-shaped leaves low to the ground, check beneath them - the jug-like flower of wild ginger is the reason old-timers called them monkey jugs. ★

Origin and Etymology

Documented in the Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) with citations from the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. The name likely arose from the plant’s unusual, jug-shaped flower and knobby root, which resembled miniature stoneware "jugs." While attested in the Smokies, similar folk plant names appear across older Appalachian communities with herbal and foraging traditions.

Usage Notes

The term is primarily known among older Appalachian speakers familiar with woodland plants or traditional herbal practices. While "wild ginger" is the widespread botanical name, "monkey jugs" survives in local memory and regional plant lore rather than modern everyday speech.

Botanical reference: Asarum canadense, a native woodland plant.
Use context: foraging, local plant lore, Smoky Mountains vocabulary.
Modern frequency: uncommon; mostly older or heritage terminology.
Register: informal, regional, culturally tied to Smokies/Tennessee Appalachia.

Kin Topics

Common Questions

Is "monkey jugs" a modern term?

No. It is an older Appalachian plant name documented in traditional Smoky Mountain speech.

Does it always mean wild ginger?

Yes. In documented usage it refers specifically to Asarum canadense.

Is this term still common?

It survives mostly among older foragers, herbalists, and regional speakers; it is uncommon today.

Where is it primarily found?

Historically in the Great Smoky Mountains region of Tennessee, with some use in surrounding Appalachian areas.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, December 2). Monkey Jugs. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/monkey-jugs
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Monkey Jugs." HillbillySlang.com, 2 Dec. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/monkey-jugs.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Monkey Jugs." HillbillySlang.com. December 2, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/monkey-jugs.