kermes
Dennis Kramb (Sun, 14 Aug 2005 07:29:38 PDT)

At 03:58 PM 8/13/2005, you wrote:

The kermes you refer to is a louse. But in Danish the pokeweed that is
native to the southern states is called kermesbær (kermes berry) and was
used as fruit colors up to about 1900. After the Civil war, poor people
used the pokeweed berries to make red ink, as they had no ink.

(Also too much knowledge. The pokeweed grows beautifully here in Denmark.)

In a few weeks my car will be painted pokeweed red courtesy of the birds. LOL.

Dennis in Cincinnati where the pokeweed grows thick!