In the highlands, above the border of alpine meadows, on rocks and rocky slopes, amazing plants grow. In their shape, they resemble hard, rounded pads formed by shortened, abundantly branching shoots that are closely adjacent to each other.
The shoots contain small, tightly packed leaves. The growth of shoots in length is limited due to extremely unfavorable climatic and weather conditions in the mountains. Therefore, all the shoots and leaves of the plant form a compact shape, creating a kind of protection from gusts of sharp cold winds.
Dionysius– the cushion plant, its shape and structural features are adapted to life in the harsh climatic conditions of the highlands.
Cushion plants grow extremely slowly; their sizes are usually small and only a few are up to 1 m in diameter and are several hundred years old.
“Pillows” can be seen not only in the highlands, but in the tundra, cold deserts, and on ocean coasts. Such plants are found in different families and genera.
Cushion plant Dionysia belongs to the primrose family.
Several species belonging to this genus grow in the CIS.
Three of them are listed in the Red Book.
In Central Asia, on the southern slope of the Gissar ridge, in the valley of the Varzob River, at an altitude of 950-1600 m above sea level, a narrow-areal relict endemic, Dionysia involucera, grows on granite rocks.
In this gorge, only 25 places are known where from 5 to 120 Dionysian pillows were found.
Part of the plant habitats was destroyed during the construction of mountain roads, which led to the virtual destruction of the species.
The light green cushions of Dionysia involucera exude a strong, pleasant aroma.
Small leaves located on short annual shoots have this smell.
Typically, the leaves, when they die, remain among the perennial stems and create a kind of filler.
During flowering, small inflorescences of two to seven small pink flowers appear on the shoots of Dionysia.
Based on isolated finds in the mountains of Central Kopetdag at an altitude of 1600-2800 m above sea level, another villus from this field was described - Dionysius Kosinsky.
It is characterized by single purple flowers.
True, recent botanical studies have shown that Kosinski's Dionysia has disappeared from its former habitats: not a single specimen could be found. If further searches are unsuccessful, botanists will probably have to reintroduce Dionysius Kosinski from the territory of Iran, where it is found in the mountains.
Why are these plants named after the god Dionysus?
Here is one possible explanation: Dionysia belongs to the primrose family, and its most famous representative is perhaps the primrose. They say that in ancient times, healers brewed various love potions from primrose that evoked love in the heart. And love is also omnipotent and as intoxicating as wine - the wonderful gift of Dionysus.
Now a little about the mythological origins.
The god of viticulture and winemaking in Greece was called Bacchus or Dionysus.
The Romans called him Bacchus.
Artists created two images of this god: an elderly man and a beautiful young man.
The last hypostasis of Bacchus eventually became predominant.
But in Rubens’s painting, God again appears as an obese man with thick arms, saggy chest and a flabby, saggy belly.
He sits on a barrel of wine surrounded by vines.
Behind Bacchus his constant companions are visible: a goat-footed satyr drinking wine and a bacchante filling a cup from a vessel in the hand of her master.
Since ancient times, special veneration of Dionysus has been shown by the inhabitants of the region neighboring Boeotia (the birthplace of Dionysus) - Attica.
In honor of the god of winemaking, special holidays were held here - Dionysia.
They were divided into rural and urban and were celebrated respectively in the middle of winter and in February - March.
In addition to dances and ritual processions with the image of God, the program of the holidays also included theatrical performances.
At this time, enthusiastic choral chants were heard praising Dionysus.
They were called praises.
Subsequently, masters of dithyrambs appeared, and a kind of competition in singing virtuosity began to be held between them.
Today the expression “to sing praises” means “to praise someone beyond measure.”
Another festival in honor of Dionysus was held every winter in the sacred area of Lena and also included a theatrical performance.
These winter holidays were called Ainei.
And finally, there were spring festivals dedicated to Dionysus - Amphesteria.
They were especially fun in Athens.
Each of the three days of the Amphesteria had its own name: “barrel opening day”, “mug day”, “pot day”.
The first two names are clear, but as for the third, since the last day was dedicated to the souls of the dead, pots with a meal were put out for them.
It is believed that the veneration of Dionysus was related to the cult of the grapevine and the wine obtained from it.
In Ancient Greece, the cult of wine (and, of course, Dionysus) came from the island of Crete and spread from Attica (Athens) to Boeotia, Corinthia and further throughout the Peloponnese peninsula. At the spring Dionysius, young Dionysus was revered, Amphesteria was associated with the spirit of spring and the awakening of nature, during the autumn celebration of Bacchus, he was thanked for the abundant harvests of grapes, olives and other fruits.
You have the opportunity to take part in the winemaking festival "Dionysia" on one of my animated theatrical excursions
Alternative descriptionsFlower from a flower bed
. (killer whale) perennial herbaceous plant
Kilometer candy
Threads for knitting, embroidery
Opera by Italian composer Pietro Mascagni
The most rainbow flower
Tale of G. Hesse
Creamy toffee or “golden key”
Photo aperture
Iris
Flower, symbol of the Virgin Mary
Flower, symbol of France
Candy variety
Iris in the flowerbed
Lilac flower
In which flower is the rainbow hidden?
Flower, symbol of the Virgin Mary and her sorrow
Tennessee State Flower
A candy that likes to stick to your teeth
Iris
Candies "Golden Key"
Minor planet
Female name
Type of thread
garden flower
Opera by Italian composer P. Moscagni
Tomato variety
Suitable candy for tooth extraction
Essential oil plant (oregano)
Threads or flowers
Dark blue flower
bright flower
Candy "Kis-kis"
. "candy" flower
Iris in the flower garden
Iris in a different way
Flower and candy
Iris in the garden
blue flower
Both the flower and the candy
. "Kitty Kitty"
Large blue flower
Bright flower and candy
Candy "Kis-kis"
. "Golden Key"
Candy for teeth removal
Iris
Threads or, say, flowers
Toffee candy
Bright blue flower
Culinary “Golden Key”
Embroidery threads
In which flower is the rainbow hidden?
purple flower
Candy stuck to teeth
Candy "Kis-kis" and a flower in a flowerbed
Flowerbed flower
Irish flower
The flower is just candy
Flower with a candy name
Sabelnik among flowers
A variety of “stretchy” sweets
Flower, candy and embroidery thread
Flower or candy
Flowerbed flower with a candy name
From a type of garden flowers
Flower, candy or thread
Type of candy or thread
Flower or candy
Threads or candies
Flower or thread
flower plant
Ornamental plant
Flower from Van Gogh's painting
Spring Flower
Flower, threads, iris
Plant, threads
Flower in a flowerbed
Type of viscous candy
Flower, iris
Candy variety
herbaceous plant
Photo aperture
Iris
Opera Mascagni
In Greek mythology, the goddess of the rainbow, messenger of Zeus and Hera
perennial garden flower
. "Golden Key"
. "Kitty Kitty"
. "Kis-kis" (candy)
. "candy" flower
In which flower is the rainbow hidden?
Flowerbed iris
Candy "Kis-kis" and a flower in a flowerbed
Candy "Kis-kis"
Culinary "Golden Key"
M. ob. name plant Iris, iris, cockerel, songbird; biglamis, lesser white-knob; flavissima, wolf cucumber; furcata, kasar(t?)ka; germanica, scilla, braids, carp; pseudacorus, iris, tortilla, chican, cockerels, wild tulip? mistakenly ir, calamus: rutheniса, koshanik, field daisies? sibrisa, bells, chistyak, hare cucumbers, bear cucumbers, pikulnik, songbird, magpie flowers, chamomile. Eye rainbow, iris, rainbow captivity
The flower is just candy
Orca flower in a flower bed
Candy, flower and embroidery thread
Type of embroidery thread
Flower and name of toffee candy
What candies get your teeth stuck in?
What kind of candy sticks to your teeth?
What kind of candy gets stuck in your teeth?
Since time immemorial, flowers have expressed human emotions and feelings, as well as man's spirituality, faith and his love for nature. Flowers have been associated with many tales, including potions of love, health, success and longevity... Not only was the type of flower important when interpreting meaning or superstition, but the color of the flower and the way it was presented or worn played an important role .
One of the most famous playwrights in the world, William Shakespeare, often mentioned flowers in his works. Roses are found in Romeo and Juliet, in the play A Midsummer Night's Dream he wrote about the magic of pansies, and in The Winter's Tale carnations and daffodils played a role...
Flowers have always and everywhere been used for medicinal purposes, regardless of a person’s age. They were brewed, concentrated, inhaled, and rubbed on the skin.
This article contains the meanings and legends of many flowers, which will allow you to satisfy your curiosity, order a bouquet with meaning, or give your loved ones an amulet of fresh flowers.
Agave(Century Plant, West Indian Daggerlog, Rattlesnake-master, False Aloe, American Aloe, Aloe, Spiked Aloe, Flowering Aloe, American Agave, American Century, American Aloe, Aloe, Spiked Aloe, Flowering Aloe, American Agave, American Century, Miracle of Nature, Maguey)
Agave grows in dry and semi-dry areas of tropical America and parts of Europe. The Agave is believed to be the Mexican Tree of Life and Abundance because the people of this area make extensive use of the tree's powers.
The popular name "Century Plant" comes from the misconception that Agave blooms once after a hundred years. Flowering time depends on the energy of the plant and the conditions under which it grows. In warm climates, flowers appear within a few years, while in colder climates it takes 40 to 60 years. After flowering the tree dies.
Agave juice has disinfectant properties. Water in which Agave fiber is soaked during the day will help against hair loss. The Aztecs, at one time, made paper from the leaves of the plant, and the fiber from the leaves turned into a strong thread.
Dried Agave leaves are smoked as tobacco. Leaf extract rolled into a ball can be washed like soap. And dried flower stems can be used to make thatch that is waterproof.
Agave flower stems are processed to make Pulque wine, which is very popular in Northern Mexico. The leaves were also used medicinally by the Indians of the Southwestern United States, and now, Agave is a modern source of steroids.
Alstroemeria(Alstromeria, Peruvian Lily, Ulster Mary, Peruvian Princess, Inca Lily)
Alstroemeria was named after the Swedish botanist Baron Claes von Alstroemer. The seeds of this flower were among many collected by Alstroemer on his trip to Spain in 1753.
Each individual stem grows a group of flowers that have three outer petals with a dominant color and inner petals with contrasting spots. Options are available in a wide range of colors including pink, purple, orange, yellow and white. Alstroemeria hybrids were developed in England and Holland.
Life in a vase for alstomeria can last from 14 to 21 days, despite the fact that the bouquet was purchased fresh.
Amaryllis(Amaryllis)
Other name: Hyperastrum
Amaryllis originally grew in the mountains of Chile and Peru. The plant was named after a shepherdess from Greek mythology, described in the idylls of the Greek poet Theocritus two and a half thousand years ago. The name "amaryllis" also means "sparkling."
The amaryllis flower was discovered in 1828 by Edward Frederick Poeppig, a young doctor from Germany, during an expedition in search of plants in Chile.
Amaryllis are associated with the sign of Aries, being passionate, enthusiastic and adventurous in nature. They symbolize luxurious beauty and pride in the language of flowers.
Anemone(Windflower, Smell Fox)
Anemone is originally derived from the Greek word “anemos”, meaning “wind”, hence the name anemone is translated as “Wind Flower”. Greek legends say that Anemos, the Wind, sends his namesake Anemone, in the earliest days of spring, as a herald of his arrival. Botany has confirmed that they open when the spring wind blows.
According to other Greek myths, Anemone was the name of a nymph whom Sleif, the sweet Spring wind, and Borea, the god of the West Wind, loved dearly. Chloris, the goddess of flowers, took revenge on the nymph and turned her into a flower, which was withering by the time the Plume arrived.
Another legend says that anemones arose from the tears of Aphrodite when she mourned Adonis. The story goes that Aphrodite, being in love with Adonis, kept him near her longer than the gods allowed, thus causing Persephone's revenge. Mourning his death, the goddess of love vowed that he would live forever, and the beautiful Anemone flower was born from her tears.
Anthurium(Anthurium)
Today, anthuriums are one of the traditional Hawaiian flowers. They were brought to Hawaii from Colombia via London in 1889. English missionaries S.M. Damon.
Translated from Greek, “antus” means “flower”, and “oura” means “tail”, that is, “flower with a tail”. Anthuriums are also known as "variegated tongues".
Anthurium is a native of Colombia and belongs to the Araceae family, which includes 100 species and approximately 1,500 varieties of flowers and plants, mostly tropical.
“Flowers with a tail” are distinguished by their durability when cut; depending on the variety, season and climate, they can remain fresh for 45 days.
Aster(Starwort, Michaelmas Daisy, Eye Christ)
Other name: Daisy
In Latin, "aster" means "star", a name also used by the Greeks, denoting a blossom similar to a star. There are more than 600 varieties of aster, the most popular of which is the Casino of Monte Carlo.
Related to the sacred Roman and Greek gods, asters are the oldest flowers of the first class family. According to one legend, the area bloomed with asters when the Virgin scattered cosmic dust on the earth. Another legend claims that the Goddess Astraea began to scream when she descended to earth and did not see the stars, and asters bloomed where her tears fell.
Known as "Eye Christ" in France and "Starwort" in England and Germany, asters were thought to carry magical properties. The early English name "Starwort" was later changed to "Michaelmas Daisy" as the aster blooms during St. Michaelmas Day in September. Aster flowers were considered symbols of sacred gods, so wreaths made from them were placed on altars. Asters' leaves were burned to ward off "evil alcohol" and snakes in Greece.
Bites from crazy dogs were cured with aster ointment, and the aroma of honey was enhanced by placing asters boiled in wine near the hive.
There is an ancient myth about the Iron Age, during which people learned to make tools from iron, which was a manifestation of the god Jupiter. People were outraged by the terrible result of the fight against such weapons, after which an angry Jupiter sent a flood to the earth. The gods left the earth, and the last remaining goddess, Astraea, was so sad that she wished to turn into a star. When the streams of water began to recede, it became clear that they had left only dirt and mucus on the ground. Astraea felt great regret and she cried for a long time, and the tears falling like cosmic dust turned into beautiful “starflowers” or asters.
Another myth is known from Greek mythology. Every year Aegeus, the king of Athens, had to send seven young men and seven maidens to the king of Crete, Minos. There they were sacrificed to the Minotaur, a creature with a human body and the head of a bull. One day, the son of Aegeus, Theseus, decided to go to Crete himself as a sacrifice, hoping to kill the Minotaur. Theseus told his loving father that when he returned, he would raise white sails instead of the black ones raised when leaving.
Theseus actually made it to Crete, where he fell in love with Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos. With her help, he entered the labyrinth and killed the Minotaur, but upon his return to Athens, Theseus forgot to raise the white sails. Observing the black sails, King Aegeus thought that his son was dead and killed himself out of sadness. In the place where his blood spread, purple asters grew, as a result of the spell of the sorceress Medea, who was once his wife.
If you decide to order delivery of certain flowers, but did not find them in the catalog, just call the flower salon and our florists will put together a bouquet of any flowers for you to suit your taste.
Read the continuation of stories about other colors in the following articles marked “first letters”.
Indeed, what do the names of plants really mean? Why are they named this way and not another? And where did their names come from anyway? These questions are by no means idle. After all, folk local names and strictly scientific Latin or Latinized ones, old ones, rooted in ancient times, and new ones assigned relatively recently - they all carry interesting information that allows us to better know the wonderful world of plants, learn how to wisely use and carefully protect the green cover planets.
The book is intended for the general reader.
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The Olympian elite were usually accompanied by lower-ranking gods. Here were the Harites - three goddesses of beauty, grace, and joy. Here were the Moiras - the three goddesses of fate. There were muses here - nine patronesses of the sciences and arts. Numerous nymphs were a kind of intermediaries between higher powers and mere mortals. They lived everywhere: in lakes, rivers and streams - naiads; in the seas - Nereids; in the mountains - oreads; on forest trees - dryads. By the way, the nymphs were lucky with human memory. In the names of plants we often find their names: Nayas ( Najas), Nerina ( Nerine), Arethusa ( Aretusa), Phyllodotsa ( Phyllodoce), Calypso ( Calypso), Daphne ( Daphne), Akmena ( Acmene), Dryas ( Dryas). The first three naiads and the plants named after them are also aquatic or coastal.
The old women of Moira controlled the destinies of people. Clotho began to spin the thread of life, Lachesis determined and distributed what was destined for man, and finally, the sinister Atropos cut the thread of life. It is no coincidence that the botanists gave the plant to her Atropa- belladonna (belladonna) poisonous from roots to leaves.
But the Charites Aglaia, Euphrosyne and Thalia served the ancient Greeks as the standard of female beauty and virtue. For botanists, to perpetuate these remarkable qualities, it turned out that one Aglaia was enough, after which a genus from the Meliaceae family, widespread in southeast Asia, Australia and the islands of Oceania, is named. The same thing happened with the muses. Of all their hosts, only Euterpe - the patroness of lyric poetry - is captured in the name of the palm tree Euterpe, growing in tropical America.
The Three Gorgons, daughters of the sea god, were extremely ugly. With wings on their backs, with a shock of poisonous snakes instead of hair on their heads, they brought chilling horror to all mortals, and as soon as they looked at them, all living things turned to stone. An aquatic plant of our Far East is named after one of these terrible sisters - Euryale. Euryale leaves (Fig. 30), floating on the surface of the water like water lily leaves, bristle on all sides with large sharp thorns. Only flowers are free from thorns. The thorns, of course, are not snakes, but nevertheless they give reason to consider Euryale to be terrifying ( Euryale ferox). Another Gorgon is reflected in the name of a shrub from the buckwheat family: this is calligonum (or juzgun) - the head of Medusa ( Calligonum caput medusae). Its fruits have numerous thin outgrowths, vaguely reminiscent of snake hair, and together they form an openwork ball, easily transported from place to place (Fig. 31). It was not at all easy for Perseus to defeat the Gorgon Medusa and cut off her snake-haired head. The name of the famous mythical hero is the famous fruit plant of the tropics, avocado ( Persea americana).
In general, botanical nomenclature includes a whole string of ancient Greek heroes. Together with Perseus, the invincible Achilles (gen. Achillea- yarrow from the Asteraceae family). This is the strong man Hercules (b. Heracleum) - hogweed from the Umbrella family, one of the most powerful representatives of herbaceous flora. This is the cunning Odysseus (tropical cereal Odysseus - Odyssea). The listed plants did not get their names by chance. Thus, the centaur Chiron, who taught young Achilles, gave him lessons in healing and, in particular, introduced him to yarrow, which was considered the best remedy for treating wounds. The memory of the sage Chiron himself is kept by a relative of our gentians, Chironia ( Hiromia), living in the tropics of Africa.
The botanical nomenclature did not bypass other, albeit not so famous, mortals, who in one way or another linked their fate with the gods. The name of Orchis, the son of the satyr Patella and the nymph Ascolasia, now appears in the popular name orchid. Hyacinth (Hyacinth), heir to the Spartan king Amycles, was the favorite of Apollo and the god of the winds Boreas. When Apollo taught him to throw a discus, the jealous Boreas directed the discus thrown by the god at the young man's head. From the blood of the deceased, Apollo created a beautiful flower in memory of him. Something similar happened to Krok, who competed in discus throwing with Hermes. Killed by a launched disk, he, too, was turned by the gods into a flower - a crocus ( Crocus) or saffron. Finally, there is Narcissus, the narcissistic youth described by Ovid in his Metamorphoses. Looking into the water, he fell madly in love with his own reflection, froze by the stream and died, intoxicated by his beauty. By the way, the name is Narcissus ( Narkissos) is not quite Greek. It is related to the Persian nargis - to stiffen, to freeze. The well-known word “anesthesia” also comes from it.
It must be said that examples of the transformation of mythical characters into trees and grass are found quite often in the beliefs of the ancient Greeks. Everyone knows the myth about Phaeton, the son of the sun god Helios. For just one day, he begged his father for his sun chariot, which every day makes the traditional journey across the sky from east to west. The inexperienced driver could not cope with the team. The horses carried the chariot towards the Earth, threatening to incinerate all living things on it. Then Zeus struck Phaeton with lightning. He fell like a flaming torch into the Eridanus River. Phaethon's sisters - the Heliades - mourned their brother so inconsolably that they turned into poplars. The tears of the Heliades froze on the ground like drops of amber. The amazing insight of the ancient myth-makers: transparent amber is really of plant origin, although it has nothing to do with poplars.
There is a story about how the god of forests and groves Pan was inflamed with love for the nymph Syringa. Fleeing from his persecution, the nymph took refuge in the river, turning into reeds. But even here Pan found it, cut off the flexible stem and made a pipe from it. And the pipe sang in the gentle voice of Syringa, delighting the ears of God. Many images of Pan have a constant detail - a reed pipe. However, the nymph herself is not forgotten. A very popular plant, lilac, bears her name ( Syringa).
A similar motif sounds in the myth of the nymph Daphne. She avoided Apollo's advances in every possible way, and the gods, at her request, turned Daphne into a laurel. Let us remember once again that the laurel is a tree dedicated to Apollo. Botanists know another daphne - usually a low deciduous or evergreen shrub with few branches from the wolf family. In our Central Russian forests, for example, there is a flower that blooms in early spring with pink fragrant flowers. Daphne megereum, otherwise called wolf's bast or wolf's bast. By the way, Syringa and Daphne are not alone. The gods turned the beautiful Myrrh (Smyrna) into a myrrh tree ( Commiphora), giving a fragrant resin - myrrh.
It is not for nothing that the name of the priestess of Agave is given to a well-known Central American plant from the amaryllis family. This is an echo of a mythical tragedy. The obstinate priestess refused to believe in the divinity of Dionysus, and the angry god sent madness upon her. At a festival dedicated to the god of wine, in a fit of rage, she tore her own son to pieces. Agave in Central America is a source of sweet juice called aqua miel - honey water. It is collected by cutting off the stem at the beginning of flowering, and the juice accumulates in the center of the rosette of leaves. During the season, one agave can produce up to a thousand liters of sweet juice. It is fermented to produce the heady drink pulque. And the fact that alcohol causes “voluntary madness” was known back in the old days.
Among the ancient Romans, the host of gods was a kind of reflection of the Olympic oligarchy of the ancient Greeks. Let's say that Jupiter corresponded to Zeus, Juno to Hera, Venus to Aphrodite, Mercury to Hermes, Diana to Artemis, Mars to Ares, Pluto to Hades, Neptune to Poseidon. And some of the plant names are dedicated specifically to the ancient Roman gods. Here are some of them. For example, Lychnis flos jovis- dawn - flower of Jupiter; Coix lacrima jobi- coix tear of Jupiter. Few people know the last plant. This is a tropical cereal whose grains are pearlescent, white or brownish in shape and really look like a drop. In tropical countries, they are used to make elegant necklaces. Genus Juno ( Juno) from the iris family (irisaceae) is named after the wife of Jupiter. Orchids dedicated to Venus have already been mentioned. A very famous lily is saranka, royal curls, or martagon ( Lilium martagon), in its name bears the name of Mars. There is a tropical genus Neptunia in the legume family. Legumes are usually land plants. Neptunia, corresponding to the element of the god of the seas, is an aquatic plant. Particularly interesting Neptunia oleracea, whose leaves float on the surface of the water and, like mimosa leaves, have a bashful hypersensitivity to touch.
The Christian religion, in comparison with the ancient Greek and Roman beliefs, was almost not reflected in the scientific names of plants. This is apparently explained by the fact that taxonomists to a certain extent feared the discontent of the church, which considered the “personification” of flora an echo of the paganism it hated. It is believed, however, that the name of Veronica, known to many plants ( Veronica) given in honor of Saint Veronica. Another example is the thorny tree from the buckthorn family. In Latin it is called Paliurus spina - Christi, which literally means thorn, edge, spine of Christ. Botanist Miller gave the tree this name due to its association with the crown of thorns. A similar association, but only associated with the shape of the flower, reminiscent of a crown of thorns with its numerous thin petal-like outgrowths, prompted Linnaeus to name the genus of tropical lianas passionflower, or passionflower ( Passiflora). Popular nicknames of this kind are somewhat more numerous: for example, the tree of Judas, on which, according to biblical texts, Judas, who betrayed Christ, hanged himself. Two trees bear this name: legume Cercis siliquastrum, growing in the Mediterranean, and our aspen. The basis for this was the property of their leaves to tremble as if from fear at the slightest breath of wind.
In legends, myths, traditions that go back to the darkness of centuries or that arose relatively recently, various plants are very often mentioned. Let's give a few more examples.
In the practice of indoor floriculture, a liana with dark green split leaves and numerous aerial roots hanging down - monstera ( Monstera). This is a genus from the family Araceae, numbering about 50 species, common in the tropics of America. The name of the vine has a common root with the French monster - freak, monster. It would seem that at first glance there is nothing ugly or monstrous about the plant in question. However, the German botanist of the last century, Schott, the “godfather” of monstera, had sufficient grounds for choosing this name. The fact is that during the so-called Paraguayan War (1864–1870), the most incredible news came from a distant South American country to European newspapers. Thus, it was reported that in the Paraguayan province of Chaco, under a certain tree, corpses and human skeletons were often found wrapped in huge leaves, which were believed to have strangled their victims. Such newspaper sensations, in fact, were one of the last echoes of pagan legends about cannibal plants. The famous English writer H. Wells also paid tribute to plant vampires in his story “The Strange Orchid.”
Wells's story does not pretend to be authentic; it is a typical fantasy. But what lies behind the amazing information about the monster that was presented as truth? In E. Menninger’s book “Bizarre Trees” we find the following explanation: “Blossfeld, who lived for some time in Mato Grosso, specifically began to investigate these stories. He discovered that it was about Philodendron bipinnatifidum, the leaves of which actually reach a length of a meter or more. Rumor has it that people were attracted to the tree by the strong scent of its flowers; this smell stunned them like a drug, after which the leaves wrapped themselves around the unconscious victim and sucked out his blood. The flowers really smell very strongly, but people were attracted to this tree in the sun-scorched Chaco desert, where only thorns grow, by its shadow and the sweet pulp of its fruits, edible, like the fruits of its related monstera ( Monstera deliciosa). However, neither the flowers nor the fruits contain any poison or narcotic substances. The corpses underneath belonged to wounded or dying of thirst people who were hiding in the shade of a tree. The leaves, always falling to the ground, did indeed close over them, but not at all in order to suck their blood. According to Blossfeld, this legend still circulates in Brazil - it is too fascinating for the newspapers to give it up so easily.”
Dragon trees ( Dracaena draco) The Canary Islands are directly related to the legendary dragons of all nations. Their famous scarlet "dragon's blood" resin has been used since time immemorial in religious rites, in particular for embalming mummies. Dracaenas reach very impressive sizes and advanced age. For example, a specimen of a tree was described that had a circumference of 24 meters. The maximum age of such giants is estimated at approximately six thousand years. Interestingly, only in old age are dracaenas capable of secreting “dragon blood”.
The gum tree, a relative of the Canarian dragon tree, also cries bloody tears from the island of Socotra, located off the opposite coast of Africa, in the Indian Ocean. According to an ancient Indian belief, which Menninger cites in his book, “dragons constantly fought with elephants. They had a passion for elephant blood. The dragon wrapped itself around the elephant's trunk and bit him behind the ear, and then drank all his blood in one gulp. But one day a dying elephant fell on the dragon and crushed it. The blood of a dragon, mixed with the blood of an elephant, was called cinnabar, and then the red earth, which contained red sulfurous mercury, and, finally, the resin of the dragon tree. This legend explains why the resin is called “dragon’s blood”, and the name given to it by the Socotrians is “the blood of two brothers.” According to Indian religious beliefs, the elephant and the dragon are close relatives.” The draconian nature is also contained in the scientific name of the genus: the Greek word drakeia means dragon (although female).
And among the peoples of the East we will find many plants dedicated to various gods. Let's say the Indian Krishna has a “personal” ficus Ficus krishnae, the amazing leaves of which are twisted in a cone shape and fused along the edges, forming something like a large glass. According to legend, Krishna himself gave them this form in order to use them during feasts. Of course, it is difficult to compare with this exotic ficus the mantle - a low herbaceous plant from the Rosaceae family, which can be found along roads, in short-grass meadows, on forest edges and clearings in our central zone all summer until late autumn. In the mornings and at dusk, the surface of its leaves is usually covered with diamond drops of dew, which also accumulate in the recess of a kind of funnel, near the attachment of the petiole. Medieval alchemists attributed miraculous powers to this moisture, collected it and used it in their experiments. Similar ideas are still heard today in its scientific name. Alchemilla, which, like the word “alchemy,” originated from the Arabic alkemeluch.
Among the Russian names related to the magical and fairy-tale area, perhaps two main groups can be distinguished, although the boundaries between them will not be particularly clear. The first of them is associated with witchcraft, witchcraft, and divination; the second - with various kinds of beliefs, signs, symbols.
Healers who treated with herbs or “whispering on herbs”, the so-called zeleiniki, were not officially favored in Rus' in the old days. “Domostroy,” for example, allowed the possibility of “healing” only “by God’s mercy, with tears, with prayer, with fasting, with alms to the poor, and with true repentance.” Those who recognize “stargazing, almanacs, sorcerers... and other demonic machinations, or who feed with sorcery, potions, rooting, and herbs for death or indulgence, are truly doing ungodly things.”
It turns out that resorting to medicinal herbs was often equated with witchcraft and, therefore, required the most merciless condemnation. By the way, you can make a long list of plants that were used to “heal” against hexes, the evil eye, damage, dryness and the like, in a word, against “diseases” one way or another associated with evil spirits. This is how love is characterized in one of the books of the 18th century: “This passion is called dryness by the common people, and if there is someone who falls in love with her, but she is not inclined towards him, then they say that she brought dryness to him, and they understand this: it’s not for nothing , that is, as if the devil was involved here.”
The belief in the slander associated with witchcraft plants was so great that, for example, the staff of bed attendants, okolniks, craftswomen, laundresses, etc., who served the king and queen, swore a public oath to protect the health of the reigning family, “not to do anything bad, and , and don’t put the roots of Likhov in anything or anywhere, and protect them tightly from everything like that.”
In particular, it is known that a case was brought against one of the craftswomen of the Tsarina’s gold-embroidery workshops. She brought with her and accidentally dropped the root of a plant called “reversible”. Suspecting her of dark intentions, the king ordered the craftswoman to be tortured on the rack and with fire. The oathbreaker admitted under torture that the root was given to her by a sorceress in order to “convert” (that is, make her fall in love again) “the evil husband” who had left for another. To do this, it was necessary to “put the root on the mirror glass and in that looker’s mirror.” The craftswoman got off quite lightly at that time: she and her husband (after all, he had to return!) were sent to Kazan “in disgrace.” Others suspected of witchcraft directed against the royal family often ended their lives with execution, as happened, for example, with one sorceress, who was suspected of trying to put the evil eye on the queen, while her actual “specialization” was slander on wine, vinegar and garlic against heart disease and fever. Note that even now garlic preparations, including alcoholic ones, are recommended for atherosclerosis and hypertension. Its phytoncidal properties help fight some infectious diseases. So much for the “herbal slander”!
In most cases, it is not possible to identify the names of all kinds of witchcraft herbs, even if they are found in written documents or oral traditions, and botanists usually have no desire to do so. Descriptions of such herbs, as a rule, were not given or deliberately distorted in order to complicate their search. Now try to guess what kind of “reversible” root this is!
When getting acquainted with miraculous plants, the first thing that catches your eye is the abundance of love potions, love potions, hex decoctions, and other things. Some of their ingredients are still known. For example, they included lovage ( Levisticum officinale) is an aromatic perennial plant from the Apiaceae family. It is sometimes bred even now in the southern regions of our country, but, of course, not as a love remedy, but as a medicine. In ancient herbal books, under the names lyubnik, lyub-grass and just lyub, the common meadow and forest plant gravilat ( Geum). The ability to bewitch is attributed to its seeds, or more precisely, its fruits. The reason for this, it seems, should be sought precisely in their structure. They are equipped with sharp hooks that cling to anything, and in a certain sense they act like another remedy - slander soap. Fortune tellers gave it to abandoned wives for washing: “as soon as the soap sticks to the face, just as quickly the husband falls in love with his wife.” By the way, the tenacity of the fruit gave the ancient Greeks reason to ironically call the bedstraw philanthropos, that is, loving people. If we consider this characteristic as the main one - “stickiness”, then quite a lot of different plants could be classified as love or bewitching agents: string, burdock, cocklebur, linnaea and others.
The ancient Slavic holiday of Ivan Kupala in honor of the god of fruits was celebrated in the old days on June 23. People lit fires, staged games and dances around them, jumped over the fire, loudly calling out the name Kupala in order to appease God, on whom the fertility of the coming autumn depended. And on the eve of the holiday, at night, especially lucky people would see a flickering light in the forest: it was a fern blooming. “The small flower bud turns red and moves as if alive. Indeed, wonderful! It moves and gets bigger and bigger and turns red like a hot coal. A star flashed, something quietly crackled, and the flower unfolded before his eyes, like a flame, illuminating others around it,” this is how N.V. Gogol described the impressions of Petrus Bezrodny, the hero of the famous story “The Evening on the Eve of Ivan Kupala.”
The memory of this wonderful night and this pagan holiday was gradually erased. But a peculiar echo of them, as one might assume, is the name of the swimsuit - one of the popular meadow and forest Central Russian plants. This, of course, is not a fern, but the bright yellow spherical flowers of the swimsuit, just like in Gogol’s story, sparkle with small lights in the darkness of the forest. Residents of other countries also saw something mysterious and fabulous in the swimsuit. It is believed that its Latin name Trollius goes back to the German Trollblume - troll flower. And trolls, as you know, are mythical heroes of Scandinavian and German folklore. True, another version of the origin of this word is completely prosaic: it is derived from the Latin trulleus, meaning a round vessel, based on the spherical shape of the flower.
There are quite a few names of herbs that help to find hidden treasures, break chains and locks, and exorcise evil spirits. Isn't it true that thistle - "scaring of devils" - has a funny name? We have become accustomed to it, and the initial meaning invested in it seems to be erased. But there was certainly something behind this! And so the primary sources are found by chance. A researcher of the Novgorod province A. Shustikov wrote at the end of the last century: “Thistle is used to drive out demons, and generally evil spirits from the house.” And again: “During a seizure, a bedridden patient is drawn in a circle and beaten mercilessly with thistle grass.” The remedy, it must be frankly admitted, is effective: after all, the thistle is quite thorny, and, of course, even a very sick person will try to get up, just to stop the merciless beating.
Grasshopper and grasshopper are quite suitable for company with thistles. They, as it is said in the book with the funny title “Abevega of Russian Superstitions,” published in the 18th century, “have a special power in witchcraft and without them no treasure can be removed.” On its pages you will also find the tear-grass, indispensable in many Russian fairy tales, with the help of which they freed heroes chained in chains. “If someone applies this grass to a locked lock, then it will immediately unlock itself without a key, and if a horse walking across a field with iron fetters finds this grass, then they will immediately fall away.”
The ancient folk nickname for the weeping grass has still been preserved ( Lythrum salicaria) is a perennial plant with an elongated inflorescence of purple or slightly lilac flowers, opening the color insert in our book. The origin of this name is easily explained. In the integumentary tissues of the leaves of the weeping grass there are special organs - hydathodes, through which it gets rid of excess moisture. Drops of water flow down from the leaves, the plant “cries”. This process is absolutely necessary for him, given that weeping grass most often lives in excessively moist places: in flooded meadows, along the banks of reservoirs. The same “Abewega” gives a slightly different explanation: “Weeping grass makes unclean spirits cry. When someone has this herb with him, then all hostile spirits will submit to it. She alone is able to drive out the brownie grandfathers, kikimors and others, and open an attack on the sworn treasure, which is guarded by unclean spirits.” It turns out that what miraculous plants surround us!
In the old days, the symbolism of flowers meant a lot. Let's see how an unknown author wrote about this in the book “The Language of Flowers,” published in St. Petersburg in 1849:
According to tastes, faces and years I have flowers in my garden: I give lily to innocence, Sleepy poppy to sugary husbands. Fragrant field lily of the valley To the friends of the humble poor Liza; Narcissus is unhappy and pale to handsome men who are busy with themselves. Hiding in the shadows, a violet calls to itself an unknown talent; The lover will meet the lovely myrtle: The arrogance of the lordly inflated prince. To the flatterers, servants of the court I carry a sunflower with a bow; I go to the temporary worker with a peony, Which was in bloom yesterday. I greet evil messengers and talkers with a bell; In the shadows I hide from view For my dear one a rose without thorns.
Here, in poetic form, the “language of flowers” is described, or, as they also said, their emblematic meaning: white lily - purity; poppy - drowsiness, phlegmatic; narcissist - selfishness; violet - shyness; myrtle - mutual love: sunflower - intrigue, gossip, flattery; bell - talkativeness; scarlet rose - tenderness. Of all this very rich “language”, perhaps only the name of the tender forget-me-not, symbolizing fidelity, has entered our everyday life and has been preserved to this day.
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Pansies
An ancient legend tells that once upon a time there lived a beautiful woman, Anyuta. She fell in love with her cold-blooded seducer with all her soul. The young man broke the heart of a trusting girl, and she died of grief and melancholy. Violets, painted in a range of colors, grew on poor Anyuta’s grave. Each of them personified three feelings that she experienced: hope for reciprocity, surprise from an unfair insult and sadness from unrequited love. For the ancient Greeks, the colors of pansies were symbols of a love triangle. According to legend, Zeus took a liking to the daughter of the Argive king Io. However, Zeus' wife Hera turned the girl into a cow. Only after long wanderings did Io regain her human form. To please his beloved, the Thunderer grew tricolor violets for her. In Roman mythology, these flowers are associated with the image of Venus. The Romans believed that the gods turned men who secretly spied on the bathing goddess of love into pansies. Since ancient times, pansies have symbolized fidelity in love. Many peoples have customs associated with these flowers. For example, Polish girls gave their lover pansies if he was away for a long time. This symbolized the preservation of fidelity and love of the giver. It is no coincidence that in France tricolor violets were called “memory flowers.” In England, they were a “delight of the heart”, they were presented to each other by lovers on February 14 - Valentine's Day.
Aster
The thin petals of the aster are a little reminiscent of the rays of distant stars, which is why the beautiful flower received the name “aster” (Latin aster - “star”). An ancient belief says that if you go out into the garden at midnight and stand among the asters, you can hear a quiet whisper. These flowers communicate with the stars. Already in Ancient Greece, people were familiar with the constellation Virgo, which was associated with the goddess of love Aphrodite. According to ancient Greek myth, the aster arose from cosmic dust when the Virgin looked from the sky and cried. For the ancient Greeks, the aster symbolized love. In China, asters symbolize beauty, precision, elegance, charm and modesty.
For Hungarians, this flower is associated with autumn, which is why in Hungary the aster is called the “autumn rose”. In ancient times, people believed that if a few aster leaves were thrown into a fire, the smoke from the fire could drive away snakes. The aster flower is a symbol of women born under the astrological sign of Virgo.
Marigold
The plant received its Latin name in honor of the son of Genius and grandson of Jupiter - Tages (Tageta). This character from ancient Greek mythology became famous for his ability to predict the future. Tages was a boy, but his intelligence was unusually high, and he had the gift of foresight. Similar myths existed among the Etruscans. Tages appeared to people in the form of a baby, whom a plowman found in a furrow. The child told people about the future of the world, taught them to tell fortunes from the entrails of animals, and then disappeared as unexpectedly as he had appeared. The predictions of the baby god were recorded in the prophetic books of the Etruscans and handed down to posterity. In China, marigolds are a symbol of longevity, which is why they are called “flowers of ten thousand years.”
In Hinduism, this flower was personified with the god Krishna. In the language of flowers, marigolds mean fidelity.
Cornflower
The Latin name of this plant is associated with the centaur Chiron - an ancient Greek mythological hero - half horse and half man. He had knowledge of the healing properties of many plants and with the help of cornflower he was able to recover from the wound inflicted on him by the poisoned arrow of Hercules. This was the reason for calling the plant centaurea, which literally means “centaur.”
The origin of the Russian name for this plant explains an ancient folk belief. A long time ago, a beautiful mermaid fell in love with the handsome young plowman Vasily. The young man reciprocated her feelings, but the lovers could not agree on where to live - on land or in water. The mermaid did not want to part with Vasily, so she turned him into a wildflower, whose color resembled the cool blue of water. Since then, according to legend, every summer, when blue cornflowers bloom, mermaids weave wreaths from them and decorate their heads with them.
Delphinium
Ancient Greek legends tell how Achilles, the son of Peleus and the sea goddess Thetis, fought under the walls of Troy. His mother gave him magnificent armor, forged by the blacksmith god Hephaestus himself. Achilles's only weak spot was his heel, by which Thetis held him as a child when she decided to immerse the baby in the sacred waters of the River Styx. It was in the heel that Achilles was struck by an arrow fired from a bow by Paris. After Achilles' death, his legendary armor was awarded to Odysseus rather than Ajax Telamonides, who considered himself second only to Achilles. In despair, Ajax threw himself on his sword. Drops of the hero's blood fell to the ground and turned into flowers, which we now call delphiniums. It is also believed that the name of the plant is associated with the shape of its flowers, which resemble the back of a dolphin. According to another ancient Greek myth, the cruel gods turned a young man into a dolphin, who sculpted his dead beloved and revived her. Every day he swam to the shore to meet his beloved, but could not find her. One day, standing on a rocky shore, a girl saw a dolphin. She waved to him and he swam towards her. In memory of his love, the sad dolphin threw a blue delphinium flower at her feet. For the ancient Greeks, delphinium symbolized sadness. According to Russian belief, delphiniums have medicinal properties, including helping to heal bones during fractures, which is why until recently in Russia these plants were called larkspur. Nowadays, the plant is more often called spur. In Germany, the popular name for delphinium is knight's spurs.
Iris
The generic name of the plants comes from the Greek word iris - “rainbow”. According to ancient Greek mythology, the goddess of the rainbow, iris (Iris), fluttered across the sky on light, transparent, rainbow wings and carried out the orders of the gods. People could see it in raindrops or on a rainbow. A flower was named after the golden-haired iris, the shades of which were as magnificent and varied as the colors of the rainbow.
The sword-shaped leaves of the iris symbolize courage and courage among the Japanese. This is probably why in Japanese “iris” and “warrior spirit” are denoted by the same hieroglyph. In Japan there is a holiday called Boys' Day. It is celebrated on May 5th. On this day, every Japanese family with a son displays many items depicting irises. The Japanese prepare a drink called “May pearls” from iris and orange flowers. In Japan, they believe that drinking this drink can instill courage in the souls of future men. In addition, according to Japanese beliefs, “May pearls” have medicinal properties and can cure many ailments.
In Ancient Egypt, irises were considered a symbol of eloquence, and in the East they symbolized sadness, so white irises were planted on graves.
Calendula
The scientific name calendula comes from the Latin word calendae, meaning the first day of each month. It can be assumed that the reason for identifying the plant with the beginning of a new cycle was its inflorescences, which constantly replace each other during flowering. The specific name of calendula - officinalis - is associated with its medicinal properties (from the Latin officina - “pharmacy”). Due to the peculiar shape of the fruit, calendula is popularly called marigold. An ancient legend about the origin of this name has been preserved in Russian folklore. It tells that a boy was born to a poor water family. He grew up sick and weak, so they called him not by his name, but simply by Zamorysh. When the boy grew up, he learned the secrets of medicinal plants and learned to use them to heal people. Sick people began to come to Zamorysh from all the surrounding villages. However, there was an evil man who was jealous of the doctor’s fame and decided to kill him. One day on a holiday he brought Zamorysh a cup of wine with poison. He drank, and when he felt that he was dying, he called people and bequeathed that after his death, the marigold from his left hand would be buried under the poisoner’s window. They fulfilled his request. A medicinal plant with golden flowers grew in that place. In memory of the good doctor, people called this flower marigold. The first Christians called calendula “Mary’s Gold” and decorated statues of the Savior’s mother with it. In ancient India, garlands were woven from calendula and decorated with statues of saints. Calendula is sometimes called the “bride of summer” because of the flower’s tendency to follow the sun.
Lily of the valley
The generic name of the lily of the valley is translated as “lily of the valleys” (from the Latin ocnvallis - “valley” and the Greek lierion - “lily”) and hints at its habitat. The species name indicates that the plant blooms in May. In Bohemia (Czechoslovakia), lily of the valley is called tsavka - “bun”, probably because the flowers of the plant resemble round, delicious buns.
According to the ancient Greek myth, the goddess of the hunt Diana was caught by fauns during one of her hunting trips. They waylaid her, but the goddess ran away. Droplets of sweat flew from her hot face. They were unusually fragrant. And where they fell, lilies of the valley grew.
In Russian legends, the white flowers of the lily of the valley are called the tears of the sea princess Magi, who fell in love with the beautiful guslar Sadko. However, the young man’s heart belonged to his bride Lyubava. Having learned about this, the proud princess decided not to reveal her love. Only sometimes at night in the light of the moon could one see the beautiful Magus sitting on the shore of the lake and crying. Instead of tears, the girl dropped large white pearls to the ground, which, touching the ground, sprouted charming flowers - lilies of the valley. Since then, in Rus', the lily of the valley symbolizes hidden love. If the snow-white and fragrant flowers of the lily of the valley were personified with something joyful and beautiful, then its red berries in many cultures symbolized sadness for what was lost. One Christian legend tells that the red fruits of the lily of the valley came from the burning tears of the Most Holy Theotokos, which she shed while standing near the body of the crucified Christ.
Lily
Ancient Greek myths attributed divine origin to the lily. According to one of them, one day the goddess Hera fed the baby Ares. Drops of splashed milk fell to the ground and turned into snow-white lilies. Since then, these flowers have become the emblem of the goddess Hera.
Among the ancient Egyptians, the lily, along with the lotus, was a symbol of fertility. Christians also adopted their love for her, making her a symbol of the Virgin Mary. The straight stem of the lily represents her intelligence; drooping leaves - modesty, delicate aroma - divinity, white color - chastity. According to Holy Scripture, the lily was held by the Archangel Gabriel when he notified Mary of the imminent birth of Christ. There was a legend about the Siberian red lily, or saran, in Ancient Rus'. They said that it grew from the heart of a deceased Cossack who took part in the conquest of Siberia under the leadership of Ermak. People also called it “royal curls.”
Lotus
Since time immemorial, in Ancient Egypt, India and China, the lotus has been a particularly revered and sacred plant. Among the ancient Egyptians, the lotus flower symbolized the resurrection from the dead, and one of the hieroglyphs was depicted in the form of a lotus and meant joy. In ancient Greek mythology, the lotus was the emblem of the goddess of beauty Aphrodite. In ancient Greece, there were common stories about people eating lotus - “lotophagi”, or “lotus eaters”. According to legend, anyone who tastes lotus flowers will never want to be with the homeland of this plant. For many peoples, the lotus symbolized fertility, health, prosperity, longevity, purity, spirituality, hardness and the sun. In the East, this plant is still considered a symbol of perfect beauty. In Assyrian and Phoenician cultures, the lotus symbolized death, but at the same time rebirth and future life.
For the Chinese, the lotus personified the past, present and future, since each plant simultaneously has buds, flowers and seeds.
Peony
According to historical sources, the peony got its name in honor of Paeonia, the area where one of its species originated. However, there are other versions. According to one of them, the name of this plant is associated with the name of a character in ancient Greek mythology - Peony, who was a talented student of the doctor Aesculapius. Once Peony cured the ruler of the underworld Pluto, who was wounded by Hercules. The miraculous healing of the ruler of the underworld aroused envy in Aesculapius, and he decided to kill his student. However, Pluto, who learned about the evil intentions of Aesculapius, in gratitude for the help provided to him, did not allow Peony to die. He turned a skilled doctor into a beautiful medicinal flower, named peony after him. In Ancient Greece, this flower was considered a symbol of longevity and healing. Gifted Greek doctors were called “Peonies”, and medicinal plants were called “Peonies herbs”.
Another ancient legend tells how once the goddess Flora got ready to travel to Saturn. During her long absence, she decided to find an assistant. The goddess announced her intention to the plants. A few days later, Flora's subjects gathered at the edge of the forest to choose their temporary patron. All the trees, shrubs, grasses and mosses cast their vote in favor of the charming rose. Only one peony shouted that he was the best. Then Flora went up to the daring and stupid flower and said: “As a punishment for your pride, not a single bee will sit on your flower, not a single girl will pin it on her chest.” Therefore, among the ancient Romans, the peony personified pomp and arrogance.
Rose
People have sung the queen of flowers - the rose - since ancient times. They created many legends and myths about this magnificent flower. In ancient culture, the rose was a symbol of the goddess of love and beauty Aphrodite. According to ancient Greek legend, Aphrodite was born from the sea off the southern coast of Cyprus. At this moment, the perfect body of the goddess was covered with snow-white foam. It was from this that the first rose with dazzling white petals arose. The gods, seeing a beautiful flower, sprinkled it with nectar, which gave the rose a delightful aroma. The rose flower remained white until Aphrodite learned that her lover Adonis was mortally wounded. The goddess ran headlong to her beloved, not noticing anything around. Aphrodite didn't notice how she stepped on the sharp thorns of roses. Drops of her blood sprinkled the snow-white petals of these flowers, turning them red.
There is an ancient Hindu legend about how the god Vishnu and the god Brahma started a dispute about which flower was the most beautiful. Vishnu preferred the rose, and Brahma, who had never seen this flower before, praised the lotus. When Brahma saw the rose, he agreed that this flower was more beautiful than all the plants on earth.
Thanks to its perfect form and wonderful aroma, the rose has symbolized paradise for Christians since ancient times.
Based on materials from the book “Everything about plants in legends and myths”
Roy McCallister
