ASTER
THERE ARE OVER 600 SPECIES OF ASTER, THE MOST POPULAR BEING THE MONTE CASINO. ANCIENT PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT THE ODOR OF ITS LEAVES, WHEN BURNT, DROVE AWAY SERPENTS. THE ENGLISH GAVE THIS FLOWER TWO NAMES, ASTERS AND STARWORTS. ASTER IS LATIN FOR STAR, AND REFERRED TO ITS STAR-LIKE SHAPE. WORT MEANT ROOT, WHICH SIGNIFIED PLANTS WITH HEALING PROPERTIES. AND ASTERS WERE LAID ON THE GRAVES OF FRENCH SOLDIERS TO SYMBOLIZE THE WISH THAT THINGS HAD TURNED OUT DIFFERENTLY.
THERE ARE OVER 600 SPECIES OF ASTER, THE MOST POPULAR BEING THE MONTE CASINO. ANCIENT PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT THE ODOR OF ITS LEAVES, WHEN BURNT, DROVE AWAY SERPENTS. THE ENGLISH GAVE THIS FLOWER TWO NAMES, ASTERS AND STARWORTS. ASTER IS LATIN FOR STAR, AND REFERRED TO ITS STAR-LIKE SHAPE. WORT MEANT ROOT, WHICH SIGNIFIED PLANTS WITH HEALING PROPERTIES. AND ASTERS WERE LAID ON THE GRAVES OF FRENCH SOLDIERS TO SYMBOLIZE THE WISH THAT THINGS HAD TURNED OUT DIFFERENTLY.
CALENDULA
THE CALENDULA IS A MEMBER OF THE MARIGOLD FAMILY, AND WAS TRADITIONALLY VALUED AS AN HERB, RATHER THAN ITS BRIGHT YELLOW BLOSSOMS. THE ROMANS USED CALENDULA MIXED WITH VINEGAR TO SEASON THEIR MEAT AND SALAD DISHES. CALENDULA BLOSSOMS IN WINE WERE PURPORTED TO SOOTHE INDIGESTION, AND THE PETALS WERE USED IN OINTMENTS THAT CURED SKIN IRRITATIONS, JAUNDICE, SORE EYES, AND TOOTHACHES.
THE CALENDULA IS A MEMBER OF THE MARIGOLD FAMILY, AND WAS TRADITIONALLY VALUED AS AN HERB, RATHER THAN ITS BRIGHT YELLOW BLOSSOMS. THE ROMANS USED CALENDULA MIXED WITH VINEGAR TO SEASON THEIR MEAT AND SALAD DISHES. CALENDULA BLOSSOMS IN WINE WERE PURPORTED TO SOOTHE INDIGESTION, AND THE PETALS WERE USED IN OINTMENTS THAT CURED SKIN IRRITATIONS, JAUNDICE, SORE EYES, AND TOOTHACHES.
CARNATION
CARNATIONS HAVE BEEN CULTIVATED FOR THE LAST 2,000 YEARS, AND THEY HAIL FROM THE NEAR EAST. IT IS SAID THAT THE NAME, CARNATION, COMES FROM GREECE… CARNIS (FLESH) REFERS TO THE ORIGINAL COLOR OF THE FLOWER, OR PERHAPS THE WORD INCARNACYON (INCARNATION), WHICH REFERS TO THE INCARNATION OF GOD MADE FLESH.
ANOTHER POSSIBILITY… CARNATION COULD COME FROM "CORONATION" OR "CORONE" (FLOWER GARLANDS), AS IT WAS ONE OF THE FLOWERS USED IN GREEK CEREMONIAL CROWNS. THIS POPULAR FLOWER WAS ALSO CALLED DIANTHUS BY THE GREEK BOTANIST THEOPHARASTUS.
CARNATIONS HAVE BEEN CULTIVATED FOR THE LAST 2,000 YEARS, AND THEY HAIL FROM THE NEAR EAST. IT IS SAID THAT THE NAME, CARNATION, COMES FROM GREECE… CARNIS (FLESH) REFERS TO THE ORIGINAL COLOR OF THE FLOWER, OR PERHAPS THE WORD INCARNACYON (INCARNATION), WHICH REFERS TO THE INCARNATION OF GOD MADE FLESH.
ANOTHER POSSIBILITY… CARNATION COULD COME FROM "CORONATION" OR "CORONE" (FLOWER GARLANDS), AS IT WAS ONE OF THE FLOWERS USED IN GREEK CEREMONIAL CROWNS. THIS POPULAR FLOWER WAS ALSO CALLED DIANTHUS BY THE GREEK BOTANIST THEOPHARASTUS.
CHRYSANTHEMUMS
CHRYSANTHEMUMS HAD BEEN CULTIVATED IN CHINESE GARDENS FOR MORE THAN 2,500 YEARS BEFORE THEY WERE FIRST EXHIBITED IN ENGLAND IN 1795. THE ANCIENT CHINESE NAMED THE CHRYSANTHEMUM ("CHU HUA"), TO BE THEIR OFFICIAL FLOWER FOR OCTOBER, AND ALSO THE OFFICIAL BADGE OF THE OLD CHINESE ARMY. MUMS WERE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE FOUR CHINESE NOBLE PLANTS… ALONG WITH BAMBOO, THE PLUM, AND THE ORCHID, AND THEREFORE THE LOWER CLASS CHINESE WERE NOT PERMITTED TO GROW THEM IN THEIR GARDENS. VISITING BUDDHIST MONKS BROUGHT THE CHRYSANTHEMUM TO JAPAN IN AD 400. JAPANESE EMPERORS SO LOVED THIS FLOWER THAT THEY SAT UPON CHRYSANTHEMUM THRONES, AND KIKUS, CHRYSANTHEMUMS IN JAPANESE, WERE FEATURED ON THE IMPERIAL CREST OF JAPAN.
EVEN TODAY, THE CHRYSANTHEMUM IS A SYMBOL OF THE SUN, AND THE ORDERLY UNFOLDING OF THE MUM'S PETALS DENOTES PERFECTION. ONE OF THEIR TRADITIONS IS TO PUT A SINGLE CHRYSANTHEMUM PETAL ON BOTTOM OF A WINE GLASS TO SUSTAIN A LONG AND HEALTHY LIFE.
CHRYSANTHEMUMS HAD BEEN CULTIVATED IN CHINESE GARDENS FOR MORE THAN 2,500 YEARS BEFORE THEY WERE FIRST EXHIBITED IN ENGLAND IN 1795. THE ANCIENT CHINESE NAMED THE CHRYSANTHEMUM ("CHU HUA"), TO BE THEIR OFFICIAL FLOWER FOR OCTOBER, AND ALSO THE OFFICIAL BADGE OF THE OLD CHINESE ARMY. MUMS WERE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE FOUR CHINESE NOBLE PLANTS… ALONG WITH BAMBOO, THE PLUM, AND THE ORCHID, AND THEREFORE THE LOWER CLASS CHINESE WERE NOT PERMITTED TO GROW THEM IN THEIR GARDENS. VISITING BUDDHIST MONKS BROUGHT THE CHRYSANTHEMUM TO JAPAN IN AD 400. JAPANESE EMPERORS SO LOVED THIS FLOWER THAT THEY SAT UPON CHRYSANTHEMUM THRONES, AND KIKUS, CHRYSANTHEMUMS IN JAPANESE, WERE FEATURED ON THE IMPERIAL CREST OF JAPAN.
EVEN TODAY, THE CHRYSANTHEMUM IS A SYMBOL OF THE SUN, AND THE ORDERLY UNFOLDING OF THE MUM'S PETALS DENOTES PERFECTION. ONE OF THEIR TRADITIONS IS TO PUT A SINGLE CHRYSANTHEMUM PETAL ON BOTTOM OF A WINE GLASS TO SUSTAIN A LONG AND HEALTHY LIFE.