#plant-lore — Public Fediverse posts

In the Okefenokee, the Rose Pogonia is a floral warning. Lore says its fleshy roots are young snakes "sleeping" in the peat. Dig one up & you’ve disturbed a nest; pick the bloom & the mother cottonmouth will track the scent to find you. 🐍🌸 #FolkloreThursday #Okefenokee #PlantLore

ALEXANDERS: ARCHAEOLOGY AND HERBAL HISTORY by Veronica Smith

In 2003, I wrote a piece for the Irish Garden Plant Society (newsletter No: 87) entitled “Alexanders and Archaeology?”  It was prompted by articles published in “Archaeology Ireland” (issue nos: 53 & 54) in which experts argued that viable plant seeds could lie dormant in the soil for hundreds of years.  It was suggested that archaeologists working on sites should take note of any strange plants, as these could give clues to historic land usage. 

One plant mentioned was Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum), imported by medieval monks for their vegetable plots.  Alexanders rarely occurs naturally away from the sea, except at medieval sites, and yet my garden in the inland county of Carlow, Ireland, was full of it!  Mind you, the place name of the area was “Kilknock”, from the Gaelic Cill Cnoc, which translates as “church on the hill”; so it is possible that my Alexanders was originally planted by medieval monks one thousand years ago!

Those articles whetted my appetite for more information but it was hard to find. Alexanders is no longer the popular plant it once was, and it is known by several different names.  Evidently, it originates from south-west Europe, around the Mediterranean, and was officially recognised by the ancient Greek botanist Theophrastus as early as 322BCE. 

Alexanders is related to herb Lovage and is often called “Black Lovage”.  Its generic name “Smyrnium” comes from the Greek word for Myrrh, because of its myrrh-like flavour.  The specific name “olusatrum”, means “Black Pot Herb”, referring to the plant’s black seeds that can be ground up and used like pepper.  However, its Medieval Latin name was “Petroselinum alexandrinum”, meaning “Parsley of Alexandria” and this is how we got the popular name of Alexanders.

The Romans introduced Alexanders to Britain, along with many other Mediterranean plants.  Ireland had to wait another one thousand years, when medieval monks brought Alexanders with them for their monastery gardens, where it was used for flavouring and as an early spring vegetable.  Later, the great herbalists Culpepper and William Coles included Alexanders in their list of useful plants for the kitchen garden.   This is why so much Alexanders is found growing by the ruins of old abbeys and castles here in Ireland and in the west of England.  It was still being cultivated up until the early 18th century, when it was replaced by Celery!

I can understand why Alexanders was so highly prized in the past.  It is a strong, vigorous plant that seeds easily.  The first leaves appear at the end of winter, when there is little else; they taste like parsley and can be used as such, while the real parsley is still limp with frost!  As it grows, you can cook and eat the succulent stems, best taken from the bottom near the root.  Later, the delicate lime-green flower buds can be cooked and added to salads.  There’s a recipe from 1675 for “a grand sallet of Alexander Buds” by Robert May.  Unfortunately, the Alexanders that grew in my Irish garden tasted more like turpentine than parsley or aniseed, so I can understand why the milder-flavoured celery replaced it in the kitchen!

Regardless of taste, Alexanders was accredited with many medicinal qualities.  For example, the powdered seeds taken in wine could expel retained after-birth, relieve trapped wind and even neutralise snake-bite!   The stewed roots would help digest a Lenten diet containing too much fish!  The bruised leaves, when applied to wounds, would stop the bleeding.  The list is long and varied.  So no wonder it was grown in all the gardens of Europe.

Even earlier, in ancient Greece, it was revered as a Sacred Herb, favoured by the head of the Greek Pantheon, Zeus.  Ruled by the planet Jupiter and the element of Fire, Alexanders represented the Male Force of the Universe.  Used as a tea or as incense or added to the bath, it could help to explore one’s Masculine side and to connect with the God Principle, especially at Summer Solstice, when fiery Male Energy reaches its Zenith.   

While Alexanders may have lost favour in the kitchen / herb garden, it is still a plant worth knowing.  To identify it, Alexanders is a strong, bushy-looking biennial umbellifer, which grows up to 4 ft / 1.25 metres high.  It has large, SHINY bright-green tri-foliate leaves, like Lovage, consisting of three broad, toothed leaflets with a veined membraneous bract enclosing the base of the leaf stalks.  The flowers, growing in fat, round, tightly-massed umbels, are a vivid lime green and appear in the spring.  When ripe, the globular seeds turn black, giving the plant the folk-name of “Black Pot Herb” and “Black Lovage”.  I’ve also seen a variegated Alexanders grown in the RHS headquarters in Wisley Gardens, UK, showing that there are still some fans out there! 

RECIPES FOR ALEXANDERS

ALEXANDERS SAUCE, (made in late winter). 
A main attraction of this herb / vegetable is that it is one of the earliest “greens” to appear in the garden.  The young bright green Alexander leaves have a fresh taste of parsley, long before the real parsley plants have come out of winter dormancy.  You will need:
1 tablespoon butter;
1 tablespoon plain flour;
½ pint milk;
2 – 3 tablespoons finely chopped Alexanders leaves (about 2 handfuls of picked leaves);
salt, pepper, whatever condiments you care to add.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan on a low setting and carefully stir in the sifted flour.  Gradually add the milk a little at a time, stirring continuously (preferably with a whisk), to make sure that it is smooth, not lumpy.  When all the milk has been added and the mix is smooth, turn up the heat and keep stirring until the sauce has thickened and is silky smooth.  At this point, add the chopped Alexanders leaves and condiments (salt and pepper).  Serve at once.  This sauce does the same job as parsley sauce, tasting delicious on fish, chicken, vegetables.  You can even sprinkle fresh chopped Alexanders leaves as a garnish.  Enjoy!

ALEXANDERS BUDS AS SALAD (Spring)
the delicate, lime-green flower buds of Alexanders taste very good in a mixed salad or served on their own with a French Dressing.
Serves 4 people.
1 pint of Alexanders buds;
3 parts olive oil to 1 part cider vinegar;
salt and pepper, whatever condiments you care to add.
Wash the buds and trim away any stalks.  Cook them in a little boiling salted water for about 5 minutes, until tender.  Drain and allow to cool.  Toss the buds in the dressing and turn into a shallow dish or serve on top of a mixed salad.  Enjoy!

ALEXANDERS STEMS AS A VEGETABLE (spring, early summer)
The young stems of Alexanders are quite succulent  (which is why they were used like modern celery before celery had been developed) and cooking removes the turpentine-like scent.  The best part of the stem is at the bottom, so cut the stems as low to the ground as you can. 
You will need:
1 double handful of Alexanders stems and some butter.
Trim away the leaves and green parts of the stems, keeping only the lower parts that are white and pale.  Wash the stems thoroughly and cook in boiling salted water for 10 – 15 minutes, until a fork can easily pierce the thickest stem.  Drain and serve with melted butter.  Enjoy!

CRYSTALLISED ALEXANDERS (Spring only)
Gather however many young Alexanders stems as you care to preserve.  Then wash them and cut them into 3 inch pieces.  Bring a preserving pan filled with water to the boil, add the stems to the boiling water and simmer for 20 minutes.  Drain, weigh and put into a large ceramic / glass dish.  Add an equal weight of sugar to the cooked stems, cover and leave overnight.  The next day, put the sugar-and- Alexanders mix back into the preserving pan, bring to the boil and simmer until the sugar-syrup has almost evaporated.  Remove the pan from the heat and ladle out the crystallised stems onto a wire rack.  Leave them to set and then store in an airtight jar.  Enjoy! 

Author:    Veronica Smith         first published on 13 April 2016 under the title “Alexanders: Medieval Monks’ Meal”.

References:

ALL GOOD THINGS AROUND US by Pamela Michael and Christabel King; published by Ernst Benn Ltd in 1980; ISBN: 0 510 00055 X

HERB CRAFT: A GUIDE TO THE SHAMANIC AND RITUAL USE OF HERBS by Susan Lavender and Anna Franklin; printed by Capall Bann Publishing, UK in 1996; ISBN: 1 898307 57 9

#AlexandersPlant #food #foraging #gardening #HerbAlexanders #herbalMedicine #PlantLore #recipe #recipes

ALEXANDERS: ARCHAEOLOGY AND HERBAL HISTORY by Veronica Smith

In 2003, I wrote a piece for the Irish Garden Plant Society (newsletter No: 87) entitled “Alexanders and Archaeology?”  It was prompted by articles published in “Archaeology Ireland” (issue nos: 53 & 54) in which experts argued that viable plant seeds could lie dormant in the soil for hundreds of years.  It was suggested that archaeologists working on sites should take note of any strange plants, as these could give clues to historic land usage. 

One plant mentioned was Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum), imported by medieval monks for their vegetable plots.  Alexanders rarely occurs naturally away from the sea, except at medieval sites, and yet my garden in the inland county of Carlow, Ireland, was full of it!  Mind you, the place name of the area was “Kilknock”, from the Gaelic Cill Cnoc, which translates as “church on the hill”; so it is possible that my Alexanders was originally planted by medieval monks one thousand years ago!

Those articles whetted my appetite for more information but it was hard to find. Alexanders is no longer the popular plant it once was, and it is known by several different names.  Evidently, it originates from south-west Europe, around the Mediterranean, and was officially recognised by the ancient Greek botanist Theophrastus as early as 322BCE. 

Alexanders is related to herb Lovage and is often called “Black Lovage”.  Its generic name “Smyrnium” comes from the Greek word for Myrrh, because of its myrrh-like flavour.  The specific name “olusatrum”, means “Black Pot Herb”, referring to the plant’s black seeds that can be ground up and used like pepper.  However, its Medieval Latin name was “Petroselinum alexandrinum”, meaning “Parsley of Alexandria” and this is how we got the popular name of Alexanders.

The Romans introduced Alexanders to Britain, along with many other Mediterranean plants.  Ireland had to wait another one thousand years, when medieval monks brought Alexanders with them for their monastery gardens, where it was used for flavouring and as an early spring vegetable.  Later, the great herbalists Culpepper and William Coles included Alexanders in their list of useful plants for the kitchen garden.   This is why so much Alexanders is found growing by the ruins of old abbeys and castles here in Ireland and in the west of England.  It was still being cultivated up until the early 18th century, when it was replaced by Celery!

I can understand why Alexanders was so highly prized in the past.  It is a strong, vigorous plant that seeds easily.  The first leaves appear at the end of winter, when there is little else; they taste like parsley and can be used as such, while the real parsley is still limp with frost!  As it grows, you can cook and eat the succulent stems, best taken from the bottom near the root.  Later, the delicate lime-green flower buds can be cooked and added to salads.  There’s a recipe from 1675 for “a grand sallet of Alexander Buds” by Robert May.  Unfortunately, the Alexanders that grew in my Irish garden tasted more like turpentine than parsley or aniseed, so I can understand why the milder-flavoured celery replaced it in the kitchen!

Regardless of taste, Alexanders was accredited with many medicinal qualities.  For example, the powdered seeds taken in wine could expel retained after-birth, relieve trapped wind and even neutralise snake-bite!   The stewed roots would help digest a Lenten diet containing too much fish!  The bruised leaves, when applied to wounds, would stop the bleeding.  The list is long and varied.  So no wonder it was grown in all the gardens of Europe.

Even earlier, in ancient Greece, it was revered as a Sacred Herb, favoured by the head of the Greek Pantheon, Zeus.  Ruled by the planet Jupiter and the element of Fire, Alexanders represented the Male Force of the Universe.  Used as a tea or as incense or added to the bath, it could help to explore one’s Masculine side and to connect with the God Principle, especially at Summer Solstice, when fiery Male Energy reaches its Zenith.   

While Alexanders may have lost favour in the kitchen / herb garden, it is still a plant worth knowing.  To identify it, Alexanders is a strong, bushy-looking biennial umbellifer, which grows up to 4 ft / 1.25 metres high.  It has large, SHINY bright-green tri-foliate leaves, like Lovage, consisting of three broad, toothed leaflets with a veined membraneous bract enclosing the base of the leaf stalks.  The flowers, growing in fat, round, tightly-massed umbels, are a vivid lime green and appear in the spring.  When ripe, the globular seeds turn black, giving the plant the folk-name of “Black Pot Herb” and “Black Lovage”.  I’ve also seen a variegated Alexanders grown in the RHS headquarters in Wisley Gardens, UK, showing that there are still some fans out there! 

RECIPES FOR ALEXANDERS

ALEXANDERS SAUCE, (made in late winter). 
A main attraction of this herb / vegetable is that it is one of the earliest “greens” to appear in the garden.  The young bright green Alexander leaves have a fresh taste of parsley, long before the real parsley plants have come out of winter dormancy.  You will need:
1 tablespoon butter;
1 tablespoon plain flour;
½ pint milk;
2 – 3 tablespoons finely chopped Alexanders leaves (about 2 handfuls of picked leaves);
salt, pepper, whatever condiments you care to add.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan on a low setting and carefully stir in the sifted flour.  Gradually add the milk a little at a time, stirring continuously (preferably with a whisk), to make sure that it is smooth, not lumpy.  When all the milk has been added and the mix is smooth, turn up the heat and keep stirring until the sauce has thickened and is silky smooth.  At this point, add the chopped Alexanders leaves and condiments (salt and pepper).  Serve at once.  This sauce does the same job as parsley sauce, tasting delicious on fish, chicken, vegetables.  You can even sprinkle fresh chopped Alexanders leaves as a garnish.  Enjoy!

ALEXANDERS BUDS AS SALAD (Spring)
the delicate, lime-green flower buds of Alexanders taste very good in a mixed salad or served on their own with a French Dressing.
Serves 4 people.
1 pint of Alexanders buds;
3 parts olive oil to 1 part cider vinegar;
salt and pepper, whatever condiments you care to add.
Wash the buds and trim away any stalks.  Cook them in a little boiling salted water for about 5 minutes, until tender.  Drain and allow to cool.  Toss the buds in the dressing and turn into a shallow dish or serve on top of a mixed salad.  Enjoy!

ALEXANDERS STEMS AS A VEGETABLE (spring, early summer)
The young stems of Alexanders are quite succulent  (which is why they were used like modern celery before celery had been developed) and cooking removes the turpentine-like scent.  The best part of the stem is at the bottom, so cut the stems as low to the ground as you can. 
You will need:
1 double handful of Alexanders stems and some butter.
Trim away the leaves and green parts of the stems, keeping only the lower parts that are white and pale.  Wash the stems thoroughly and cook in boiling salted water for 10 – 15 minutes, until a fork can easily pierce the thickest stem.  Drain and serve with melted butter.  Enjoy!

CRYSTALLISED ALEXANDERS (Spring only)
Gather however many young Alexanders stems as you care to preserve.  Then wash them and cut them into 3 inch pieces.  Bring a preserving pan filled with water to the boil, add the stems to the boiling water and simmer for 20 minutes.  Drain, weigh and put into a large ceramic / glass dish.  Add an equal weight of sugar to the cooked stems, cover and leave overnight.  The next day, put the sugar-and- Alexanders mix back into the preserving pan, bring to the boil and simmer until the sugar-syrup has almost evaporated.  Remove the pan from the heat and ladle out the crystallised stems onto a wire rack.  Leave them to set and then store in an airtight jar.  Enjoy! 

Author:    Veronica Smith         first published on 13 April 2016 under the title “Alexanders: Medieval Monks’ Meal”.

References:

ALL GOOD THINGS AROUND US by Pamela Michael and Christabel King; published by Ernst Benn Ltd in 1980; ISBN: 0 510 00055 X

HERB CRAFT: A GUIDE TO THE SHAMANIC AND RITUAL USE OF HERBS by Susan Lavender and Anna Franklin; printed by Capall Bann Publishing, UK in 1996; ISBN: 1 898307 57 9

#AlexandersPlant #food #foraging #gardening #HerbAlexanders #herbalMedicine #PlantLore #recipe #recipes

Phlox Paniculata, a flower from the central and eastern United States.

In the Victorian language of flowers, phlox meant 'unanimity'.
⠀
#Folklore #Flowers #CrookHallGardens #Phlox #FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #PhloxPaniculata #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #Floriography #VictorianLanguageofFlowers

Phlox Paniculata, a flower from the central and eastern United States.

In the Victorian language of flowers, phlox meant 'unanimity'.
⠀
#Folklore #Flowers #CrookHallGardens #Phlox #FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #PhloxPaniculata #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #Floriography #VictorianLanguageofFlowers

According to legend, knights in the Middle Ages would wear two daisies to show he was the favourite of the ladies.

Dreaming of daises in the spring or summer means good luck is coming, but dream of them in autumn or winter and bad luck is coming.

In the Victorian language of flowers, the daisy meant "innocence" and "I share your sentiments".
⠀
#Folklore #Flowers #FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Daisies #Flowers #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #Floriography #VictorianLanguageofFlowers

According to legend, knights in the Middle Ages would wear two daisies to show he was the favourite of the ladies.

Dreaming of daises in the spring or summer means good luck is coming, but dream of them in autumn or winter and bad luck is coming.

In the Victorian language of flowers, the daisy meant "innocence" and "I share your sentiments".
⠀
#Folklore #Flowers #FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Daisies #Flowers #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #Floriography #VictorianLanguageofFlowers

Red dahlia near Newcastle Civic Centre.

In Mrs L. Burke's 1867 Illustrated Language of Flowers dictionary, the dahlia meant 'instability'.

#FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #Flowers #FolkloreBlog #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Dahlia #VictorianLanguageOfFlowers #Floriography #Plants

Red dahlia near Newcastle Civic Centre.

In Mrs L. Burke's 1867 Illustrated Language of Flowers dictionary, the dahlia meant 'instability'.

#FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #Flowers #FolkloreBlog #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Dahlia #VictorianLanguageOfFlowers #Floriography #Plants

Argentinian vervain, or Verbena bonariensis, is incredibly popular with butterflies!

In the Victorian language of flowers, vervain meant 'enchantment'.

This might explain why it appears in folk magic, both to ward off evil, but also to make any wish come true if its undiluted juice is used in a potion.

#FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #Flowers #HuaweiP20Pro #FolkloreBlog #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Vervain #MagicalPlants #Plants

Argentinian vervain, or Verbena bonariensis, is incredibly popular with butterflies!

In the Victorian language of flowers, vervain meant 'enchantment'.

This might explain why it appears in folk magic, both to ward off evil, but also to make any wish come true if its undiluted juice is used in a potion.

#FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #Flowers #HuaweiP20Pro #FolkloreBlog #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Vervain #MagicalPlants #Plants

This wild geranium in my yard has been happily blooming all summer.

In Scandinavia, the name for this flower translates as "Odin's favor" or "Odin's grace." The story goes that it was used to dye the cloaks of Viking warriors, because yields a grayish blue color that is the same as Odin's eyes.

I found it interesting that you only get that color by adding iron to the dye bath.

#PlantLore

This wild geranium in my yard has been happily blooming all summer.

In Scandinavia, the name for this flower translates as "Odin's favor" or "Odin's grace." The story goes that it was used to dye the cloaks of Viking warriors, because yields a grayish blue color that is the same as Odin's eyes.

I found it interesting that you only get that color by adding iron to the dye bath.

#PlantLore

Common yarrow! Also known as Death Flower, Devil’s Nettle, Old Man's Mustard, Snake's Grass, and Woundwort.
⠀
You could wear yarrow for protection, or carry it to attract friends. Yarrow is excellent for banishing evil.

People once thought you could hang yarrow above the marriage bed if you'd used it in a wedding decoration, and this would guarantee seven years of true love.

#FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #FolkloreBlog #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Yarrow #Plants

Common yarrow! Also known as Death Flower, Devil’s Nettle, Old Man's Mustard, Snake's Grass, and Woundwort.
⠀
You could wear yarrow for protection, or carry it to attract friends. Yarrow is excellent for banishing evil.

People once thought you could hang yarrow above the marriage bed if you'd used it in a wedding decoration, and this would guarantee seven years of true love.

#FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #FolkloreBlog #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Yarrow #Plants

Feverfew appears in the Lacnunga, an Old English medicinal text. A healer would boil feverfew, red nettles and plantain in butter, and speak the invocation from the Lacnunga. Then they would dip a knife into the liquid. This should alleviate the stitch, an example of sympathetic magic. A stitch feels like a stabbing pain. If we soothe a stabbing implement, then we should soothe the stitch.

#FolkloreThursday #PlantLore #FabulousFolklorePodcast #folklore #FolkloreBlog #plants #feverfew

Feverfew appears in the Lacnunga, an Old English medicinal text. A healer would boil feverfew, red nettles and plantain in butter, and speak the invocation from the Lacnunga. Then they would dip a knife into the liquid. This should alleviate the stitch, an example of sympathetic magic. A stitch feels like a stabbing pain. If we soothe a stabbing implement, then we should soothe the stitch.

#FolkloreThursday #PlantLore #FabulousFolklorePodcast #folklore #FolkloreBlog #plants #feverfew

St. John's Wort is one of my favorite herbaceous perennials. It's named after the saint because it blooms on his feast day, June 24th, but that's not the only reason.
St. John supposedly had the stigmata. If you pluck a leaf from the plant and hold it up to the light, you'll see little holes in it. (Zoom in on the pic to see them). This is where the Latin name comes from, hypericum perforatum, because of the perforations in the leaves.
Also, if you crush the flower buds, they produce a red oil which looks like blood.
#PlantLore

St. John's Wort is one of my favorite herbaceous perennials. It's named after the saint because it blooms on his feast day, June 24th, but that's not the only reason.
St. John supposedly had the stigmata. If you pluck a leaf from the plant and hold it up to the light, you'll see little holes in it. (Zoom in on the pic to see them). This is where the Latin name comes from, hypericum perforatum, because of the perforations in the leaves.
Also, if you crush the flower buds, they produce a red oil which looks like blood.
#PlantLore

Red Clover!

Also known as beebread, cow grass, honeysuckle clover, and marl grass.

According to folklore, you should wear it over your heart on blue silk to recover from heartbreak in love.

And wear red clover before you sign any financial contracts!

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #flowers #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #RedClover #Clover

Red Clover!

Also known as beebread, cow grass, honeysuckle clover, and marl grass.

According to folklore, you should wear it over your heart on blue silk to recover from heartbreak in love.

And wear red clover before you sign any financial contracts!

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #flowers #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #RedClover #Clover

The meadow buttercup! Children hold the flowers under their chin. If it reflects yellow, it means they like butter.

During the medieval era, beggars rubbed the sap from these flowers into their skin. It is so irritating it opened up horrible sores they hoped might win them sympathy.

In Mrs Burke's Language of Flowers dictionary of 1856, the buttercup meant "ingratitude" and "childishness".

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #MeadowButtercup

The meadow buttercup! Children hold the flowers under their chin. If it reflects yellow, it means they like butter.

During the medieval era, beggars rubbed the sap from these flowers into their skin. It is so irritating it opened up horrible sores they hoped might win them sympathy.

In Mrs Burke's Language of Flowers dictionary of 1856, the buttercup meant "ingratitude" and "childishness".

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #MeadowButtercup

The Iris!

They've been associated with royalty since the 5th century. According to folklore, putting a vase of irises in a space will cleanse its energy.

In Mrs Burke's Language of Flowers dictionary of 1856, the Iris simply meant "message".

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Flowers #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #Iris

The Iris!

They've been associated with royalty since the 5th century. According to folklore, putting a vase of irises in a space will cleanse its energy.

In Mrs Burke's Language of Flowers dictionary of 1856, the Iris simply meant "message".

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Flowers #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #Iris

Don't bring yellow poppies into the house because they might bring storms and headaches with them!

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Flowers #PlantsOfMastodon #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #YellowFlowers #Poppies #FlowerSuperstitions

Don't bring yellow poppies into the house because they might bring storms and headaches with them!

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Flowers #PlantsOfMastodon #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #YellowFlowers #Poppies #FlowerSuperstitions

Herb bennet is also known as cloveroot, colewort, golden star, St Benedict's Herb, and wood avens.

It could be used to drive away evil spirits.

According to S. Theresa Dietz, if worn as an amulet, it could prevent attacks by dogs or venomous snakes.

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Flowers #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #HerbBennet #WoodAvens

Herb bennet is also known as cloveroot, colewort, golden star, St Benedict's Herb, and wood avens.

It could be used to drive away evil spirits.

According to S. Theresa Dietz, if worn as an amulet, it could prevent attacks by dogs or venomous snakes.

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Flowers #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #HerbBennet #WoodAvens

It's World Bee Day! Did you know that a bee landing on your hand means money is on the way? If one lands on your head, it means success will be yours!

It's also essential to speak to bees in a calm voice. And you should never swear at bees. They might take offence and leave their hive.

I have a blog post with more bee lore if you're interested - https://www.icysedgwick.com/bees-folklore/

#Bees #FabulousFolklorePodcast #FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #WorldBeeDay #WorldBeeDay2023 #FolkloreBlog

It's World Bee Day! Did you know that a bee landing on your hand means money is on the way? If one lands on your head, it means success will be yours!

It's also essential to speak to bees in a calm voice. And you should never swear at bees. They might take offence and leave their hive.

I have a blog post with more bee lore if you're interested - https://www.icysedgwick.com/bees-folklore/

#Bees #FabulousFolklorePodcast #FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #WorldBeeDay #WorldBeeDay2023 #FolkloreBlog

Clematis is also known as Leather Flower, Old Man's Beard, Pepper Vine, Traveller's Joy, and Virgin's Bower.

The ancient Greeks used 'clematis' to refer to a whole range of climbing plants.

It can symbolise artifice, ingenuity, love, and want.

According to Mrs Burke's 1856 Illustrated Language of Flowers, it means 'mental beauty'.

#Clematis #FabulousFolklorePodcast #FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #Flowers #FolkloreBlog #TravellersJoy #Plants #VictorianLanguageOfFlowers #Floriography

Clematis is also known as Leather Flower, Old Man's Beard, Pepper Vine, Traveller's Joy, and Virgin's Bower.

The ancient Greeks used 'clematis' to refer to a whole range of climbing plants.

It can symbolise artifice, ingenuity, love, and want.

According to Mrs Burke's 1856 Illustrated Language of Flowers, it means 'mental beauty'.

#Clematis #FabulousFolklorePodcast #FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #Flowers #FolkloreBlog #TravellersJoy #Plants #VictorianLanguageOfFlowers #Floriography

The forget-me-not was once called scorpion grass because the flower heads curl over and people thought they looked like scorpion tails.

In the mid-1850s, there was a trend in Germany for planting forget-me-nots on graves.

In the Victorian language of flowers, the forget-me-not meant 'remembrance'.

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Flowers #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #ForgetMeNots #Floriography #VictorianLanguageOfFlowers

The forget-me-not was once called scorpion grass because the flower heads curl over and people thought they looked like scorpion tails.

In the mid-1850s, there was a trend in Germany for planting forget-me-nots on graves.

In the Victorian language of flowers, the forget-me-not meant 'remembrance'.

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #PlantLore #Flowers #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreBlog #ForgetMeNots #Floriography #VictorianLanguageOfFlowers

Thistles are a beautiful plant and the beloved floral emblem of Scotland. Find out how thistles can banish evil, drive away gloomy thoughts, and protect your home in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore! https://pod.co/fabulous-folklore-with-icy/folklore-of-thistles-protection-from-evil-predicting-rain-and-a-mental-boost #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Thistles #Folklore #PlantLore

Thistles are a beautiful plant and the beloved floral emblem of Scotland. Find out how thistles can banish evil, drive away gloomy thoughts, and protect your home in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore! https://pod.co/fabulous-folklore-with-icy/folklore-of-thistles-protection-from-evil-predicting-rain-and-a-mental-boost #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Thistles #Folklore #PlantLore

I'm doing another folklore talk with Creswell Crags, this time about the folklore of poisonous plants, including monkshood, deadly nightshade and foxglove! If you're free at 6 pm BST on 29 May, I'd love to see you there!
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/harm-in-the-hedgerows-the-folklore-of-poisonous-plants-tickets-626186419437 #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreOfPlants #PlantLore

I'm doing another folklore talk with Creswell Crags, this time about the folklore of poisonous plants, including monkshood, deadly nightshade and foxglove! If you're free at 6 pm BST on 29 May, I'd love to see you there!
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/harm-in-the-hedgerows-the-folklore-of-poisonous-plants-tickets-626186419437 #Folklore #FolkloreThursday #FolkloreOfPlants #PlantLore

Daffodils are named after Narcissus, from Ovid's Metamorphoses.
It starts with Echo, a nymph who was cursed by Juno because she stalled the Goddess by chatting while Jupiter and his mistresses escaped her wrath.
"Your tongue, so freely wagged at my expense, shall be of little use."

Echo could now only repeat the last few words she heard.
When she saw Narcissus in the forest, she fell in love with him but could not speak to him. When she finally throws her arms around him, he rejects her.

She then prayed to the gods, "If he should love, deny him what he loves!" Nemesis answers her, and when Narcissus looks into the water and sees his reflection, he falls in love with it. He stays there staring until he dies, “And in his body's place a sweet flower grew, golden and white, the white around the gold.”

#Mythology #PlantLore

Daffodils are named after Narcissus, from Ovid's Metamorphoses.
It starts with Echo, a nymph who was cursed by Juno because she stalled the Goddess by chatting while Jupiter and his mistresses escaped her wrath.
"Your tongue, so freely wagged at my expense, shall be of little use."

Echo could now only repeat the last few words she heard.
When she saw Narcissus in the forest, she fell in love with him but could not speak to him. When she finally throws her arms around him, he rejects her.

She then prayed to the gods, "If he should love, deny him what he loves!" Nemesis answers her, and when Narcissus looks into the water and sees his reflection, he falls in love with it. He stays there staring until he dies, “And in his body's place a sweet flower grew, golden and white, the white around the gold.”

#Mythology #PlantLore

Daisies are pretty but their growth on lawns can make them an unwanted plant. They're also associated with love, childhood & divination, so let's look at daisy chains and pulling petals in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore! https://pod.co/fabulous-folklore-with-icy/folklore-of-daisies-love-divination-and-daisy-chains #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Daisies #Folklore #PlantLore

Daisies are pretty but their growth on lawns can make them an unwanted plant. They're also associated with love, childhood & divination, so let's look at daisy chains and pulling petals in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore! https://pod.co/fabulous-folklore-with-icy/folklore-of-daisies-love-divination-and-daisy-chains #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Daisies #Folklore #PlantLore

Been working on song texts for beginning singers and have spent the day looking up a lot of #folklore, including #plantlore, #deer, #banshees, #birds, #shape-changers, and more. Now I've got a text about a banshee who's not really a banshee. Got a favorite bit of folklore?

Greater Periwinkle, also known as Sorcerer’s Violet, Creeping Myrtle, Joy on the Ground, and Devil’s Eye. Periwinkle contains vincamine, used as a cerebral stimulant. The plant represents early recollections, memories, and sweet remembrance. One snippet of folklore suggests that gazing at periwinkle flowers would restore lost memories. #FabulousFolklorePodcast #FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #Flowers #FolkloreBlog #Periwinkle #Plants

Greater Periwinkle, also known as Sorcerer’s Violet, Creeping Myrtle, Joy on the Ground, and Devil’s Eye. Periwinkle contains vincamine, used as a cerebral stimulant. The plant represents early recollections, memories, and sweet remembrance. One snippet of folklore suggests that gazing at periwinkle flowers would restore lost memories. #FabulousFolklorePodcast #FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #Flowers #FolkloreBlog #Periwinkle #Plants

According to folklore, daffodils were originally white, and a favoured flower of Persephone. When Hades caught her, his touch turned the blooms yellow. It’s unsurprising that the daffodil is considered the flower of the underworld and they often appear on graves. In the Victorian language of flowers, daffodils meant 'regard'.
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#FolkloreBlog #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Folklore #PlantLore #Daffodils #FlowerFolklore #LanguageOfFlowers #VictorianLanguageOfFlowers #Floriography #Taphophile

According to folklore, daffodils were originally white, and a favoured flower of Persephone. When Hades caught her, his touch turned the blooms yellow. It’s unsurprising that the daffodil is considered the flower of the underworld and they often appear on graves. In the Victorian language of flowers, daffodils meant 'regard'.
⠀⠀
#FolkloreBlog #FabulousFolklorePodcast #Folklore #PlantLore #Daffodils #FlowerFolklore #LanguageOfFlowers #VictorianLanguageOfFlowers #Floriography #Taphophile

Ribes sanguineum, or flowering currant.

People believed it was bad luck to bring this beautiful plant indoors.

In the Victorian language of flowers, currant meant 'Thy frown will kill me'.

#FolkloreBlog #FabulousFolklorePodcast #FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #TreeLore #FloweringCurrant #Superstitions #FlowerFolklore #LanguageOfFlowers #VictorianLanguageOfFlowers #Floriography

Ribes sanguineum, or flowering currant.

People believed it was bad luck to bring this beautiful plant indoors.

In the Victorian language of flowers, currant meant 'Thy frown will kill me'.

#FolkloreBlog #FabulousFolklorePodcast #FolkloreThursday #Folklore #PlantLore #TreeLore #FloweringCurrant #Superstitions #FlowerFolklore #LanguageOfFlowers #VictorianLanguageOfFlowers #Floriography

Crocuses in Waterlow Park.

According to Greek myth, a youth named Crocus had an affair with a nymph called Smilax. He became unhappy with the relationship and the gods turned him into a plant (and Smilax into a yew tree).

Others think Crocus unalived himself when the gods refused permission for him to marry Smilax. Flora, goddess of flowers, turned them into plants out of pity.

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #FlowerLore #FolkloreThursday #Folklore #FlowerFolklore #PlantLore #Crocus #Flowers

Crocuses in Waterlow Park.

According to Greek myth, a youth named Crocus had an affair with a nymph called Smilax. He became unhappy with the relationship and the gods turned him into a plant (and Smilax into a yew tree).

Others think Crocus unalived himself when the gods refused permission for him to marry Smilax. Flora, goddess of flowers, turned them into plants out of pity.

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #FlowerLore #FolkloreThursday #Folklore #FlowerFolklore #PlantLore #Crocus #Flowers

Pulmonaria, aka lungwort! So named because people thought the spotted leaves looked like diseased lungs, and in the Doctrine of Signatures, a plant part resembled the body part it was believed to treat.

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #FlowerLore #FolkloreThursday #Folklore #FlowerFolklore #PlantLore #FolkloreBlog #Pulmonaria #Flowers #Lungwort #HuaweiP20Pro

Primroses meant 'early youth' in the Victorian language of flowers, according to Mrs Burke's Language of Flowers dictionary.

#FabulousFolklorePodcast #FlowerLore #FolkloreThursday #Folklore #FlowerFolklore #PlantLore #VictorianLanguageOfFlowers #Floriography #Primroses #Flowers