Traditional Information About Flowers and Herbs (part 2)


Traditional Meaning of Flowers (part 1)
home page
Traditional and Modern Anniversary Gifts 1st-25th
Traditional and Modern Anniversary Gifts 26th-60th
About Me
Joshua Greyman Review Page
Little Feather's Woman Review Page

DISCLAIMER: The information concerning traditional uses of select flowers and herbs is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or disorder. The information is intended for your entertainment and enlightenment. Secondarily, it is intended to create a desire for more information.

Iris: message (Traditional use of the root of the Florentine iris is as a scent fixative for sachets. The more aged the root, the stronger violet scent it develops!)

Ivy: attractiveness, protection

Lavender: distrust, mistrust (traditional use of this lovely plant is as an insect repellent. If I were an insect, I would certainly be distrustful of this plant! Traditionally, used in sachets to put in drawers and closets.)

Lilac: first love

Lungwort (pulmonaria): You are my life!

Magnolia: love of nature

Maize: great wealth

Marigold: cruelty, grief, vulgar minds (This one really surprised me! This is a gorgeous plant; however, it is an insect repellant and inhibits the growth of certain other plants in its vicinity.(If I were an insect, I would certainly consider this plant to be cruel!) Maybe in olden days these characteristics where linked to people with similar characteristics--hence 'marigold' became a metaphore for those people.)

Milkweed: hope in misery (Interesting association. But. . .the Monarch butterfly lays its eggs on the milkweed only. Milkweed is toxic, therefore, the Monarch larvae is toxic also--a natural defense mechanism against predators!)

Mint: virtue (Mint--easy to grow, medicinal, pleasurable, invasive, dries easily--lasts along time, one of my favorite plants!)

Moss Rose: expansive, all embracing love

Mugwort: good luck, happiness (unless your alergic to mugwort! I had a mugwort growing a few years ago, and it didn't do very well--tall and spindly. It grew the next year though. . .and grew. . .and grew--a beautiful bushy plant close to six feet tall! I was watering the garden one day and the wind caught the plant just right and I got doused in pollen! I was hacking and coughing for weeks afterwards. My beautiful plant got cut immediately. Fear not! The mugwort was back the next year--and every year after including this year (2008) even though I cut it every year! Mugwort has traditionally been use to induce psychic dreams. No, you don't drink it! You put it in a packet under your pillow and sleep on it! Good luck!)

Myrtle: love, love in abstentia

Nettle: cruel, slander (If you've ever touched a nettle, you're aware of it's sting. However, nettles cooked loose their sting and are very nutritious--although, I have never eaten them!)

Orange: generosity (Not mentioning the many health benefits of Vitamin C and Bioflavinoids of which the orange abounds, a wonderful gift is an orange pomander. Pierce an orange with a screwdriver (the same diameter as a cinnamin stick), put cinnamin sticks through the holes and allow the orange to dry. Hang it on a string anywhere you want the fresh scent!)

Pansy: thoughts

Parsley: festivity, pleasure (Considering that parsley has traditionally been used as a mouth freshener, I can see how this could lead to festivity and pleasure!)

Passion Flower: spiritual fervour

Periwinkle: sweet memories

Pimpernel: change

Pleurisy Root: heartache cure (This is an interesting association. Pleurisy root has been traditionally used for pulmonary (lung) problems.)

Rasberry: remorse (Red rasberry leaves are very astringent (stop bleeding) and has been traditionally used internally and externally to stop bleeding. Maybe the association comes from the remorse of the incident that leads to the use of raspberry leaves.)

Rose: exquisite loveliness, love

(Deep-red) Rose: shy embarrassment

(Dog) Rose: pleasure, pain (A species rose--lovely to look at but with quite a 'bite'!)

Red Rose: I love you (So send your love a blooming red rose!)

Sweetbriar Rose: sympathy ( I would never have guessed this association. Plant a Sweetbriar Rose a distance to the windward side of your home and enjoy the sweet perfume in the breeze of a warm summer evening!)

(White) Rose: I am worthy of you!

Red and White Roses together: unity

Yellow Rose: diminishing affection

White Rosebud: heart ignorant of love

Rosemary: remembrance (In addition to being used as a flavoring in foods, Rosemary is used as fixative for scents in potpouri and sachets.)

Snowdrop: sympathy, hope

Star of Bethlehem: reconciliation

Strawberry: excellence

Sweet Basil: good wishes (Good taste in your food, too!)

Tuberose: dangerous pleasure (Tuberoses grew by my grandparents farmhouse strongly scenting the area about the house--delightful!)

Tulip: announcing one's affection

Verbena: sensibility

Verain: enchantment (The traditional use of this lovely plant (root) is a a nerve tonic!)

Blue Violet: faithfulness

Wheat: prosperity (Wheat sustains life, but in about 85% of people does NOT support health. Rather it has recently been linked to most--if not all--immunologic disorders of an inflammatory nature!)

Witch Hazel: a spell (A thought on witch hazel--witch hazel has so many skin care uses, bug bites, bactericide, skin softner, that in olden days, the medical profession may have tried to link witch hazel with witchcraft to discredit its medicinal benefits.)

Yarrow: remedy for heartache

home

flowers part 1

This site collects no personal information from anyone.
I hope you enjoy your visit to my site and find the links beneficial.


LOVE, PEACE, JOY, LAUGHTER, AND GOOD HEALTH!

copyrighted 2007-2008 © No part of this site may be reproduced by any means possible without permission of webmaster