Flowers in Greek Mythology

ByAmy Limbrick


Look closely and you’ll find Greek among your favorites plants, especially flowers.
It’s true that we recognize ancient Greeks more for their contributions
to language, architecture, art, and government than gardening. However
with such a lovely Mediterranean climate, floral life naturally abounds
in Greece, making their contribution through mythology and names
natural.

Amaryllis

The Amaryllis is a stunning flower, grown from a bulb, that is native to Chile and Peru. It was named “Amaryllis”, meaning sparkling, derived
from Greek, by a physician from Leipzig who was on a plant expedition.
While we associate Amaryllis with the flower, in ancient Greece it was
a popular woman’s name.

Anemone

Aphrodite,
the goddess of love, fell in love with a handsome mortal, Adonis. Ares,
the god of war, was Aphrodite’s ex-lover and was very jealous of the
new couple. Aphrodite and Adonis were hunting together in the woods
when they
encountered a wild boar, really Ares in disguise. The boar attacked
Adonis and seriously wounded him. Aphrodite tried to save Adonis, but
was not successful. As she carried his body out of the woods, drops of
his blood fell to the ground. Anemones sprung from his blood.

Iris

In Greek myth, Iris was a messenger of Zeus and Hera. She would deliver
messages by travelling on a rainbow. Her name meant “eye of heaven”
since she travelled from “heaven” to earth.

Narcissus

The Greek myth about Narcissus is a classic “origins myth” – a story to explain why and how something in nature has come to be. Narcissus was a handsome youth who fell in love with his own image. He died by drowning as he tried to reach out to his own image in a pool of water. The flower grew in that place to commemorate
his death. Another Greek myth tells of Persephone, Demeter’s (goddess
of agriculture) daughter, who was picking daffodils (or Narcissi). As
she wandered away from her companions, Hades (god of the Underworld)
snatched her and took her to be his bride. Thus Greeks and Romans
associated daffodils with death, the afterlife, and rebirth.

Laurel Tree

In Greek
mythology, Daphne was a beautiful young nymph. She was dedicated to
Artemis, goddess of the hunt, and had no interest in the many suitors
who wanted to marry her. She even refused the advances of Apollo, son
of Zeus. Apollo was very much in love with Daphne and couldn’t accept
that she wouldn’t marry him. As Apollo chased her through the woods,
Daphne prayed to her father Peneus, a river god, to help her. Peneus
transformed her into a laurel tree. Thus the laurel tree (called daphe
in Greek) became sacred to Apollo. The laurel wreath symbolized
excellence to the ancient Greeks and was used as a crown of victory for
Olympic champions.

Read more in the book “The Language of Flowers: Symbols and Myths” by Marina Heilmeyer.


 

 

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