Flower Folklore

Flower Folklore

Ann Meyer

Flower Folklore

Spring is a time when the earth awakens and blesses us with stunning flowers. Just like us, these flowers hold magic and mystery.

Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal! The Earth has awakened from its winter slumber and is ready to bask in the sunshine once again. One of the first signs that spring has returned is the sight of blooming flowers. Typically, the flowers of spring are flashy and brightly colored. Their petals act as rays of sunshine and warmth, reminding us that there is hope and rejuvenation in the air. 

As the season of spring progresses so do the flowers, each of them arriving at their own pace. Beginning with snowdrops, daffodils and crocuses then transitioning to irises, magnolias, and tulips. Each flower has its own story on how it came about and acts as a sign for the time.  

Snowdrops

Snowdrop flowers are one of the first to appear, usually between the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Depending on where you live, you will often see them right after Imbolc. Their bell-shaped petals and snow coloring make them easy to identify. It is said that when the Creator was constructing the Earth he asked the flowers to don the white color of the snow. The flowers, tired of winter, refused and instead opted for brightly colored petals to signify the return of the sun. The only flower that agreed to take on the white coloring was the snowdrops. In return, the Creator granted them to be the first flower to bloom. Another story states that the sun took the form of a beautiful young woman and would return to the earth, marking spring's beginning. A winter monster wanted the sun to himself so he captured her and held her hostage in a dark cave. A brave man named Hero set out to rescue the sun and when battling the winter monster he was injured, later dying from his wounds. Some of his blood fell to the ground and from the earth sprouted snowdrops. The sun was able to escape the monster and spring returned as it was meant to be. In remembrance of Hero, the sun allowed the snowdrops to signify her yearly return to Earth. 

Snowdrops symbolize: hope, renewal, rebirth, and modesty

Crocus

Crocuses are another flower that appears early on in the spring season. More often than not they are a rich purple hue, but they can be seen in other colors such as orange or cream. Most crocus folklore originated from ancient Greek mythology. One story they believed was that Crocus was a beloved companion to the god Hermes. One day during a game of discus, Crocus was stuck by a thrown disk and was killed. Hermes mourned his friend and turned his body into a flower as a remembrance. Another tale from Greek mythology is told about crocus flowers. In this story, Crocus was a human who was in love with a nymph. Since mortals and nymphs could not be together, this caused many problems. The gods took pity on the two lovers and turned them both into flowers, that way they could spend their days together. Since saffron comes from the crocus flower, there is a theory that crocuses were named after the word “Krokos” which translates to “saffron” in Greek. Saffron is considered a wealthy or “rich man’s” spice since it can be quite expensive to buy. This is because crocuses only produce three strands of saffron at a time and it takes the effort of many flowers to produce even a small amount.

"I always say crocus are the gatekeepers from Spring to Winter!"-Amanda F. 

Crocuses symbolize: joy, riches, new beginnings, and prosperity

Daffodil

While snowdrops and crocuses bloom in the early stages of spring, daffodils can be found a bit later on in the season. Their bright yellow, sometimes orange or white petals look like a cup that was stuck on a flower. Daffodils are named after Narcissus, who in Greek mythology, was an immortal man that was gifted beauty from the gods. After the gods granted Narcissus his good looks, a wood nymph named Echo fell in love with him. Narcissus was only interested in himself and rejected the wood nymph’s advances, which devastated the poor soul. A goddess named Nemesis took pity upon Echo and set out to destroy the conceited man. Nemesis lured Narcissus to a clear, mirror-like lake and once Narcissus caught a glimpse of his reflection in the water, he could not look away. Falling in love with the sight of himself, he dove deep into the water and never returned. A yellow flower appeared at the last place Narcissus was seen, thus giving daffodils their botanical name. Another Greek story surrounding daffodils states that they were a favorite of Hades and the departed. He referred to them as “deathless lilies” and had fields of them in the underworld. In the Victorian era, daffodils were a flower for love and it was thought that this flower contained a message of “when the sun shines, I am with you."

Daffodils symbolize: overcoming obstacles, rebirth, prosperity, and good luck

Tulip

Tulips tend to bloom in the late spring months and can be found in an abundance of colors. According to an old Persian story, one similar to Romeo and Juliet, there were two lovers who could not be together. The princess of Persia fell in love with a common man. Unaccepting his daughter's love interest, the king forbade the two to wed. As we all know, daughters don’t always do what their fathers want, and the princess persuaded the man anyways. The king devised a plan to keep the commoner away and told him that the princess had died of a broken heart. The man believed the king and overcome with grief, took his own life. When the princess caught word of what her father did, she went out to find her love, only to realize he was no longer. In return, the princess took her life so she could join her love in heaven. It is said that where the blood of the two lovers landed sprung the tulip flower. Other cultures believed that tulips had strong connections to fairies and the fairy world. It was thought that the flowers could be worn as dresses by the fae folk or act as a hiding spot from predators. In today’s age, tulips are considered to attract love. In the late spring, many cultures have tulip festivals to honor the flower and the abundance of love. 

Tulips symbolize: Love, beauty, passion, and forgiveness

Refresh Spring Flower Essence Blend Recipe by Amanda Furbee

Refresh. Renew. Rebirth.

Here’s what you will need:

To Make Your Own: Refresh Spring Flower Essence Blend

  • Add your distilled water and alcohol blend to the 1oz bottle.
  • Add the drops of Flower Essence from the mother to this blend.
  • Activate by sitting the Flower Essence on or near the Selenite Stone for 24 hours. 
  • Bottle up and label, date. 
  • Take 3 drops a day to reactivate and refresh yourself.

We take great pleasure in creating products and recipes for you. However, if you are interested in going more in depth to make all your own herbal products, we will be offering our "Make Your Own Product Series" as a recorded class in the future. Learning to make your own herbal products is a fun evolution to bringing balance to your life! Or, stop by the shoppe to create your own custom flower essence blend at our blending bar!

To schedule an herbal consultation with Amanda, email: info@theherbshoppepharmacy.com 

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