Some flowers come with unique symbolisms: Here are 3 lesser-known ones for you
Many flowers and plants carry a symbolic importance. For example, if we talk about red rose, you instantly associate it with love. Similarly, white rose is known to imply peace. But did you know that there’s a specific term for the association of flowers with symbolism? It’s called floriography, or the language of flowers. Simply put, it is the practice of using the variety, colour and arrangement of flowers in order to communicate emotions and messages.
Though lost in time, the custom of sending flower-coded messages has been there since time immemorial. But it became a popular tradition in Europe in the Victorian Era (19th century), thanks to the British poet Lady Mary Wortley Montagu who was married to a British ambassador stationed at Turkey. This is where Lady Montagu got introduced to floriography and was fascinated by it too!
With time, Victorian women embraced this tradition. But what led to this love affair between them and floriography? Well, women from that era used to spend a lot of time in gardening. Moreover, back then, women had very restricted avenues of self-expression. So, communicating through flowers became a popular mode of expression for them.
In today’s era of communication boom, when everything and everyone is just a call or click away, floriography seems to be a redundant practice. But won’t it be interesting for you to know how some flowers are associated with certain emotions in different cultures? Let’s find out together.
Basil
All of you are aware of basil, the herb that spices up most of your favourite dishes. But have you seen the white or magenta-coloured flowers they come with? These flowers, which look pretty as a picture, have a negative association in the culture of Greece. According to the Greek belief system, basil flowers symbolise hatred. Strange, isn’t it? Let’s tell you the story behind it. Our favourite basil belongs to the species Ocimum basilicum. The word basilicum, on the other hand, has its roots in the ancient Greek word basilískos, meaning a chieftain and a kind of serpent too. The Greeks believed that this snake had the power to kill humans by merely looking at them. That is why they associate it with evil and hatred. However, this popular herb carries a diverse range of symbolism across various cultures. In India, it is considered to be a protector while in some other parts of the world, it is associated with chastity.
Lobelia
Since the Victorian Age, the Brits have associated the tiny, violet-coloured flowers of this garden plant with malevolence or viciousness. But why on earth would a flower be associated with such a negative emotion? Lobelia, native to all the temperate and warmer zones of the world (except central and eastern Europe as well as western Asia), comes with a toxin called lobeline. It is as addictive in nature as nicotine, only more dangerous. Believe it or not, you may turn hostile if you sniff it once! This is what provoked the association of lobelia with malevolence.
Rue
Most of you must be familiar with the word ‘rue,’ which means regret. But did you know that there’s also a garden shrub by this name? The yellow-hued flowers of this herb, native to the Balkan region of Europe, carries quite a few symbolic associations across various traditions all over the world. While some associate it with virginity and maidenhood, others associate this flower with regret. The second one, however, is the most common symbolic allusion of rue in many cultures. If you are trying to make a wild guess as to what led to the association of these flowers with repentance, let’s help you with a possible explanation. One school of thought suggests that apart from the name itself, the connection between rue and this human emotion stems from the assumption that you may regret if you touch this flower for long. Guess why? It may give you skin allergy!