Happy Birthday October Babies- It's Calendula Time

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River's Source Botanicals

 

Natural Mother's Network



This month's flower can get confusing. Some  sources say October's birthday flower is the Marigold, others say the Calendula, and still others say the month's flower is the Cosmos, all of which bloom beautifully during the autumn. But Marigolds, of the Tagetes family, and Calendula, of the Asteraceae, are not the same flower. Cosmos are a commonly accepted alternative flower. Marigolds are native to the Americas and are the commonly grown French Marigold that Americans use as a bedding plant. Calendula are related to daisies, sunflowers, and asters. I'm going to go with the Calendula as it seems to be the more frequently sited flower for October babies. Besides, I'm an October baby so I get to pick!

French Marigold. Pretty but not our gal this month.
Wikimedia

Calendula, native to northern Mediterranean countries, get their name from the Latin words "kalendae" for "first of the month", a reference to the fact that it is usually blooming by the first of each month. Once call "Pot Marigold" to distinguish it from Marigolds of the Tagetes family, the name referred to the fact that calendula were used for cooking. In a cooking pot. Get it? A much more budget friendly substitute for saffron, calendula leaves and chopped petals can also be added to salads or other raw vegetable dishes. The petals, with their slight aromatic bitterness can be used in fish and meat soups, and are frequently used as a colouring for cheese and butter. The whole flower was used as a garnish in medieval times. And chopped fresh marigold flowers can be scattered over rice dishes and even used in sweet dishes like custard or baked puddings.

But it is the calendula's medicinal uses that have given it a reputation of healing. Sometimes called "the mother of skin", it has a long history of use as a wound healing agent and has known skin-soothing properties. Generally used topically, calendula can reduce the inflammation of bee and wasp stings by rubbing a fresh flower on the sting. It has antiseptic properties and has a high concentration of flavinoids which act as anti-oxidants. Calendula has antimicrobial and antiseptic properties as well and is often used in facial toners. The list of medicinal and topical uses for our October flower goes on and on.  In the 1600's the healing properties of calendula were attributed to magic, though today we know that it is the chemical properties of the flower that are the real "magic". It has been used for almost every ailment imaginable for the last 1000 years, from scabs that won’t heal, eczema, athlete’s foot, acne, or even herpes sores. In Russia it was used to treat smallpox and measles, so much being grown in that country that it was once call Russian penicillin. It is one of the earliest known herbal medicines. Calendula blossoms in wine are said to ease indigestion.  I am not an herbalist and am not advocating the use of calendula- I'm just sharing some of the uses of calendula. And be sure that you use the correct plant-Calendula officinalis. The French marigold does not have the same healing properties. The term officinalis refers to the alchemist's workshop, where it was believed that metal could be turned to gold and the skin-soothing properties of calendula were thought to be able to return one's skin to the days of its silky-smooth babyhood. Be aware that some folks do have allergic reactions to calendula so be sure to do a small test patch if you plan to use it topically.



Greens & Berries



The lore and legend of the calendula is also extensive. It has been used over the ages in love potions and charms as well as for prophesying, psychic energy, seeing magical creatures, attraction, and renewing personal energy. A fresh flower can be worn to court for a favorable outcome of a trial. If you place blossom in your mattress, you will have prophetic dreams... and if you place it under your mattress it will make whatever you dream come true. If you dig up some soil where your lover has walked and use that soil for planting calendula, myth says that your lover would forever by faithful. Add calendula to baths to win respect and admiration. If you’ve been robbed, it will give you a vision of the thief. Simply looking at calendula will draw out "evil humours" as well as strengthen your eyesight.

There are many other uses as well:

• Yellow dye can be extracted from the flower, by boiling.
• It's a good companion plant as it discourages pests in the garden.
• In Asia it are mainly used to make garlands and for adorning buildings and statues of spiritual significance
• An infusion of the petals can be used as a rinse to lighten and brighten hair.



Porcupine Creek Farm

 

The colors of the calendula flower, yellows and oranges, are said represent the path of the sun throughout an autumn day. It is thought that the flower holds all of the sunlight of autumn. Those with an autumn birthday are said to be warm, friendly and easy going. You can even use calendula to predict the weather as the blossoms are said to close before a rain.



Calendula Soap. Love In The Suburbs



As for the language of flowers, our calendula has a variety, even contradictory, range of meanings depending upon when and where you are. The hidden message of the calendula during  the Victorian era was "My thoughts are with you" or to symbolize "winning grace". The flower has also been used to symbolize saddness, grief, mental anguish, or despair and is known as the flower of death in Mexico because it is believed that the flowers sprung up from the blood of natives that were killed by Spanish invaders. Calendula is used to adorn gravestones on the Day of the Dead in Mexico. But my favorite meaning of the calendula is for joy. Like I said, contradictory.

 

 

Yellow Tomato and Calendula Salad. Prospect: The Pantry

 

 

 

Generally a prolific and easy growing plant, calendula are grown from seed. Though they prefer rich, well-drained soil, calendula will tolerate average garden soils. Yes, they like plenty of sunshine and the blossoms will follow the sun over the course of a day, just like to sunflowers to which they are related. They do well grown in a pot, whether a cooking pot or a garden pot. They bloom from June through the first frost but you may notice a decrease in blooms during the very hottest part of the summer. No worries- they'll start up again when the weather cools. Deadhead for repeated and increased blooming. Though annuals, calendula reseed prolifically. I have seen that there are some "moderately" perennial or biannual calendulas. Strongly attractant to butterflies, the main pest of our gal is the aphid.





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And there you have it- Calendula officinalis!

Happy Birthday October Butterflies!
(Happy Birthday Big 'Un)

Aster- September's Bloom

Photo by Tiwago via Flickr



Photo via Missouri Plants





Photo via TS Flowers



Ah, the Aster, a wildflower native through-out the US, Europe, and Asia. September. Autumn. Chill in the air. The first whiffs of that crunchy dry leaf smell as you weed and work around in your late season garden, corralling the wild aster back with the borders of the bed. She's sweet, our September gal.

Asters get their name from an old Greek word meaning "star", referring to the shape of the flower. Also called Starworts, Michaelmas Daisies or Frost Flowers, this star-like flower can be found in a variety of colors – white, red, pink, purple, lavender and blue, with mostly yellow centers. Aster flowers are popular in many gardens for their attractive and colorful blossoms and ability to grow in all hardiness zones. Interestingly while an Aster blossom may appear to be a single flower it is not so; an Aster’s bloom is actually a combination of approximately 300 small (usually yellow) flowerets surrounded by colorful petals. They possess a Daisy-like appearance which is often deceptive as they are actually a member of the Sunflower family. If you need a blast of late season color, Aster is the gal for you.



Aster Border, Waterperry Gardens



Aster are a rich source of nectar for bees and butterflies. As they bloom during the peak of the monarch migration, they are an important waystation for our lepidopterian travellers. Because they also attract so many bees, plant them away from areas where you walk or play, especially if you have significant bee allergies. The shrubs can grow up to 3 feet tall, depending on the variety, so if you plant them away from the house you will still be able to enjoy their beauty.



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Asters have long been considered an enchanted flower. Legend says that the goddess Asterea cried when she looked at the earth and saw no stars. Where her tears fell to the ground, Aster bloomed. Others believed that Asters were stardust scattered on the earth by the goddess.



Aster and Goldentrod. Source



And then there is the Cherokee Indian legend from the southern part of the US. Two warring tribes, fighting over a choice hunting ground, waged war over a hill, down a valley, across a creek, and into a village. All the villagers were killed except for two sisters who hid in the woods. Both wore doeskin dresses, one dyed lavender-blue with fringe, the other one bright yellow. The sisters sought out the Herb Woman who lived over the mountain in another valley. This woman gathered herbs by day and brewed magic potions by night, a gift given to her by the gods. As the sisters slept that night under the stars, the Herb Woman looked into the future and saw that these little girls would be hunted down by the enemy. So she sprinkled them with a magic brew and covered them with leaves. In the morning there were two flowers where the sisters had been. One was the lavender-blue aster, the fringe from the dress having been turned into the outer flower petals (ray flowers) of the aster. The other flower was the yellow goldenrod.

By the way, after years of suffering allergies, especially in the fall, I learned that if you are allergic to Goldenrod you should not take Echinacea (used to boost immunity) as they are related, both belonging to the Compositae family. So now I'm still snottin' and sneezin' but things are noticably better this summer. But I digress...



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Aster have been traditionally used by Native American tribes by burning the flowers and leaves, the smoke being used in Inipi (sweat lodge) Ceremonies, to revive the unconscious, to treat mental illness, nosebleeds, headaches, congestion. The dried blossoms were also snuffed for similar purposes, or the vapor inhaled as a steam. Aster tea was used to treat earache, relieve gas pains, stomach aches, and fevers.

Earthnotes has an extensive page listing the medicinal uses of a wide number of aster species. Please keep in mind that many plants are not recommended for medicinal or food uses, some even being poisonous. I am not recommending or supporting their uses for either purpose, just sharing the lore and history of the Aster.

It was once believed that the fragrance of their burning leaves would drive away evil spirits and it was believed during Medieval times that it would drive away serpents. The "star-flower" was believed to be sacred to the gods and so wreaths of asters were placed on their altars. The roots of Aster were crushed and fed to bee colonies that were in poor health. The flavor of homey is said to be improved if you boil asters in wine and place it near the hives.



China Aster, an annual. Source



The meaning of the September Birth Flower, the Aster is Love, Faith, Wisdom and symbolizes Valor. The hidden message of the the aster, so favored during the Victorian era, was "Take care of yourself for me". During Victorian times, people were strongly restricted by the rules of etiquette and it was considered totally inappropriate to express feelings of love or affection. Aster is also considered appropriate, due to its meaning and symbolism, to give on Grandparent's Day (September 1), Teacher's Day (September 4th) and Patriot Day (September 11). And of course birth month flowers are beautiful for special celebrations of the month such as birthdays (duh) and weddings.



Munstead Wood, Surrey Source



So let's get some Aster into our gardens. You will often see native Aster varieties growing wild in almost any environment from the tropics to the coldest regions of the north in habitats ranging from extremely arid deserts to bogs. This variability and hardiness means that Aster will grow in almost anyone's garden, even if your thumb isn't as green as maybe you would like. Some areas consider Aster a weed or a problem flower because they do grow so easily. Hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9, Asters should be planted in moist well-drained soil in full sun, but they will tolerate light shading. The plants form broad bushy clumps, so plant them at least 18 inches apart. Mature clumps will need to be divided every 3-4 years, in the early spring, or late fall after the flowering has finished. Pinch back the tops by 6-8 inches at least once during the summer, to create a bushier plant and to prolong the fall bloom. This pinching MUST be done prior to mid-July or it will have an opposite effect and blooming will be reduced. Annual varieties of Asters require the same basic care, but should not be planted in the same spot the following year, to prevent plant diseases such as Aster wilt. Sow seeds directly into the garden in early spring, when all frost danger has passed. Perennial Aster can be propagated by dividing existing clumps or grown from seed sown indoors at about 70° F. Seeds can also be sown directly into the garden after all frost danger has passed.

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Aster Seed, Source

Before we go, let's take an upclose look at the Aster. The two images below are from Microscopy-UK. The first link will take you to the Aster page, photographed by Brian Johnston from Canada and is full of his amazing and gorgeous Aster photos. The second link takes you to Microscopy-IK where you can find anything and everything you never knew you wanted to know about microscopy.



Sticky glandular protuberances on the bracts shown in the photo above.





Monarch juicing up for the trip to Mexico. Source



 

Thank you so much for visiting today. And Happy Birthday to all of you Aster Babies- you're each a star! (See what I did there?)

 

A Flower For August- Gladiolus

I'm sorry, what did you say? August is over? Oh good gracious! The winding down of summer, the starting up of school, hot days and cool swimming pool, dog mayhem, house chores, appointments, new job, Chemistry class.....  they have all conspired to steal away my time. I have fallen victim to that old misbelief of "When things settle down...." We all know things never do settle down and now it's September, so I'll just leave the dishes on the counter for awhile and wander in the world of the birthday flower for August, the ruffly gladiolus. Better late than never ...



Photo by theboybg via flickr

Photo by Russ Morris via Flickr

Photo by Mahmood Al-Yousif via Flickr

The name for August's grand flower, Gladiolus, is the diminutive form of the Latin word "gladius", meaning little sword, a reference to the flower's tall sword-like leaves. The gladiolus is a perennial member of the iris family (Iridaceae) and is in fact sometimes called a Sword lily. The same word is the root for the word gladiator, a soldier who “lived or died by the sword.”  Gladiolus is thought to be the 'lilies of the field' that Jesus referred to in the Sermon on the Mount as they grew wild and abundantly in the Holy Land and along the Mediterranean coast of Africa.


Spread through out Mediterranean Europe, Asia, Tropical Africa and South Africa, most species were discovered in the Cape Floristic Region on the tip of South Africa. Click the link for more information about this incredible region. Of the 260 species of gladiolus, 250 are native to sub-Saharan Africa, mostly South Africa.

Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund

 

Gladiolus were recognized over 2000 years ago in Asia Minor, where they grew wild in the fields and were called corn-flag or corn iris, a name that refers to the fact that they are unwelcome pests. Wild, natural gladiolus range in size from 1 to 8 inches. The luscious ruffly blooms we know today are the result of hundreds of years of hybridization and breeding programs. It was not until the 1800's that they were used as cut flowers. Prior to that, the gladiolus had a variety of myths and uses. Roman warriors believed that if you hung the corms around your neck like an amulet, the magical properties of gladiolus would bring you luck by helping you to win a duel and you would be protected from death.

A Greek legend tells of two brothers who fell in love with the same young woman. Neither would concede to the other. Their brotherly love gave way to intense hatred until it reached a point where they vowed to fight each other to the death. Both were fatally wounded in the battle. In the final moments, they plunged their swords into the ground. According to the legend, from that very spot grew the first two gladiolus plants, with leaves like little swords and blood red flowers marked in their hearts with white splashes from the girl's tears.



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The Mayfield Florist tells the following tale:

There once was a prince named Iolus. He was a kind and just ruler of his kingdom and was beloved by all. Unfortunately he could not find true love in his kingdom. He heard of a beautiful girl named Glad who was being held captive in the neighboring kingdom by an evil wizard who was forcing her to marry him. Iolus went in search of the beautiful maiden. He came upon the castle of the evil wizard and asked him to teach his magic. The wizard accepted. When the wizard was away Iolus found the maiden and they fell in love at first sight. Holding hands they ran away from the castle. Glad and Iolus were far away when the wizard caught up with them They were turned into a long slender flower with beautiful, delicate, buds. Later people called the flower Gladiolus in honor of the strong love of two hearts who will never be apart.

 



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Gladiolus have a long history of medicinal use, particularly in Africa where it was first grown. Mashed roots were used to draw out splinters and thorns and the dried pods were ground to a powder and added to goat's milk as a treatment for colic. The plant was used in southern Africa to treat a variety of ailments, including diarrhoea and colds. Many African herbalists consider the Gladiolus to be a magical medicinal plant as it is capable of treating dysentery, constipation and diarrhea simultaneously. Some use the plant for treatment of lumbago, painful menstruation, impotency, and headaches, while other herbalists use it to facilitate the birth of the placenta. Gladiolus dalenii is one of the plants used by local communities in the Kenyan Lake Victoria Basin to treat various infections such as meningitis, malaria, diarrhea, and ulcers. A 2009 study showed that extract of this gladiolus has anti-fungal properties, especially for certain lung infections that are common among immunosuppressed patients, such as HIV patients.

Gladiolus are fairly easy to grow: plant the corm in the spring and wait for your luscious blooms. Knowing a bit about them, however, will help you give them proper TLC. First of all, glads do not grow from bulbs, they grow from corms. Oh boy, here we go...  I'm going to let Healthy Home Gardening explain the difference:


Bulbs (which are referred to as "true bulbs") grow in layers, much like an onion. At the very center of the bulb is a miniature version of the flower itself. Helping the bulb to stay together is something called a basil plate, which is that round and flat hairy thing (those are the beginnings of roots) on the bottom of the bulb. Bulbs reproduce by creating offsets. These little bulbs are attached to the larger bulb.




Image via University of Illinois Extension Service

Corms look a lot like bulbs on the outside but they are quite different. They have the same type of protective covering and a basal plate like the bulb does, but do not grow in layers. Instead the corm is the actual base for the flower stem and has a solid texture. As the flower grows, the corm actually shrivels as the nutrients are used up. Essentially the corm dies, but it does produce new corms right next to or above the dead corm, which is why the flowers come back year after year. Depending on the type of flower, it may take a couple years to reach blooming size.




Image via University of Illinois Extension Services

So a corm is a swollen stem base that is solid stem tissue rather than layers (the modified leaves).


Photos via HGTV

 

So, let's get that corm into the ground. Gladiolus are not very fussy though they do prefer a well-drained site with light soil. If your spot is soggy you may want to consider a raised bed as my experience has been that soggy corms will rot and when they do, they're gross and slimy. Though you can plant in an area with some shade, your glads will bloom better, bigger, and longer in a full sun location and the corm will be able to store more nutrients for next year's blooms. Glads are generally hardy in Zones 6-10. My mom is still amazed that I don't dig up my glads for the winter here in my Zone 6 garden but she hails from Wisconsin (good Norwegian that she is) and Zones 5 and north are just too cold to winter over. Regardless, a nice layer of mulch is good to add for the winter. Plant your corms 4 to 8 inches deep, pointy end up, and about 5 inches apart. You can plant them maybe two weeks before your last frost date and stagger so you will have a longer show in your garden. Bloom time is generally July and August. If you are not in a cold hardy area, dig them up in September. Farmer's Almanac says to "cut the stalks to within an inch of the corms, then leave them in a warm, airy location for 1 to 2 weeks. Remove and throw away the oldest bottom corms and store the new corms in plastic, mesh bags in a well–ventilated room. The temperature of the room should be between 35º and 45ºF. Replant these corms in the spring."

 

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I remove the dead flowers from my stalks to encourage the blooms further down the stalk to open up. Once all of the flowers on a given stalk have bloomed I cut the stalk back, but not the leaves, which I keep in place to encourage growth and strength of the corms. If you site them well, water when needed, fertile, talk to them and tell them how beautiful they are, your gladiolus may grow up to 6 feet talk. Be prepared with a staking plan.

 

 





My Zippy gal when she was a toddler, sitting under
an umbrella happily ripping up my glads.





 A word of caution- some parts of gladiolus are poisonous if eaten (including by dogs, cats, or horses) and some people experience skin irritations or an allergic reaction after handling glads. Most of the bad-juju chemicals are in the corms. I've seen them rated as a 1 on a scale to 1 to 10, with 10 being deadly, and I suppose if you eat enough of anything it can make you ill. The effects are generally gastro-intestinal in nature. I personally have never had skin reactions to handling the corms, plants, or juicy stuff and neither did my Zippy from the day I took the photo above. But still, it's best to be aware that some folks get skin irritations.

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But if you send someone gladiolus, just what is it that you're trying to say? Glads symbolize strength, sincerity, moral integrity, generosity, and remembrance. Gladioli also represent infatuation, with a bouquet conveying to a recipient that they pierce the giver’s heart with passion.

 

 

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Do I have any butterfly gladiolus with which I can finish up today? Oh, you betcha.... sort of.





Dwarf Butterfly Gladiolus, source

 

Gladiolus papilio ("Butterfly gladiolus") Source

And today I even have a song for you- Scott Joplin's Gladiolus Rag.



 

Hope you enjoyed today's stroll through the birthday garden. My most sincere apologies for being late and a belated Happy Birthday to all of my August butterflies.

Larkspur for July

Delphinium Consolida Rocket- Rocket Larkspur
Image via Aggie-Horticulture, Texas A&M University
Gig 'em Aggies



Consolida regalis, Forking Larkspur
Image via Wikipedia Commons



OK gang, hold on to your hat. July's birth month flower is the Larkspur. The flower itself is a complicated beauty, as complex and enchanting as the orchid. To add to the fun, larkspur are delphinium. Well, no they're not but they could be. But they aren't. Oh yes they are if they're annuals not perennials. No no, you've got it all wrong.

You can see what we're up against this month- a luscious purple, blue, pink, and white cloud of cottage garden confusion. So, I've researched the larkspur a bit more than usual, consulted with my personal horticulturalist (thanks Mom), and stared at photo after photo of these summer beauties. I will do my best to parse out the technicalities of larkspur versus delphinium as I understand it but let's not get too fixated on those technicalities. The larkspur is such a lovely flower that it would be so much better to simply relax and enjoy. All of horticultural sticklers-for-detail butterflies will need to bear with me as I simply flitter around and enjoy the larkspur.



Consolida ajacis. Source



The larkspur, of the genus Consolida, is an annual version of the Delphinium and is a member of the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native to western Europe through the Mediterranean region east to central Asia and naturalized in North America. Delphinium, also called larkspur (because that makes things so much more fun for we mere mortals), are also in the Ranunculaceae family but their genus is Delphinium, not Consolida. Right? Let's look at the scientific classification charts for the two to see if that helps (larkspur on the left, delphinium on the right):

Molecular data shows that Consolida is embedded in Delphinium. Again, just to make it all more fun. Consolida flowers are more open (eh hem- usually) than Delphinium and have a more branching spike as opposed to the more dense columns of delphinium. Usually. You know, with hybrids growing rampant, things can get pretty interesting- sort of like the "purebreed" Black Lab that mysteriously has six puppies of six different colors.  July's gal-  the smaller, wilder cousin to Delphinium-  is a freely seeding plant so once she gets going in your garden you'll generally have a nice yearly crop. There are no genetic barriers to prevent Consolida and Delphinium from crossing so it's kind of a free for all out in your garden if that hussy Consolida is present. Delphiniums, on the other hand, are a perennial. The name Delphinium, by the way, comes from the Greek "delphis" for dolphin because the buds look like fat little dolphins. Are you getting a headache? Let's move on from the murky genetic waters to the pretty bits about larkspur.



Image via Flores Alpes



The plant's name comes from the shape of the spur, which resembles the hind toe of a lark. The petals of the flower actually grow together to form the spur.




Photo by Continis via Flickr



Other names include Lark’s Claw, Knight’s Spur and Lark’s Heel (by Shakespeare). The larkspur is a tall flower, reaching 3 - 6 feet in height with colors including purple, blue, red, yellow, and white. They need full sun and should have some protection from high winds because the hollow flower stalks, though strong, are often so covered with flowers that they can break in the breeze. Each of its flower is made up of single or double row of brightly colored sepals with tiny fringe-like petals at the center of each flower, often covering the pistils and stamens. There are also two sacs filled with nectar inside the spur which attracts hummingbirds and bees. All parts of the plant contain the alkaloid delphinine and are very poisonous, causing vomiting when eaten, and death in larger amounts. Cows, especially, have been known to die after eating only small amounts of the attractive plant, and many people who pasture cows wait until the heat of summer to let them out onto fields where larkspur blooms, as the majority of the plants will have died back at that point. Domestic sheep, however, are apparently not affected by the toxins in larkspur and are therefore used to help eradicate the plant on cattle range. The plant’s toxicity may vary depending on field conditions and seasonal changes; as the plant matures, generally it becomes less toxic. The alkaloids in the plant can cause neuromuscular paralysis; clinical effects include constipation, increased salivation, colic, stiffness, muscle tremors, weakness, convulsions and recumbency (which is a fancy way of saying sitting around, maybe listless and lacking energy). Cardiac failure may occur, as can death from respiratory paralysis. Young children in particular are especially vulnerable to larkspur's nasty properties. Pretty wicked for such a festive looking gal.

Wedding bouquet featuring larkspur. Image via Rustic Wedding Chic

Larkspur is very easy to grow and it often self seeds in the garden, coming back year after year. Plant larkspur from seed directly in the garden in early spring. Larkspur doesn't like to be transplanted and prefers rich, well-drained soil and ample water. When hot weather strikes and larkspur starts to brown and fade, pull out these fading plants but be sure to leave a few to brown ones to reseed. Here's the lowdown on growing larkspur:

Light: Sun, Part Sun
Plant Type: Annual Plant
Height: 3-6 feet tall
Plant Width: 6-12 inches wide
Soil: Deep, rich loam soil
Cultivation: Grow to their full potential in climates with cool and moist summers. They are annuals and also highly susceptible to frost, therefore sow the seed after the frost.
Blooms: Late spring through late summer though they can be grown for winter blooms in the deep south.
Landscape Uses: Containers, Beds & Borders, attract butterflies, bees, and bumble bees
Special Features: Flowers, Cut Flowers, Dried Flowers, Drought Tolerant, Deer Resistant, Easy to Grow

Image via Flowerinfo.org

Sounds perfect for a wild cottage garden, doesn't it? But what is the myth and mystique associated with larkspur? These lush, dolphin-shaped flowers symbolize an open heart and ardent attachment. White generally signifies a happy-go-lucky nature, pink represents fickleness, while purple is often indicative of sweet disposition and first love. Larkspur symbolized a desire for laughter and a pure heart in the Victorian language of flowers. In mythology of Greek, the flowers of larkspur are said to have sprang from the blood of Ajax, a figure in Greek mythology. A red flower supposedly emerged from his blood after he killed himself. I once heard that you can supposedly find the letters "Al" in the petals of larkspur, which is the Greek cry of mourning, but I have never been able to work it out. A Native American story credits the larkspur to a celestial figure who tore open the evening sky, scooped up and twisted a portion of that sky and created a spike. When she plunged it down to earth so she could climb down, small blue flecks of sky adhered to it. Eventually the sun dried out the stalk and scattered small pieces along the planet, thus creating the delicate larkspur flower. As one of the flower symbols denoting the Virgin Mary's sorrows, larkspur represents Mary's tears.

Black Hollyhock - Blue Larkspur, by Georgia O'Keefe
Image via Wiki Paintings

In spite of its toxic properties, larkspur has had various uses in the past for folk remedies and magic. Witches used the flower for various spells and non-witches used it to protect themselves and their animals against witches and sorcerers. In England dried and fresh larkspur was used in protection spells, to cure ailments and as integral ingredients in marking the "longest" day of the year, the summer solstice.  In Transylvania, dried larkspur was placed in stables to keep sorcerers from casting their spells on the animals. Used by Native Americans and European settlers to make blue dye, it’s believed that the most ancient use of delphinium flowers was for driving away scorpions and venomous snakes as well as more ephemeral threats, such as ghosts. Larkspur flowers were widely used for medicinal purposes in ancient times, especially for treating wounds and killing parasites and is commonly known as an insecticide.



1809 engraved botanical plate by Philip Miller.
Image via (and print original print available)
Brian DiMambro Antique Maps & Prints



If you're in the mood for a little bit of cross-stitching, you can go to Ellen Mauer-Stroh's website and download this free cross-stitch chart of July's flowery gal.

If you have a July birthday cake to make, perhaps you could commemorate the lovely larkspur of the buttercup family in buttercream.



Image via Cake Central



Or surprised a lucky July gal with a lovely larkspur necklace...



Image via bstudio on etsy



... or two...



Image via Silver and Pewter Gifts



... or three...



Image via Design and Be Mary on etsy



Let's finish up today's post with nod to the lovely blue larkspur with a lovely blue butterfly, the charming Eastern Tailed Blue butterfly.

See ya again and thanks for visiting.