“Flowers grow out
of dark moments.”
~Corita Kent
I
have been seeing the post about dried out snapdragons looking like skulls for
quite some time but never experienced it myself until this weekend. I’m always
poking at and pruning my plants and flowers that they hardly have any time to
transform without me noticing. Of course, when I clipped off the old flowers, I
lost my chance to see the magical little pods.
Ancient
cultures believed that snapdragons possessed supernatural powers and forms of
protection. A gardener could protect herself from curses and deceit if she
simply grew some snapdragons in her garden. I haven’t eaten any of my flowers
but some believe that if you eat snapdragons one’s beauty and youthfulness will
be restored. Today their seeds make
cooking oil that is sold as a herbal remedy to reduce swellings.
Of
course cultures vary so some interpret snapdragons as a sign of grace and strength
(since they can tolerate poor growing conditions), and they have been known to
symbolize deviousness. Supposedly concealing a snapdragon about the body makes
a person appear gracious and fascinating. I would just wonder why you’re hiding
a snapdragon from me.
In
Victorian times, a snapdragon along with a hyacinth meant that you were sorry
for making a mistake.
According
to some European folklore, if one was cursed by some kind of black magic,
stepping on a snapdragon would break the spell. That would be a shame since you
would also destroy the delicate little flower.
I had no idea that there were so many superstitions associated with snapdragons!
ReplyDeleteNor did I!
DeleteHmmm, they symbolize deviousness. Is that why you wanted to add a few to your garden ;P
Wow, really interesting lore!
ReplyDeleteI thought so too.
Delete