Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants and Tree

I found this book is quite informative..and entertaining at the same time..
oftentimes I am too hasty to pay any attention to the natures around me..even appreciation..
but I would love to learn about them..their histories and stories unknown to broad folks
and I have started that with this book..and consider it was not a bad choice..🙂

are there any good books about history/folklore/symbolism of florae? 🙂
books with well drawn illustrations would be preferable..

I add some experts from the book.. which are quite fascinating lol.. when I was reading these I felt like..as if I were reading a witches' book lol

here they go:


THE CARLINA

The carlina thistle (Carlina vulgaris) native to the Mediterranean region was an important magic love plant in medieval Europe. It was believed that its root gave a man the strength and sexual potency of a stallion. To get an effective carlina, you took topsoil from a rose garden in bloom, mixed it with sperma at the stroke of midnight under a new moon, watered it with urine from a white mare and let it grow. It was then uprooted under the following new moon, cooked and eaten. Today the dried, highly hygroscopic carlina is used in rural parts of Europe as a weatherglass.


THE DRAGON TREE

According to an ancient legend on the Solomon Islands, the first dragon tree (Dracaena draco) grew from the grave of the sea-monster Pau Tangalu. The tree itself, its leaves and its scale-covered cherry-sized fruits exuded a dark red resin called dragon??s blood. In the South Sea Isles it was considered the most potent magic plant for all occasions. Dragon??s blood, brought by Venetian merchants to Europe, was used in medieval times by deserted wives and maidens as an excellent love incense. If burned near an open window in their lonely bed-chambers for seven midnights in a row the escaping fumes would bring back the straying husband or lover sooner or later.

Sounds interesting. Any more excerpts?

here:

THE HOUSELEEK

The Old Dutch name of the houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum) a rock plant, native to Europe, was Donderbloem — thunder flower. In the Dark Ages it was common belief that the plant gave the best protection against lightning, fire, witches and evil spirits. Charlemagne, King of the Franks, first Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (768-814 A.D.) issued a law which made it mandatory for every landlord to plant one houseleek on the roof of his dwelling to protect it against fire, and to ward off war, hunger and pestilence from the whole country. The houseleek became the symbol of vivacity, because it retains its vivacious nature, even on the hot roof-tops.

(it's interesting to see there was the law about planting this plant.. 🙂)


THE MANDRAKE

The mandrake (Mandragora officinarum), a narcotic plant whose roots often grow in the shape of human limbs, is the oldest magic plant in botanical history. Already mentioned in the Bible as an ingredient for love-philtres (Old Testament, Genesis ——/14-15), it was called in Greek legend Plant of Circe. It was believed that Circe's magic brews, which turned men into swine, were infusions of the mandragora. In the Dark Ages its roots were an integral part of every opiate and love-potion. It was common knowledge in medieval time that the mandrake grew under the gallows from the dripping semen of hanged men. Pulled from the ground the root emitted wild shrieks and those who heard them were driven mad. The safest way to secure a mandrake was to tie a dog to the plant on a moonless night. Plugging one's ears with beeswax and blowing a loud horn to drown out the shrieks, the dog was whipped at the stroke of midnight and the jumping animal pulled the screeching root from the ground and died. The English name of the plant, mandrake, means the dragon resembling man.


(one of the very well known plant..🙂)

carlina





dragon tree





houseleek





mandrake

That is cool, I already put this on my wish list to read. Thanks for the new reading material 🙂

You're welcome 🙂

I always thought dragons blood came from the middle east for some reason??_..Its probably my favourite fragrance in the world its got this sweet savoury scent to it thats just delicious??_I have the resin, incense and I rub the oil on my neck I always take note of the people who mention its smell to me.

House leek? interesting??_I love growing succulents might give it a go??_I love desert plants!!.

I have a lot of downloaded books on psychedelics and ritual plants??_I love flowers I could stare at them for ages If could, love my orchids but my favourite is passion flower Its hypnotising and they found a new species in the amazon! its called Passionflora longifilamentosa??_something Id really love to put in my tea!

I've added this book to my wishlist - thanks so much for the excerpts to give me a sense of what's inside, and the pictures you posted too. I don't know of other books on this subject to recommend, but it's a fascinating topic.