Hyacinth
Blooms: early spring
Flower Language
sport or play (general-Victorian)
sincerity (blue hyacinth)
Mythology/ Folklore
According to Greek mythology, hyacinths originated because of the wrath of Zephyr, god of wind. Apollo, king of all the gods, fell in love with Hyacinthus, prince of Sparta. One day as Apollo and Hyacinthus were playing discus, Apollo threw the discus and Zephyr, jealous and enraged that Hyacinthus prefers Apollo over him, caused the wind to make the discus hit Hyacinthus and kill him. Broken hearted, Apollo created the hyacinth flower out of the blood of his friend.
Greeks dedicate this plant to Ceres, the goddess of agriculture.
Hyacinth was also reputed to have the power to prevent a young boy's voice from changing during puberty, making it very popular for singers of the time.
History/ Modern use
In ancient Sparta, annual Hyacinthian feasts were held.
A Greek girl wore a crown made from hyacinth blossoms when she assisted at her brother's wedding.
Greeks used concoctions made from the plants to treat dysentery and the bite of poisonous spiders.
Hyacinths were first found growing in Asia Minor, cultivated in Turkey and Persia, and brought to England from Persia in 1561.
Trading ships carrying crates of these exotic and expensive bulbs wrecked off the coast of Holland. The crates broke open, and the waves washed the bulbs ashore, where they rooted and produced beautiful flowers.
Flower Language
sport or play (general-Victorian)
sincerity (blue hyacinth)
Mythology/ Folklore
According to Greek mythology, hyacinths originated because of the wrath of Zephyr, god of wind. Apollo, king of all the gods, fell in love with Hyacinthus, prince of Sparta. One day as Apollo and Hyacinthus were playing discus, Apollo threw the discus and Zephyr, jealous and enraged that Hyacinthus prefers Apollo over him, caused the wind to make the discus hit Hyacinthus and kill him. Broken hearted, Apollo created the hyacinth flower out of the blood of his friend.
Greeks dedicate this plant to Ceres, the goddess of agriculture.
Hyacinth was also reputed to have the power to prevent a young boy's voice from changing during puberty, making it very popular for singers of the time.
History/ Modern use
In ancient Sparta, annual Hyacinthian feasts were held.
A Greek girl wore a crown made from hyacinth blossoms when she assisted at her brother's wedding.
Greeks used concoctions made from the plants to treat dysentery and the bite of poisonous spiders.
Hyacinths were first found growing in Asia Minor, cultivated in Turkey and Persia, and brought to England from Persia in 1561.
Trading ships carrying crates of these exotic and expensive bulbs wrecked off the coast of Holland. The crates broke open, and the waves washed the bulbs ashore, where they rooted and produced beautiful flowers.
