You might have heard of the legends of fruits and mountains from trivia booklets in grade school, but have you heard of the legends of flowers? From ancient times, people have been weaving colorful stories to explain how certain flowers came to be. For example, there is a myth ascribed to the Philippines’ own sampaguita. What about the peony or the waling-waling, though? And did you know that even the rose has a legend behind it as well?

Here are a few flower legends that not everyone has heard about.

7 Interesting Flower Legends

#1. Peony

This flower is popular in gardens for its large, lush blooms and its resilience as a plant. It also grows in a variety of bright colors.

According to Greek legend, there was once a healer named Paeon, who worked under Asclepius, the god of medicine. Paeon became an expert, even healing the wounds of Hades and Ares, to name a few. This drew the jealousy of Asclepius, who threatened to kill his own student. Zeus stepped in and saved Paeon by transforming him into the peony. Interestingly, the peony had real medicinal properties.

#2. Gerbera Daisy

Resilient and lovely, the gerbera provides a pop of color wherever it is planted.

This flower also gets its legend from Greek mythology. While dancing with her friends on the edge of a forest, the nymph Belides caught the attention of Vertumnus, god of orchards. To escape his advances, she transformed herself into the humble but lovely gerbera. The gerbera has come to symbolize modesty as a result.

#3. Carnation

Commonly found in white and light pink, carnations are another elegant flower that is associate with love.

Roman legend has it that the carnations originated from the time of Jesus’ crucifixion. Mary, who was present as her son was put to death, could not help but shed tears. Carnations grew on the spot where her tears fell. The pink carnation has come to symbolize a mother’s love in particular.

#4. Naupaka/Fan-flower

The white blossoms of this Hawaiian flower look as if they have been torn in half. One variety grows only on mountains while the other variety grows only near the sea.

This flower’s legend surrounds the Princess Naupaka and her lover Kaui, a commoner. Naupaka was only allowed to marry nobles. The couple travelled to a temple to ask for wisdom, but it became clear that the gods did not approve of them. Naupaka gave Kaui half of a white flower from her hair, advising him to return to the seaside while she stayed in the mountains. A few nearby plants that bore witness bloomed with half flowers the next day.

It is said that if one takes a blossom from each variety and holds them together to form a whole flower, Naupaka and Kaui are reunited.

#5. Cempasuchil/Mexican Marigold

This fire-colored flower is commonly placed on the graves of loved ones. It is also scattered across family altars and graveyards on the Day of the Dead.

Xóchitl and Huitzilin, two childhood friends turned lovers, would often hike up a nearby mountain and offer flowers to sun god Tonatiuh. When the couple’s hometown was plunged into war, Huitzilin left for battle, where he died. Xóchitl climbed the mountain alone and asked the sun god to reunite her with Huitzilin. Tonatiuh answered by transforming her into the cempasuchil. A hummingbird, a reincarnated Huitzilin, soon came by and touched the center of the flower with its beak.

#6. Waling-waling

The Queen of Philippine Orchids was originally the daughter of a fisherman in the kingdom of Rajah Solaiman. Waling-waling’s father placed her in a treehouse to hide her incredible beauty. Solaiman discovered the treehouse while hunting, and at the same time, the fisherman ran to check on his daughter. Solaiman threatened the fisherman with harm if Waling-waling would not show herself. The girl descended with a rope, but on the way down, she was transformed into an orchid with red dots on its lavender petals. The fisherman was left heartbroken, while Solaiman issued a mandate to collect the orchids and display them on trees in memory of the girl.

#7. Rose

Greek mythology also includes the legend of this highly popular flower! Chloris, goddess of flowers and springtime, was once walking around when she found the lifeless body of a nymph. Saddened, she transformed the body into a flower. She asked Zephyrus to move the clouds aside so that sun god Apollo could warm the plant. Aphrodite and Dionysus also granted beauty and fragrant nectar to the flower. The three Graces added charm, joy, and splendor. The resulting bloom was beautiful enough to be dubbed “Queen of Flowers.” Aphrodite then named the flower after her son Eros.

Flowers by themselves are a sight to behold, but they also carry legends that can enrich their meaning. Imagine giving marigolds to your one and only, or sending a Thank You gift to your doctor with peonies. Doesn’t this turn flowers into an even lovelier gift?

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