Flowers of the Madonna
Plants of the Bible Horticulture, December, 1953
Flowers associated with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, are deeply intertwined with ancient lore that can be traced back beyond the Christian era. In heathen mythology almost every common plant was the emblem of a god; every tree was the abode of a nymph. The laurel was sacred to Apollo in memory of Daphne who was changed into a laurel while escaping his advances. The anemone, poppy and violet were dedicated to Venus, the narcissus and maidenhair fern to Prosperpine, the willow to Ceres, the pink to Jove and the lily, crocus and asphodel to Juno. The lily was also sacred to Buddha and Brahma, the basil to Vishnu and the henna plant to Mahomet.