How Flowers Got Their Names?

By Author: Marisn Mackle
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When it comes to the names of flowers, you must know that there are unique meanings to their names. Sometimes flowers are named after the botanists who have discovered them. But this occurs in the case of flowers that have been found in the wild. In most cases, the flowers that you see in the bouquets or purchase from the market for gifting have unique names and exciting meanings. These names are subtly different from the scientific names of the plant on which this blooms. Some of the names of flowers that you would usually purchase and their meanings are as follows:

Rose

The actual name of the flower rose is Rosa. Rosa is the scientific name of the flower rose. Now it would be difficult to call a flower 'Rosa', a Latin term. Soon the flower came to be called rose. The rose is probably one of the most sought bloom when building a floral arrangement. It is also one of the most important flowers for gifting purposes, especially if you want to express your love and affection. Thus, the rose got its name and started being associated with love and respect over time. The flower's exact nomenclature remains shrouded ...
... in mystery. Still, its origin can be traced back to Greek Mythology when Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, gave 'rose' its name by rearranging the letters of her son Eros' name.

Lily

The scientific name of lily is Lilium. This plant belongs to the herbaceous family and grows from bulbs. These flowers are known for their tall stalks and majestic blooms. You will often find these blooms to be a staple of floral arrangements of weddings and anniversaries. The primary reason for this is that lilies represent strength, resilience and promise. If you think that lilies are usually white, then you are mistaken. Lilies come in various colours, and they can even be red, yellow and green! The origin of the name of the flower is from the Latin term Lilium. With time the word lily emerged, and it began to be associated with these beautiful blooms. The lily flower represents purity and simplicity.

Tulip

This is another unique flower that often forms a part of floral arrangements, especially in the months of spring. These brightly coloured blooms can completely change the look and feel of any floral arrangement. Unlike any other flower, you can get tulips in almost any shade of the spectrum. You will find red, pink, yellow, purple and even white tulips.
The scientific name of tulip is Tulipa. The flower was initially cultivated in Turkey and regions near Ukraine. The flower's name comes from the Turkish word for turban because the bloom appearance resembles it. The flower was brought into Europe in the 16th century by biologist Carolus Clusius. As slowly the cultivation of tulips gained popularity, it was not before the 17th century it became one of the most sought after flowers, only to be rivalled by the rose. The flower was then named Tulipa, and soon it began to be called tulip.

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemums are beautiful blooms and are native to Eastern Europe. However, these flowers are now cultivated in many other parts of the world. You will find big and small chrysanthemums often forming part of more extensive floral arrangements. The primary reason for this is that these flowers are available in various colours. The name chrysanthemum is derived from the ancient Greek word 'khrysos', which means gold and 'anthemon', which means 'flower'. The original colour of chrysanthemums was yellow, which led to the particular terminology of the blooms. The name of this flower remains unchanged over time, and it is still known as chrysanthemum. Although the earlier version of this flower was yellow, you now get chrysanthemums that are white, pink and red.

Carnation

You must have seen beautiful carnations in floral arrangements when you visited weddings. Similarly, carnations are often added to bouquets to get these floral arrangements more body. The build of the flowers is such that it naturally makes the bouquet appear bigger. Carnations are considered to be one of the oldest flowers to be cultivated commercially. It has been produced all over Europe and Asia for more than two thousand years. Carnations often formed a part of the crowns and garlands of kings and heroes. The scientific name of carnations is Dianthus caryophyllus. The term carnation is derived from the Latin word ‘corona-ae’. Since these flowers formed a part of the ceremonial wreaths used to crown Greek heroes and kings, the flower came to be associated with the coronation. From there, it came to be known as carnation. Another group of the study shows that the origin of the name of the flower carnation can also be traced back to Latin, where carnation would mean flesh. The original colour of carnations was pink, which resembled the colour of flesh. The Latin term meaning flesh or fleshiness is carnation and hence the name of the flower. However, now you get carnations in various colours like yellow, red, white and even green.

Sunflower

These bright yellow blooms can brighten any floral arrangement. The scientific name of the sunflower is Helianthus. Here you can break into two parts 'helios' means sun, and 'anthus' means flower. But unlike the nomenclature of other flowers, the sunflower's name is not derived from its Greek or Latin name. The primary reason is it is colloquially known as sunflower for its unique behaviour. When the sun is out, these blooms will turn their face towards the sun, and when the weather is cloudy, the blossoms droop. The flowers always turn in the direction of the sun and hence, the name sunflower.

The names of the flowers are often derived from the scientific names or their Greek or Latin names. Sometimes these originate from the areas from where these are cultivated. But the names have been used colloquially from region to region representing the social usage of the flowers. Thus, the names of the flowers represent the use of these blooms on particular occasions.

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My name is Michel Marsin and i work full time as a freelance writer, editor former social worker. I am passionate about writing articles on different topics.