Cyclamen - the Love Flower

Cyclamen - the Love Flower

Officially we are still in winter. At glance outside one is greeted with gales and snowflakes dancing in the air. It is a beautiful time in which pristine white color blankets the ground, trees, shrubs, hiding all imperfections. It is picturesque beauty despite the cold shiver that forces one to turn away from the window and withdraw back to that cosy seat by the fireplace. Indeed, most houses still have actual working fireplaces, but more and more in densely populated cities, where many dwell in tall high-rises piercing the sky, the choice fireplaces are often electronic simulations. These images of fire with its flames licking the air still cast a romantic atmosphere that warms the heart.

Speaking of romance, Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and those of you wanting something other than the ordinary should perhaps consider the Cyclamen flower to present to your beloved.

 

Move over Roses for the Cyclamen flower is also considered the flower of deep love and affection perhaps because the leaves are heart-shaped. In the language of flowers, giving someone cyclamen expresses true love and sincere tenderness for that person. 

Love comes in many forms; there is love of parents, children, friends and so forth. So this can be an innocent presentation to express love for one’s children or to a friend, without the connotation of amorous intent, here cyclamen affirms sincerity and lasting feelings. 

Likewise, Cyclamen could be given as a representation of maternal love. This is symbolized by the stems from its flower which bend elegantly and with reverence leading the fruit towards the ground.

And if you are superstitious, here is some folklore for your amusement:

One time it was believed that if a woman walked over cyclamen while pregnant she would abort. It is a very powerful purgative. Meanwhile, those who ate cakes made with cyclamen pieces would fall violently in love. Consequently, Cyclamen was often used in spells and in potions for love. Eating the raw root can cause violent purging, but this effect disappears after it is roasted. It can then be pounded into a sort of flour for use in cooking and baking. Small cakes made of the roasted tuber are said to cause the one who eats them to fall violently in love with the one who bakes them, or become violently ill, therefore if you are of a mind to do so, caution is warranted. Nevertheless, it is used sometimes as an addition to wedding cakes.

It is certainly a suitable houseplant for adorning the bedroom as it is supposed to increase the libido and fertility. It is also supposed to keep away nightmares and prevent negative spells cast at household members from taking effect. The oil or the flower itself may be worn to protect one against a broken heart. It is also useful for candle-magic love spells. Its best use, either the oil, the plant itself or the powdered, roasted root, is in spells designed to build confidence and self-esteem.

In homeopathic medicine Cyclamen is used to bring on late menstruation and for treatment of vertigo, dizziness and various other ailments involving the head.

Be warned, Cyclamen is considered to be poisonous to cats and fish. Pregnant women should never use this plant, internally or externally, for any purpose!

Here’s a Greek Myth about Hyacynth (which is another name for Cyclamen)

Hyacinth was a beautiful boy and lover of the god Apollo. His problem was that he was also loved by the wind sprite Zephyr. Apollo and Hyacinth once played game of discus throw. Hyacinth ran to catch the disc in order to impress Apollo but Zephyr blew Apollo’s discus off course so Hyacinth was struck by the discus and died. When Hyacinth died, Apollo didn’t allow Hades to claim the boy; he made a flower, the hyacinth, from his spilled blood. According to Ovid’s account, the tears of Apollo stained the newly formed flower’s petals with the sign of his grief.

And finally here are some interesting facts about Cyclamen:

- Cyclamen, with the columbine, was one of the flowers of choice for Leonardo Da Vinci at the beginning of the 16th century, and he often covered the margins of his manuscripts with it.

-The 17th century Flemish painters scattered cyclamen on the meadows where Jesus had just picked some flowers under the watchful eye of the angels.

-Jean-Jacques Rousseau spoke in his Promenades of the wild cyclamens he discovered in the Alps.

-Louis XIV received them in bunches, along with many other flowers, to decorate the lounges of Versailles. 

-After a period of obscurity in the 18th century, the cyclamen made a comeback in fashion, when gardeners in the 19th century cultivated it in Grenelle, near Paris. Its popularity as a symbol of western modernity was exported as far as Japan.

Here are some scientific facts about Cyclamen: They are a perennial plant native to the Mediterranean region and Northeast Africa.

The leaves are green, heart-shaped and variegated and generally appear in late winter. 

Flowers appear in autumn on 4-6 inch stalks above the leaves. The flowers are fairy-like consisting of five united petals in white, red, purple with pink being the most common.

They wither during the hottest part of the summer. They are followed by a five-chambered fruit containing sticky seeds.

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone.

Fin.

Cyclamen The Good, The Bad or The Pretty

Cyclamen may have many different meanings to different people. My personal experience is that it is the flower that ushers in spring. As a child, finding the word Cyclamen a difficult name, I had nicknamed it ‘Rabbit Ears’ the memory of which now paints a quirky smile on my lips every time I look at one. 

A brief description of the Cyclamen flower

Presently there are about 23 species of the cyclamen that exist today. Cyclamen can be grown both outdoors and indoors in pots. In nature they are found in dry forests or scrub areas. Originally native to Europe, the Mediterranean, Iran and Africa, they are now grown in many parts of the world. They are part of the primrose family but bear no obvious resemblance to primroses.

Cyclamen is a tuber, which means that the flowers are growing from the tuber with its deep roots. The leaves will actually bud in the fall and it will grow throughout the winter. The petals of the Cyclamen flowers come in white, bright pink, red or purple colors and are usually facing in an upwards direction. There are also a fruits that comes off these flowers which turn into seeds.

The varied meaning of the Flower Cyclamen

First, let us explore the favorable interpretation of this flower: Many consider this plant as symbol of lasting feelings and sincere affection. Because of the tuber, which allows it to withstand difficult conditions, the cyclamen is representative of deep love. And some believe giving someone a cyclamen expresses love and sincere tenderness.

The cyclamen, whose flowers bend elegantly on their stems to lead the fruit toward the ground, also symbolizes maternal love.

-A Little known fact: the Cyclamen was one of the flowers of choice for Leonardo Da Vinci at the beginning of the 16th century, and he covered the margins of his manuscripts with it.

-Louis XIV received them in bunches along with many other flowers which graced the lounges of Versailles. In France, during the time of Louis XIV, the name was erroneously believed to be feminine and so this plant was periodically given to children and young girls. 

The 17th century Flemish painters depicted Jesus picking flowers under the watchful eye of the angels in meadows scattered with cyclamens. 

After period of obscurity in the 18th century, the cyclamen was revived in fashion in the 19th century, when gardeners once more cultivated it in Grenelle, near Paris. Still later it was exported to distant lands as far as Japan.

Then there is the not so favorable interpretation of Cyclamen: In some cultures for instance, it is considered the symbol of goodbye or resignation. The cyclamen flower is also called by some a sowbread or the Persian violet, a not so desirable a gift. 

Then there is that old legend in which King Solomon supposedly wore a beautiful crown decorated with delicate cyclamen blossoms. Hundreds of years later, when the First Temple was destroyed, and the Jews were exiled to Babylon, they supposedly took with them the royal crown. The cyclamens that bedecked the crown were devastated by the tragedy, and bent their heads in sorrow. And that is why, it is believed, that to date cyclamen flowers bow their heads.

Here are some interesting superstitions about the Cyclamen

-Some believe that Cyclamen may be woven into any spell designed to increase joy and happiness in a situation. It was supposed to increase affection in any relationship, akin to a love spell. Small cakes can be made of the roasted tuber which will cause one upon ingesting it to fall madly in love with the one who bakes them. It may also be a useful addition to wedding cakes.

Typically the spells are for building confidence, self-esteem and self love. Some believe it increases the libido and fertility.

It will also keep away nightmares and prevent negative spells cast at household members from taking effect. The oil or the flower itself may be worn to protect one against a broken heart. But be warned, the use of this flower, in any form, can cause violent illness. 

- Adversely, it can also be used to the opposite effect, to quietly send away an unwanted person. The cyclamen is; after all, poisonous especially to cats and fish and it actually has a meaning that relates to death and the fact that all good things will eventually end. This is a flower that can be used at a funeral to represent departure. 

- On the other hand, Cyclamen is said to counteract poison and to make an effective ointment to heal a snake bite. 

What’s more, Cyclamen is a very powerful, violent purgative, it’s supposed to clear the sinuses or remove boils or blemishes from the skin. 

A plaster of cyclamen was reputed to be helpful for cataracts, sunburn and gout but considering its poisonous nature, it’s best to avoid it. Pregnant women particularly, should never use this plant, internally or externally, for any purpose!

Enjoy the flower only… or not, depending on your cultural beliefs.

Fini

Spring Flowers 2013

Spring Flowers  2013

This is the time when joy blooms in our heart as spring flowers adorn nature.

The End.