THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Delphinium

Lisa Karen Miller

          A florist in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 noticed the color of the sky that morning as she prepared flowers in the Windows on the World restaurant.  It seemed to be the same hue as the delphinium she was artfully arranging in vases for those who would soon come to lunch.

          When the smoke cleared and the dust settled, the blue of the sky was even more visible – it shone in the empty space where the towers once stood.

          The name delphinium comes from the Greek delphis, which means dolphin.  It refers to the bud, which resembles a dolphin’s nose. Sacred to Apollo, it originally sprang from the blood of Ajax, a Trojan warrior killed in combat. Its petals are inscribed with ai meaning alas, or woe.

          It was also one of the flowers being gathered by Persephone just before she was abducted by Hades and taken to the underworld.  Because she ate of a pomegranate that he offered her, she was destined to remain.

          This is a common trope in mythology – if you eat or drink anything in an alien world, you’re stuck there.

          Delphinium, also called larkspur, expresses positivity and openness to new opportunities. It is the perfect flower to give to someone who is discouraged or afraid of venturing into pastures new. The larkspur symbolizes dignity and is July’s birth flower.

          It was used by Native Americans and Europeans as a blue dye, as it grew wild and was freely available. It can repel parasites such as lice, and is reputed to cure scorpion stings.

          Edward Steichan was the chief photographer for Condé Nast, which publishes Vogue, Vanity Fair, and other leading magazines. Steichan was extremely passionate about these beautiful flowers. An active breeder, he eventually became the president of the Delphinium Society of America. Hybridized since the 19^th century, delphinium now includes over 300 species.

          Bees and butterflies adore it. It is toxic, however, to most other creatures, including cattle and humans.  Even deer are too smart to touch it.

          In Transylvania, it was used in stables to protect animals from witchcraft.  It could also keep ghosts at bay.

          Scholars kept vases of larkspur on their desks.  Glancing at it would soothe their tired eyes. Looking through a bunch of larkspur at midsummer fires would protect the eyes against ailment in the coming year.

          These flowers sprang from the shell holes left after World War I, inspiring hope for peace.

          On each anniversary of 9/11, let’s remember to look for the delphinium-blue sky.

And let’s remember.

© Copyright 2023 Lisa Karen Miller