The Eye of the Day: Flower Name Etymology
In Old English, the daisy was called 'dæges ēage,' literally meaning 'day's eye.' In the 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote about how the flower folded up its petals at dusk, perfectly capturing this poetic name.
Descriptive names from European fields
Ancient myths turned to blooms
Eastern symbols and sacred roots
Eponyms and accidental discoveries
schopenhauer The spicy nasturtium gets its name from the physical reaction it causes when eaten.
Nasturtium leaves: Despite their delicate look, nasturtium leaves are packed with vitamin C and were historically eaten by sailors to prevent scurvy.
schopenhauer The dandelion is not named after dandy lions, but rather their sharp, jagged leaves.
A small grassland plant that has flowers with a yellow disc and white rays. This European field flower's name stems from the Old English 'day's eye' because it opens at sunrise.
From which language did English borrow the phrase 'dent-de-lion' to create the word dandelion?
schopenhauer Match ancient word roots to blossoms to discover the surprising origins of flower names.
What nutrient made nasturtium leaves popular among historical sailors to prevent scurvy?
Who coined the name Dianthus, meaning 'divine flower,' for the carnation genus around 300 BCE?
What physical reaction does the Latin name for nasturtium ('nasus tortus') describe?
Which part of the dandelion inspired its French-derived name meaning 'lion's tooth'?
Which Latin word meaning 'flesh' is a suspected origin for the word carnation?
What does the Old English word 'dæges ēage' (the origin of daisy) literally translate to?