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Flowers Role in History and Pop Culture
When we examine history and pop culture, it's amazing
how large of a role that flowers and the symbol of love
and devotion that they play have been throughout the centuries.
Many flowers and herbs have been used in the healing process
and treatment of disease. Famous rulers have showered
their queen with bouquets for hundreds of years. Movies
and movie stars have used flowers to make statements that
have withstood the test of time. Major events are based
on a flower theme.
For instance, every year in Pasadena, CA they hold the
annual Parade of Roses followed by college football's
Rose Bowl. For years, the Rose Bowl was the premier postseason
bowl game pitting the Big Ten champion against the Pac
10 champion. It started with the Tournament of the Roses;
a grand celebration of life, and the upcoming year. The
first Tournament of Roses was staged in 1890 by members
of Pasadena's Valley Hunt Club, former residents of the
East and Midwest eager to showcase their new home's mild
winter weather. The parade grew in stature from that endeavor
and now takes the entire year to plan and execute.
Every year the winners of both the Kentucky Derby and
the Indianapolis 500 are draped in roses as well.
One of the most famous romances of all time was the marriage
of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe to baseball star Joe
DiMaggio. The marriage did not last long due to Marilyn's
personal struggles and they divorced before her death.
DiMaggio however, always loved Marilyn and was devastated
by her pre-mature death. For 20 years after her death,
DiMaggio had white roses delivered to her grave twice
per week.
Of course, other flowers have played interesting roles
in history besides roses.
The holly flower plays an instrumental part in the symbolism
of the Christian faith. Often seen when people decorate
for the holidays, its pointed leaves represent the crown
of thorns worn by Jesus, and the red berries his drops
of blood.
Another traditional holiday flower, the poinsettia plant
was used during the medieval times as a purgative to rid
the body of black bile and melancholy.
Queen Anne´s Lace was named for Queen Anne, wife
of King James I of England.
When Napoleon married Josephine, she wore Violets, and
on each anniversary Josephine received a bouquet of violets.
Following Napoleon´s lead, the French Bonapartists
chose the violet as their emblem, and nicknamed Napoleon
"Corporal Violet". In 1814, Napoleon asked to
visit Josephine's tomb before being exiled to the Island
of St. Helena. When he died, he wore a locket around his
neck that contained violets he had picked from Josephine´s
grave site.
There are dozens of more examples of flowers named after
spouses or lovers and people worshipping a flower's benefits
(for medicine or other benefits). Native Americans were
perhaps the most adept at this practice.
It just goes to show that there is so much more to a flower
than its aesthetic beauty or its scent. Some of them have
even help to shape world history.
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