July Flower Lore: Larkspur and Water Lily
Learn about the folklore and legends behind larkspur, July's official birth flower.
Immerse yourself in the captivating realm of flowers – these natural wonders have been shrouded in mystery and symbolic meaning throughout history. An intriguing aspect of floral folklore is the association of specific flowers with each month of the year. The official birth flower for July is the Larkspur.
What Are Larkspur?
Larkspur can refer to any 300 species of perennial flowering plants belonging to the delphinium family, as well as their close relatives in the consolida family. The genus name “delphinium,” originating from the Greek word for dolphin, was inspired by the plant’s supposed resemblance to a dolphin’s snout. Commonly known as lark’s heel, lark’s claw, and knight’s spur, these flowers boast a fascinating history.
Arranged in clusters along a singular stalk, much like gladioli, larkspurs showcase a dazzling array of colors – ranging from pure whites and sunny yellows to rich reds, blues, and purples. Sporting five petals and a protruding central spur, larkspurs are truly stunning.
Larkspur For Healing? Just Don’t Eat It!
Although highly toxic if ingested (even causing fatalities among cattle grazing in pastures with wild larkspur), this seemingly innocent plant was thought to have remarkable medicinal and magical powers. It was used as a remedy for treating ailments such as eye diseases, asthma, dropsy, and head lice. Folklore claimed that larkspur could shield against lightning. In Transylvania, it was planted around stables to ward off witches.
Legends And Lore
The ancient Romans, borrowing the dolphin imagery from the Greeks, believed that Neptune, the god of the sea, transformed a threatened dolphin into a larkspur for protection
The Pawnee tribe of North America believed that the mythological figure Dream Woman cut a hole in the sky to look down on Earth beings, and crumbs from the blue sky fell to the ground, becoming larkspur.
In medieval Italy, it was said that larkspur came about when three warriors slew a fierce dragon and wiped their swords in the grass. The dragon’s blue blood and venom mingled to create a beautiful, poisonous blue flower.
Associated with the Virgin Mary, much like May’s flower – lily of the valley – larkspur is said to represent her tears.
Despite its toxic properties, larkspur is commonly associated with lightheartedness and youth, probably because it grows in mid-summer when many people have fond memories of carefree days away from school.
During the Victorian era, flowers came to have a language of their own. People used them to send messages they wouldn’t otherwise speak aloud. According to this language, pink larkspur symbolizes fickleness, white larkspur symbolizes joy, and purple larkspur communicates that the recipient is sweet.
July’s Other Birth Flower Is the Water Lily
Water lilies are any one of about 70 species of flowering plants found throughout the world. Though they appear to grow out of water, water lilies are actually rooted in soil with stems that reach upward, allowing the flowers to float on the surface. They feature large, flat leaves, commonly known as lily pads.
Water lilies come in two varieties: tropical and hardy — depending what type of climate they thrive in — and an array of colors, including yellow, orange, pink, red, white, purple, and blue. The flowers and leaves also come in a wide-range of sizes and shapes.
Traditionally, water lilies have been used in herbal medicine as astringent, antiseptic, and anesthetic. Native Americans mashed the plant’s roots to soothe swollen limbs.
Also known as Nymphaeaceae, water lilies are associated with the water nymphs of Greek mythology, minor female deities who were as free-spirited and strong-willed as they were sensual and mysterious.
Which is your favorite?
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Jaime McLeod
Jaime McLeod is a longtime journalist who has written for a wide variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites, including MTV.com. She enjoys the outdoors, growing and eating organic food, and is interested in all aspects of natural wellness.
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July in the Midwest was, for me, the broad fields of blue chicory that spread out under the July sky, reflecting its summerhazy blue. In South Florida, on the other hand, it was the scarlet Royal Poinciana and the yellow allamandas that blazed against the azure glaze of forenoon and the dark, crocodilian green-gray of the afternoon storms. Here, a little too far north for most of the heat-swilling tropicals and more than a little too hot for the meadow-flowers of the North, you have to look harder for July color. Ruellias keep to the shade. On the rooftops or the telephone poles, trumpet vines rival the tropical poincianas on a smaller scale. Four-o’clocks rejoice in the afternoon. Rosa bracteata opens golden-pupiled white eyes to a pitiless sun; these heraldic blooms last only a day. Goldeneye hides in the grass, indigo morning glory peeps through the branches of the citrus groves… but most things are waiting: goldenrod and autumn bergamot for August; heliotrope morning glory and the pestiferously fertile rain trees for September. Autumn brings the meadow blues and the bell sage back for a return engagement, and once more, life breathes and moves.