April Birth Flower
Spring is here and we couldn’t be happier! Flowers are blooming and warmer weather is upon us! So what is the April Birth Flower? It’s the Daisy and Sweet Pea! Dive into this blog to learn about the first flowers of spring, their meanings, and their medicinal uses!
Daisy: A Short History of the April Birth Flower
Daisy (Bellis perennis) is most commonly found in fields, bordering flower beds, and is usually seen in nature as a ground covering plant. Native to Europe and North Africa this flower belongs to the Asteraceae family along with 32,000 other flowering plants!
The first record history of the Daisy flower dates back to 2200bc. The ancient Egyptians grew these flowers for their medicinal uses. With so many verities of daisies, it’s hard to pinpoint which exact daisy the Egyptians grew, but it was a daisy nonetheless. The family was then classified in 1792 by a german botanist Paul Giseke.
– King Henry VIII was known to eat daisies to help with his stomach ulcers.
– In the 1800s a common phrase to encourage children to get up when they fell down was “ups-a-daisy.” This transformed into “whoops-a-daisy” which is used when someone makes a mistake!
Different Names for the Daisy Flower
In Old English, the name of the flower was dæges-eage (day’s eyes) due to the flower head completely closing at night and opening in the morning! The common daisy also goes by the name of Bruisewort cause it was known to help the healing with bruises. If you’ve ever known anyone by the name of Marguerite who went by the nickname Daisy, it’s because the French world for Oxeye Dasiy is Marguerite!
Daisy Chains are popular with kids and often associated with springtime parties. This is done by weaving the stems of Daisy flowers together making a chain and then eventually into a crown worn on your head! The term Daisy Chain is now typically known as a type of wiring where multiple devices are wired together in a pattern or sequence.
– Shakespeare used a daisy chain in Hamlet to represent Ophelia’s innocence.
The Meaning Behind the Daisy – Bellis perennis
What does a Daisy represent? Because of the simple beauty of this flower, its meanings are innocence and purity! Springtime is always a great time to start fresh, break out of winter, and get ready for the year! For this, the Daisy is also known to represent new beginnings!
Sweet peas are known to represent blissful pleasure and deep goodbyes.
Medicinal Uses of Daisy– Bellis perennis
As you have already learned above the alternative name for this flower was Bruisewort which was used to help bruises and also flesh wounds! Brewed into a tea it was used as an expectorant and laxative. Creating a decoction, or extract has shown signs of helping with eczema, heavy menstruation, or respiratory tract infections!
So next time you are in the garden or a walk through the country and see this beautiful plant, give it a second look and think of all its uses! Wear it as a crown or treat some bruises on your body! Who would have known that the April birth flower was so useful!?
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*All content on theheadedwest.com is not intended as medical advice, herbal healing, diagnosis, or treatment. We simply share information and history. Do not try herbal remedies at home without talking to a trained professional! Always seek a professional doctor for help.*
Photos from WikiCommons Public Domain. Credit to Original Artist.
