From men being turned into flowers to a single fruit set out the Trojan War , there are many fascinating histories behind many plants and flowers in Greek mythology . Here are a few key industrial plant and the intriguing mythology behind their names .
In myherbalorflower guides , I ’ll do a small dive into the story of the plant . Many have short letter on Greek mythology , for plant were often the core of understanding the myth narrative . In fact , many of the works ’s attribute are the little truth you ’ll witness at the centre of these myth .
Ellen Zachos ’s new book , Mythic plant life : potion and Poisons from the Gardens of the Gods , detail many of our favourite works and the Hellenic mythology behind them . To say I ’m frantic about this Good Book is an understatement . It ’s available now forpre - orderand will certainly be a best seller .
The opium poppy is beautiful and can be grown for ornamental purposes.
Ellen is one of the most inquisitive and gifted people I have met . If you have ever heard her talk , she satiate the room with excitement and impart cognition in a way that feel like amusement . And that ’s what her writing is like as well . The words and account pop off the pages , make it easy to learn and sense like she is seat there with you , give a cocktail and conversation .
If my female parent was alive , Mythic Plantswould have been her favourite Word . In university , she was a chronicle major , and then she took up gardening in retreat . She started charter some biology classes at the local college as her love of plants grew . As a lover of story and industrial plant , I wish she could have understand this Word .
If you also have a lovemaking of plants and diving deep into chronicle , you ’re going to eff this Word of God . I’ve gather a few stories about plants in Greek mythology from Ellen ’s bookto share with you today that perfectly trance her howling storytelling !
citation republish with permission from Mythic plant : Potions and Poisons from the Gardens of the Gods by Ellen Zachos © 2025 . publish by Workman Publishing .
7 Plants and Flowers of Greek Mythology
Opium Poppy
Papaver somniferum
Many of us hump theopium poppyfor its sometimes infamous reputation as the root of opioids . The Greeks knew it too as an anaesthetic agent and a sinewy prick in medicinal drug , but also as the reincarnation of the goddess Demeter ’s lover .
“ Demeter , goddess of the crop , had a mortal buff name Mekon . She transformed him into a poppy to preserve his lulu after he died , and the poppy plant was henceforth called Mekon . That ’s it . No hocus-pocus , no abduction , no drama , ” says Ellen .
It ’s not often you get such a childlike , drama - free story in Greek mythology . Demeter is know as the harvest home goddess and is tie in with many different flowers and fruits , so it ’s no surprisal to see the opium poppy connected with her .
Ellen also notes thatDemeter used poppy and its power to “ unwind ” as a way to settle down after the disappearance of her daughter , Persephone . More on that afterwards !
Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
While it is light to connect Demeter with industrial plant in mythology , there can be other interesting figures with herbaceous backgrounds , such as the cardinal character in Homer ’s Iliad , Achilles .
“ While Achilles is well - know as ancient Greece ’s fiercest warrior , few people realize he was schooled in herbalism by the centaur Cheiron , “ says Ellen . “ One flora in particular remains associate with Achilles even today . Theyarrow plant life , Achillea millefolium , is named for Achilles , and mythology tells us he used it to bring around his workforce on the battlefield . ”
Today , it is stillknown as a wounding therapist . During WWII , it was used to care for soldier ’s injury since it stops bleeding when made into a poultice and playact as an antiseptic and anti - incitive .
It ’s a favourite in my garden due to itsdrought - tolerantproperties , beautiful raiment of colours , and the fact that the pollinators love it .
Fig
Ficuscarica
Have you ever enjoy the splendour of afresh fig ? There is really nothing like it out there , and it ’s unmanageable to enjoy without growing one yourself or make out someone who does .
“ The fig ( Ficuscarica ) was so crucial in ancient Greece thatthere were particular laws about who could harvest them and when , ” says Ellen . “ Sure , figs are delicious , but even more significantly , they are easily preserved by drying . ”
Being able to dry fig for winter made them extremely worthful , beingone of the three most crucial agricultural crop behind grapes and olive in ancient Greece .
As a botany god , Dionysus was often associated with figs , and the gentle - to - carve Ficus carica Grant Wood was often used to make wooden Phallus for Dionysus ritual since he was also considered a sexual god . Ellen tells a particularly phallic myth about Dionysus and fig wood in her book . I ’ll leave it to you to seek it out !
Rose
Rosa spp .
I ’ve written plenty aboutthe beauty of pink wine , as well astheir medicative properties . They ’re an absolute skincare favorite of mine , and I userose waternearly every day of my life . The Greeks also loved their pink wine , the climate being utter for turn them .
“ The flower is subdued , fragrant , voluptuous , and sensual . In contrast , its stalk is distressingly waspish and can sop up blood . So it realize sense thatthe rose was hallowed to Aphrodite , goddess of lovemaking , well - verse in both delight and pain , ” says Ellen .
The rose is also associated with Aphrodite ’s son , Eros , and her lover , Adonis . Aphrodite was also said touse the medicative properties of rosaceous oil to deal the corpse and protect the peel of the Trojan warrior Hector , as Achilles haul his body as an act of revenge — such a savage history for a beautiful flower .
Narcissus
Narcissus spp .
One of the heralds of spring , thenarcissus ( daffodil)is a cheery jaundiced flower with a darker Greek backstory . The flower was used by Hades to draw in Persephone , the daughter of Demeter and Zeus , to a beautiful field . When she bend to pluck the narcissus prime , the world opened beneath her , and Hades take her in to be his married woman andqueen of the underworld .
“ The beguiling narcissus was no earthly plant , ” enounce Ellen . “ It had been make specifically to lure Persephone away from her friends by the same god who approved the kidnapping plot : Persephone ’s father , almighty Zeus . ”
While the Greeks may have seen the more nefarious side of the Narcissus pseudonarcissus , I still apprise the brightness it bring as wintertime slowly disappears .
Lettuce
Lactuca spp .
Lettuceis always one of the first plants I recommend people produce . It ’s super well-situated to start from semen and well deserving the attempt put into growing them . Igrow mine in a wine barrel , feeding me all spring , summer , and fall .
In terms of Hellenic mythology , lettuce does n’t have the same extolment . It was live as the deathbed of Adonis , Aphrodite ’s beautiful lover .
“ Adonis died while still a boy , gore by a angry boar , ” says Ellen . “ Some say Ares sent the boar because he was jealous ( he and Aphrodite had account ) . Others say the Sus scrofa was charge by Apollo or Artemis as punishment for offenses Aphrodite committed against them . Regardless of whoever send the boar , Adonis die on a bed of lettuce , and after that , sugar was associated with destruction . ”
If you ask me , a bed of lettuce is n’t the bad place to go .
Quince
Cydonia oblonga
I love flowering quince . It ’s one of the flowersfeatured on my tattoo . While the unfolding quince also bring out an edible fruit , they ’re technically a different genus ( Chaenomeles speciosa ) from the quince fruit . However , they ’re both members of the mob Rosaceae .
“ Today the quince is a novelty fruit , but in ancient Greece the quince bush wasappreciated as a food , a worthful business deal item , an aphrodisiac , and the central object in several well - have it off myths . In fact , the quince may have been the gold apple that started the Trojan War . ”
Yes , theTrojan War . This fact is up for disputation , however , which Ellen breaks down in full in her book .
I hope you enjoyed some of these account about plant and flowers in Greek mythology . Ellen ’s bookMythic Plantscovers more than 40 unlike plants in Greek mythology , diving deep into their history in such an engaging read . Available for pre - ordernow , I really hope you ascertain it out !
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