Ranunculus are a goodness gracious beautiful flower! The perfect blend of flower between a peony and a rose, they smell delightful and grant me the happiest eyes! These flowers have some neat folklore attached to them as well...
This flower was named after a cripplingly shy Persian prince who, because he was unable to express his undying love for a forest nymph, died of heartbreak and turned into a giant ranunculus.
Ranunculus also comes from the latin word "rana" which means frog symbolic of how these pretty babies line the water's edge.
According to Absolute Astronomy, another name of a ranunculus is "Coyote's eyes." The Native American mythological figure Coyote is said to have thrown his eyes up in the air and caught them, over and over. When an eagle caught the eyes and flew away with them, Coyote grabbed a couple of ranunculus to create his eyes.
In Victorian times, the ranunculus flower symbolizes in floral language.. radiant charms, or you are attractive. So many wonderful things all about this lovely flower! I was so happy to stumble upon these babies at Trader Joes this week, they are only around for a short time each year in places like super markets..but wouldn't you know that buttercups are also ranunculus flowers? LOVELY!
favorite flower!! What's yours?
