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Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants and Trees
Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants & Trees by Ernst & Johanna Lehner explores the cultural significance and legends surrounding much of the natural world. Ernst Lehner (b. 1896, d. 1971) and wife Johanna were Austrian natives who emigrated to the United States in 1940, likely fleeing the Nazis. After settling in New York City, the couple embarked on a literary and illustrative pursuit, writing numerous books together that examined the world of symbolism and legend.
These works include Astrology and Astronomy (1964), A Fantastic Beasts and Monsters in Myth and Folklore (1969), Devils, Demons and 244 Illustrations for Artists and Craftspeople (1971), and Folklore and Odysseys of Food and Medicinal Plants (1973).
Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants & Trees (1960) turns this interest in iconography and mythology to the mysteries of growing things. "Throughout human history," they write in the introduction, "flowers, plants and trees became so interwoven with man's daily life that they developed into symbols for his expressions and sentiments, his passions and affectations, his beliefs and religions, his fears and superstitions."
Broken into five sections, this fully-illustrated work explains the meaning behind real plants and flowers, as well as those that are now considered legend.
Beginning with Sacred Plants , the Lehners describe the legends surrounding real plants, such as the acacia used to build the Arc of the Covenant, and the bo tree, under which the Buddha sat until reaching Nirvana. Other trees are strictly representative, such as the Tree of Life which is seen in nearly all cultures and religions.
In Flower Lore and Legend , stories from Greek and Roman mythology and European cultures attempt to make sense of the seasonality of flowers, their healing properties, where certain species grow, and how they inspired the greater world-all in an attempt to "explain the unexplainable."
The acanthus, for example, is said to be the inspiration for the famous Corinthian column. The Greek legend says that a young girl of Corinth fell ill and died. Her nurse collected her ornaments and trinkets in a basket and placed the basket on the tomb above the roots of an acanthus plant. She placed a flat tile on top to prevent rain from getting in. When the acanthus sent forth its stalks and leaves in spring, they spread over the basket and bent back down beneath the tile. A sculptor and architect passed by and was so pleased with its appearance that he recreated it in a column capital, which became the ornate Corinthian column.
In Strange and Wondrous Plants , we learn the stories of many fantastic plants and the sometimes miraculous wonders they're capable of. In reality, many of these stories were total fabrications or vast exaggerations of the truth. The roots of the carlina thistle, for example, were said to give a man "the strength and sexual potency of a stallion," which has no basis in fact.
The annual plant cycle is the subject of The Flower Calendar , which reveals which flowers and plants symbolized the months of the year in the European Middle Ages, the 17th century, and the 18th century, as well as in China and Japan.
Finally, The Language of Flowers lists the sentiments behind different flower types. In order to bring the right flowers to the right occasion-celebration, courtship, sympathy, gratitude, friendship-one must know what each bloom or plant represents. The white lily, for example, symbolizes both virginity and motherhood, while the snowdrop represents hope and consolation.
These works include Astrology and Astronomy (1964), A Fantastic Beasts and Monsters in Myth and Folklore (1969), Devils, Demons and 244 Illustrations for Artists and Craftspeople (1971), and Folklore and Odysseys of Food and Medicinal Plants (1973).
Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants & Trees (1960) turns this interest in iconography and mythology to the mysteries of growing things. "Throughout human history," they write in the introduction, "flowers, plants and trees became so interwoven with man's daily life that they developed into symbols for his expressions and sentiments, his passions and affectations, his beliefs and religions, his fears and superstitions."
Broken into five sections, this fully-illustrated work explains the meaning behind real plants and flowers, as well as those that are now considered legend.
Beginning with Sacred Plants , the Lehners describe the legends surrounding real plants, such as the acacia used to build the Arc of the Covenant, and the bo tree, under which the Buddha sat until reaching Nirvana. Other trees are strictly representative, such as the Tree of Life which is seen in nearly all cultures and religions.
In Flower Lore and Legend , stories from Greek and Roman mythology and European cultures attempt to make sense of the seasonality of flowers, their healing properties, where certain species grow, and how they inspired the greater world-all in an attempt to "explain the unexplainable."
The acanthus, for example, is said to be the inspiration for the famous Corinthian column. The Greek legend says that a young girl of Corinth fell ill and died. Her nurse collected her ornaments and trinkets in a basket and placed the basket on the tomb above the roots of an acanthus plant. She placed a flat tile on top to prevent rain from getting in. When the acanthus sent forth its stalks and leaves in spring, they spread over the basket and bent back down beneath the tile. A sculptor and architect passed by and was so pleased with its appearance that he recreated it in a column capital, which became the ornate Corinthian column.
In Strange and Wondrous Plants , we learn the stories of many fantastic plants and the sometimes miraculous wonders they're capable of. In reality, many of these stories were total fabrications or vast exaggerations of the truth. The roots of the carlina thistle, for example, were said to give a man "the strength and sexual potency of a stallion," which has no basis in fact.
The annual plant cycle is the subject of The Flower Calendar , which reveals which flowers and plants symbolized the months of the year in the European Middle Ages, the 17th century, and the 18th century, as well as in China and Japan.
Finally, The Language of Flowers lists the sentiments behind different flower types. In order to bring the right flowers to the right occasion-celebration, courtship, sympathy, gratitude, friendship-one must know what each bloom or plant represents. The white lily, for example, symbolizes both virginity and motherhood, while the snowdrop represents hope and consolation.
126 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 1990
41 people are currently reading
2267 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 17, 2020
Като реших да си купя тази книга по повод креативен проект, който мисля да почна, не очаквах да се окаже толкова приятна, полезна, интересна и разкошна книга.
Голяма е на размери, но не и на дебелина. Има много красиви илюстрации, всичките до една от 16 век някъде. Книжката ти дава сбита и кратка информация за повечето неща, но това е достатъчно да провокира любопитството ти и да потърсиш нещо допълнително. Прекарах вчера няколко часа, четейки за Bo Trees и най-възрастните дървета в света. Та, чудесна колекционерска книжка, която да те вдъхнови, да ти даде храна за проучване на толкова много идеи, че аз се чудя коя да проуча първо.
Просто разкошна, няма други думи, които да опишат по-добре това красиво книжно бижу. :)
Голяма е на размери, но не и на дебелина. Има много красиви илюстрации, всичките до една от 16 век някъде. Книжката ти дава сбита и кратка информация за повечето неща, но това е достатъчно да провокира любопитството ти и да потърсиш нещо допълнително. Прекарах вчера няколко часа, четейки за Bo Trees и най-възрастните дървета в света. Та, чудесна колекционерска книжка, която да те вдъхнови, да ти даде храна за проучване на толкова много идеи, че аз се чудя коя да проуча първо.
Просто разкошна, няма други думи, които да опишат по-добре това красиво книжно бижу. :)
February 6, 2008
Some books get five stars for general quality of writing, photography, and printing; some art history books get five stars for writing although the plates may be b/w (Antal's Classicism and Romanticism http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27...) ; some books get five stars for outstanding production and writing (Hirst's The Sistine Chapel: A Glorious Restoration); http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16... some get five stars like this one for an endearing subject, even if it's not produced like the Heritage Book Club Arabian Nights. (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26...).
July 26, 2022
thought it was cute
December 11, 2014
"The night-blooming tree of sorrow (Arbor tristis) was believed to be a native South American tree, whose trunk grew in the shape of a female body. An ancient Amerindian fable tells that the young and beautiful daughter of the mighty chief and warrior, Parizataco, fell in love with the sun. But when the sun rejected her love and scorned her she withdrew from all human companionship into the wilderness. In her grief she slew herself. When her body was found by her people, it was brought back to her native village and put on a funeral pyre according to the custom of her tribe and cremated. From the ashes of her body sprang the Tree of Sorrow whose beautiful blossoms never opened in daytime in the presence of the sun. Its flowers unfolded their petals only at night under the cool light of the moon and the stars, filling the night air with a fragrant, sweet-heavy perfume. And when the sun rose in the morning the blossoms of this tree closed, its leaves withered and the tree looked dead and barren, only to rejuvenate and unfold again under the rays of the moon. Whenever a human hand touched the blooming tree the blossoms of this sensitive plant closed up and their sweet scent vanished."
December 29, 2018
Great compilation of stories, including myth, Biblical, and historical references. The illustrations included in the book might have been my favorite part - all credited. The symbolism index included in the last part of the book is also invaluable and extensive.
February 23, 2022
I didn't fully finish it. Its more of a book that you have around as a reference guide, and I checked it out from my library. So needless to say I'm going to purchase a copy to have as such.
May 21, 2021
I can say this for certain about the book: It's very pretty both inside and out. It's definitely a neat book to display to pretend you're educated and/or interested in plants. The rest is uncertain.
While this book promises to be a book about the folklore and symbolism of flowers, plants, and trees (as the title suggests) it's severely lacking in sources for any of its claims, which I honestly can at times find dubious. The book states that the golden apples of Greek myth were actually oranges, for instance, which seems like both a fun fact and completely wrong considering how the Greek myths were as I don't think people would throw a race to pick up oranges but would do so for actually golden apples.
This one thing makes me question the validity of all the claims this book displays proudly, especially the ones I'm not well versed in. I can only recommend this to someone who wants to own some cool and rare plant illustrations or if you want to seem like you know a lot about plants and not someone who wishes to actually learn about plants.
While this book promises to be a book about the folklore and symbolism of flowers, plants, and trees (as the title suggests) it's severely lacking in sources for any of its claims, which I honestly can at times find dubious. The book states that the golden apples of Greek myth were actually oranges, for instance, which seems like both a fun fact and completely wrong considering how the Greek myths were as I don't think people would throw a race to pick up oranges but would do so for actually golden apples.
This one thing makes me question the validity of all the claims this book displays proudly, especially the ones I'm not well versed in. I can only recommend this to someone who wants to own some cool and rare plant illustrations or if you want to seem like you know a lot about plants and not someone who wishes to actually learn about plants.
October 17, 2009
Ink drawing and woodcut - illustrations. Good historical facts, lore & legend. Flower calendar included.
May 11, 2018
I have used this book in conjunction with The Language and Sentiment of Flowers to create my own mix of flowers to give people conveying my true thoughts.
March 8, 2019
I feel like the title of this book really covers it - it's about the folklore and symbolism of flowers and other plants. The book was originally published in the 1800s and contains all of the images from the original. So that's great.
Overall, I really like this book. It goes into the folklore behind various plants, but also the symbolism associated with them. There's also a section on Japanese, Chinese, and English calendar flowers/plants (like, the flower for this month is ____). My only problem with the book is that it goes into a limited number of plants. It doesn't even cover all of the most well-known or popular flowers. I'd love to see a modern version of this with a larger number of plants included.
Overall, I really like this book. It goes into the folklore behind various plants, but also the symbolism associated with them. There's also a section on Japanese, Chinese, and English calendar flowers/plants (like, the flower for this month is ____). My only problem with the book is that it goes into a limited number of plants. It doesn't even cover all of the most well-known or popular flowers. I'd love to see a modern version of this with a larger number of plants included.
June 28, 2021
An informative, if brief, look at the role of flowers, plants, and trees in folklore, myth, and culture over the ages. I wanted a deeper dive than this book gave, but I still found its index at the back of the book very helpful to have on standby when reading myths or folktales.
I should very much like to see a series of books similar to this one divided by culture or region. A book just for the UK, India, China, etcetera. This way, when reading a culture or regions tales or stories, you could grab the respective book for a deeper dive.
Regardless, this book is helpful, I just want more.
If you need a free copy, the 1960s edition of this book is available to check out at Archive.org.
I should very much like to see a series of books similar to this one divided by culture or region. A book just for the UK, India, China, etcetera. This way, when reading a culture or regions tales or stories, you could grab the respective book for a deeper dive.
Regardless, this book is helpful, I just want more.
If you need a free copy, the 1960s edition of this book is available to check out at Archive.org.
May 22, 2020
Well, I thought this would be... more... than what it was. Instead of being a study, it felt more like I was reading a dictionary for plants, but instead of a definition there was a blurb about what myths it appeared in and a picture. While that is a nice stepping off point for further study, I really expected more.
There were parts of this that made me pause - certain selections of words - so I looked it up and despite the recent published date for the kindle version, the original version was published in 1960. It was an, "ah, I see now," moment.
There were parts of this that made me pause - certain selections of words - so I looked it up and despite the recent published date for the kindle version, the original version was published in 1960. It was an, "ah, I see now," moment.
June 17, 2022
This was rather a random purchase, but I came across it while doing research for a novella I'm writing and thought it'd be useful later when I revise. And honestly...it probably will be! Specifically with the flower meanings and the connections to mythology, I believe this could be helpful to consult. The images, as promised on the cover, were often strange (and at turns charming), and although I found so many punctuation issues that the budding copyeditor in me wanted to correct, this was a very approachable guide to plant lore and symbolism.
November 22, 2021
Short entries on various trees and plants regarding their folklore and symbolism. There sections include: sacred plants (the focus is primarily on religious sacredness), the lore and legends of plants (mostly Greek and Roman), strange and wondrous plants, flower calendars, and the language of flowers. Every plant is accompanied with at least one historical illustration.
January 19, 2022
Very enjoyable "coffee table" style book. Offers some great insight into the cultural relevance of a decent variety of plants drawing from numerous cultures (Celtic, Hindu, Chinese etc). However, Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants and Trees does not have a narrative presentation, which makes it a bit difficult to read in a normal linear fashion.
February 10, 2022
This book is really a grab bag, and for perusing, rather than a straightforward read. What I liked best was the wide variety of cultures represented as well as the really nice assortment of old woodcuts, of flowers, of people, of life.
December 18, 2022
4.5 - this book had the most beautiful illustrations to pair with the stories and information within this book. I wish this had more to it as this was a short read but that's just because I really enjoyed reading about plants
May 4, 2023
i bought this book for possible tattoo research/ideas/inspiration & thought it was well written, organized & interesting. the illustrations were great! it was definitely what i was looking for & is great for what it is (not your typical fiction read yk)
November 4, 2021
Well-researched and presented compendium.
April 29, 2022
A SOLID reference piece...not super great for reading straight through, as I attempted to do.
February 23, 2024
Really interesting read and incredibly informative
April 28, 2017
Fast read but good overview.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews