- Gorgeous flowers on the hillside of the Hinnom Valley
Purple Flower by WKeown
This April people around the world will be celebrating both Passover and Easter. This year you might like to decorate your house with flowers that Moses or Jesus might have seen or trod on. You may want to buy flowers that are native to or are grown in Israel. If you wonder what flowers are native to Israel and much of the Middle East and what flowers grow in Israel, TheGardenLady thought some websites about Israel’s flowers might be interesting.
One of my favorite sites is called Spring Awakening in Israel. The homepage says Flowers in Israel, “That they all may blossom in a beautiful world beyond war.” My wish completely. This site gives the Latin name, the English name, the Hebrew name and some have the Arabic name of each of the flowers. It gives the names of the flowers that were in the Bible. From flowers listed as native to Israel, some of the flowers that I believe we might find in our local flower stores to create more authentic bouquets for the holiday table could include Anemones, Madonna Lilies, Jack in the Pulpits, poppies and irises. To walk on the hills of the Galilee in the spring among the red poppies is a sight to remember. Put that on your “bucket list.”*
I also love this wildflower site called Wildflowers of Israel.
An OUTSTANDING site on flowers of Israel called Flora of Israel is put out by The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. You have to sign in to this site and they will give you a password to access the photos and articles which are excellent and interesting. They have fascinating plant stories. One is about Botany and the Shroud of Turin.
Israel has become one of the world’s largest producers of flowers, especially roses, in the world. Hebrew University is a leader in the development of flower growing in Israel and is doing research to put fragrances back in flowers. For example, they have produced a petunia that is fragrant. I wish I knew if they were for sale and where they could be bought. Hebrew University is also creating designer plants- perhaps you may dream of a flower to match your eyes for your wedding. See here.
*(For those of you who do not know the saying “bucket list” let me explain. In the US there is an old saying or euphemism that when you die or are hanged to death, you “Kick the bucket.” So recently people have said one should make a “bucket list”- a list of things you want to do or must see before you die or “kick the bucket.”)