Menu English Ukrainian russian Home

Free technical library for hobbyists and professionals Free technical library


CULTURAL AND WILD PLANTS
Free library / Directory / Cultivated and wild plants

Narcissus. Legends, myths, symbolism, description, cultivation, methods of application

cultivated and wild plants. Legends, myths, symbolism, description, cultivation, methods of application

Directory / Cultivated and wild plants

Comments on the article Comments on the article

Content

  1. Photos, basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism
  2. Basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism
  3. Botanical description, reference data, useful information, illustrations
  4. Recipes for use in traditional medicine and cosmetology
  5. Tips for growing, harvesting and storing

Narcissus, Narcissus. Photos of the plant, basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism

Narcissus Narcissus

Basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism

Sort by: Narcissus

Family: Amaryllis (Amaryllidaceae)

Origin: Europe, Mediterranean, Africa, Western and Central Asia

Area: Daffodils are found in a variety of settings, including forests, grasslands, mountains, and along coasts. They also grow in gardens and parks as ornamental plants.

Chemical composition: Narcissus contains alkaloids, including galantamine, lycorine, and hypacridine.

Economic value: Daffodils are grown as ornamental plants to decorate gardens and parks. Galantamine, derived from certain types of daffodils, is used medicinally to treat Alzheimer's disease. However, most types of daffodils contain toxic substances and, if ingested, can be dangerous to animals and humans.

Legends, myths, symbolism: In ancient Greek mythology, the narcissus is associated with the legend of the young man Narcissus, who was incredibly handsome, but rejected the love of others. Once he saw his reflection in the water and could not tear himself away from it, in the end he died and turned into a narcissus flower. In this legend, the narcissus symbolizes pride, pride and unhealthy self-love. However, the narcissist is also associated with more positive symbolic meanings. In Christian symbolism, the narcissus is associated with the beginning of a new life and symbolizes resurrection, spiritual rebirth and hope for the future. In Chinese culture, the daffodil also symbolizes spring, rebirth and new growth. Also, the narcissist can have personal meanings and be associated with people who have high self-esteem, are often opinionated and willing to go against the grain. In color symbolism, the daffodil is associated with yellow or white colors and can mean purity, light and brightness.

 


 

Narcissus, Narcissus. Description, illustrations of the plant

Narcissus. Legends, myths, history

Narcissus

According to the ancient Greek myth, the flower got its name from the name of the beautiful young man Narcissus.

The one who does not honor the golden Aphrodite, who rejects her gifts, who opposes her power, is mercilessly punished by the goddess of love. So she punished the son of the river god Cephis and the nymph Lavrion, the beautiful, but cold, proud Narcissus. He loved no one but himself, only he considered himself worthy of love.

Among the many beautiful girls who surrounded the goddess of love and beauty Aphrodite was the proud nymph Echo. Aphrodite trusted her and considered her her most faithful friend.

And suddenly the goddess found out that the insidious nymph was deceiving her.

"Get out of here, you lying bastard!" Aphrodite exclaimed in anger. - Now your tongue will not be able to pronounce a single word. You will become dumb as a fish.

- Have pity, goddess! - the punished managed to say. - They beg...

And she couldn't make any more sounds.

“So be it,” Aphrodite tempered her anger. - If you hear the words that people shout, then I will let you repeat the last syllable of these human words.

Echo, upset, left Aphrodite and has since wandered alone among the forests and mountains. One day she saw a young man of amazing beauty walking along a forest path. He was the son of the river god Kefis and his name was Narcissus. From a very early age, Narcissus knew the prophecy that he would live for many years if he never saw his own face.

Enchanted by the beauty of the young man, Echo rushed to him. Looking with loving eyes, she grabbed his hand, but he coldly pushed the nymph away and went on his way. She ran after him, but Narcissus did not seem to notice her. Echo knelt down in tears and silently began to pray to the gods to punish the proud, emotionless Narcissus. The gods heard the prayer and took pity on her. The goddess of love Aphrodite was angry that Narcissus was rejecting her gifts and punished him.

One spring while hunting, Narcissus suddenly felt thirsty. At this time, he passed by a transparent forest spring. Neither a shepherd nor mountain goats have ever touched the waters of this stream, a broken branch has never fallen into the stream, even the wind has not carried the petals of lush flowers into the stream. Its water was clean and transparent. As in a mirror, everything around was reflected in it: the bushes that grew along the shore, and the slender cypresses, and the blue sky.

The young man bent over the calm surface of the water to drink, and saw, as in a mirror, his reflection. It was then that Aphrodite's punishment befell him. Narcissus froze: his own face seemed so amazing to him. He could not take his eyes off him and only looked and looked at the wonderful reflection.

With eyes full of love, he looks at his image in the water, it beckons him, calls, stretches out his arms to him. Narcissus leans to the mirror of water to kiss his reflection, but kisses only the icy, clear water of the stream. Narcissus forgot everything: he does not leave the stream; admiring himself without stopping. He doesn't eat, doesn't drink, doesn't sleep.

Finally, full of despair, Narcissus exclaims, stretching out his arms to his reflection:

- Oh, who suffered so cruelly! We are separated not by mountains, not by seas, but only by a strip of water, and yet we cannot be together with you. Get out of the stream!

Narcissus thought, looking at his reflection in the water. Suddenly a terrible thought came into his head, and he quietly whispers to his reflection, leaning close to the water itself:

- Oh, grief! I'm afraid I don't love myself! After all, you are me! I love myself. I feel like I don't have much left to live. As soon as I bloom, I will wither and descend into the gloomy realm of shadows. Death does not frighten me; death will bring an end to the agony of love.

The forces of Narcissus leave, he turns pale and already feels the approach of death, but still he cannot tear himself away from his reflection. Weeping Narcissus. His tears fall into the clear waters of the stream. Circles went on the mirror surface of the water and the beautiful image disappeared. Narcissus exclaimed in fear:

- Oh, where are you! Come back! Stay! Do not leave me. After all, it's cruel. Oh, let me look at you!

But now the water is calm again, the reflection has appeared again, again Narcissus is looking at him without looking up. It melts like dew on flowers in the rays of the hot sun. The unfortunate nymph Echo also sees how Narcissus suffers. She still loves him; the suffering of Narcissus compresses her heart with pain.

- Oh, grief! exclaims Narcissus.

- Oh, grief! Echo answers.

Finally, exhausted with a weakening voice, Narcissus exclaimed, looking at his reflection:

- Goodbye!

And even quieter, the response of the nymph Echo sounded a little audible:

- Goodbye!

The head of Narcissus bowed on the green coastal grass, and the darkness of death covered his eyes.

Narcissus died at the edge of the spring, without drinking water, withered like a flower without moisture. The young nymphs wept in the forest, and Echo wept.

The nymphs prepared a grave for the young Narcissus, but when they came for his body, they did not find it. In the place where the head of Narcissus leaned on the grass, a delicate fragrant flower grew. It is not as lush as a rose, peony or chrysanthemum.

The spring wind sways this white or light yellow flower with an orange rim in the middle, and it seems that the daffodil wants to bend down and see if there is a transparent source nearby in which he could admire his beauty.

When Narcissus died, the nymphs of the forest - the dryads - noticed that the fresh water in the stream had become salty from tears.

- What are you crying about? the dryads asked.

“I mourn Narcissus,” answered the brook.

“No wonder,” the dryads said. - After all, we always ran after him when he passed through the forest, and you are the only one who saw his beauty up close.

- Was he handsome? asked the stream.

Who can judge this better than you? - the forest nymphs were surprised. - Isn't it on your shore, bending over your waters, that he spent his days from dawn to night?

The brook was silent for a long time and finally answered:

- I cry for Narcissus, although I never noticed that he is beautiful. I cry because whenever he came to my shore and bent over my waters, my beauty was reflected in the depths of his eyes.

Since time immemorial, narcissists have been called narcissists.

Narcissus

According to another, no less sad and beautiful legend, Narcissus suddenly lost his twin sister. Leaning over the stream in inconsolable grief, he saw in his own reflection the features of his beloved sister. No matter how much he dipped his hands into the water to embrace his native image, it was all in vain. So he died, from grief, bending over the water. And the flower arose on the spot, symbolizing a beautiful bowed image.

The Prophet Mohammed once said about this graceful plant: "Whoever has two loaves, let him sell one to buy a narcissus flower, for bread is food for the body, and narcissus is food for the soul."

"I stun, stun" - this is how the name of the narcissus (narcao) is translated from Greek.

The Egyptians, ancient Greeks and Romans cultivated daffodils not only as ornamentals, but also as valuable essential oil plants. The essential oil and alkaloids found in the plant are still widely used in perfumery. For perfumery purposes, the poetic narcissus is grown, which has a particularly strong aroma.

In Switzerland, in honor of this beautiful flower, an annual festival is held with a performance where the ancient Greek legend of Narcissus is played out.

In China, from ancient times to the present, the daffodil plays an important role in New Year's ceremonies. In the New Year, it is a mandatory attribute in every home. On this day, a beautiful flower participates in all solemn processions, they decorate the altars of the gods. In ancient China, narcissus was grown in glass bowls filled with water, sand and pebbles.

At present, the British are especially fond of breeding daffodils. They have the same interest in these flowers as two hundred years ago in Holland in tulips.

Among the ancient Greeks, the narcissus was considered a symbol of death, among the Romans a wreath of daffodils was met by warriors - winners who returned from the war.

In England, a whole society of lovers of daffodils was founded. And if one of the members of the society succeeds in breeding an interesting variety of a flower, this is considered a great event. The bulbs of such a plant are worth big money.

In Switzerland, in honor of the narcissus, an annual festival is held with a performance where an ancient Greek legend is played out. On the days of the holiday, everyone has bunches of daffodils.

This flower took root well in Russia. In many of our gardens, daffodils are the first spring flowers. It is known that the nature-loving writer Ivan Turgenev preferred narcissus to all flowers, which he wrote down in his home album.

In some cultures, narcissus is used as a medicinal plant. Its leaves heal wounds. And the bulb of a daffodil is put in a pocket for children - as a talisman against various childhood diseases.

Author: Martyanova L.M.

 


 

Narcissus (Greek Narkissos). Myths, traditions, symbolism

Narcissus

In Greek myth, the son of a river god (Kefissa) and a nymph, to whom the soothsayer Thirssias predicted a long life in infancy, if he "never sees himself."

The nymph Echo, deprived by the goddess Hera of her language and her own judgment (as a punishment for her talkativeness), fell immensely in love with him, but could not attract attention; she turned into a disembodied voice that could only repeat other people's words.

The heartlessness of the beautiful youth Narcissus brought on him the wrath of the goddess of retribution Nemesis, who in retaliation for this made sure that he drank from the source on the mountain of the Muses Helicon, while he saw his own reflection and fell in love with him. Not being able to break away from the contemplation of his reflection, he turned (Ovid, Metamorphoses) into a flower, into a daffodil.

This flower is often regarded as a symbol of spring, and is also associated with sleep, death and resurrection, because it, withering in summer and spending the winter underground, sometimes again covers the meadows in spring, delighting the eye and spreading a delicate aroma that attracts attention.

Due to its shape, reminiscent of a lily, it often appears also in the images of Mary.

Nevertheless, Narcissus is a symbolic image of a person who is in love only with himself, forgetting the world around him ("narcissism", morbid vanity).

In China, the narcissus is called "water and immortal" and acts as a symbol of the New Year and happiness.

China is not its homeland, it has been brought there by Arab traders since the Middle Ages.

Thanks to the sound play on words, the images with narcissus, stone and bamboo mean: "Eight immortals wish a long life."

Author: Biedermann G.

 


 

Narcissus, Narcissus. Interesting plant facts

Narcissus

Narcissus is a rather rare flower. We usually meet him at Easter in flower shops: in gift baskets or in separate pots, and in spring - in those gardens where there are plants wintering in the ground; but abroad it is one of the most beloved colors.

Its graceful white double, double bordered golden yellow and red flowers, swaying on a reed-like stem, are extremely graceful. Threaded into the buttonhole of a frock coat, they look like some kind of order rosette, and therefore in Paris they are often worn by lovers of such jewelry. They also have a very pleasant smell, somewhat reminiscent of hyacinth, which has many admirers and especially fans.

Its scientific name is Narcissus poeticus. Its first half comes from the Greek verb "narkao" (to intoxicate, stun), since its smell can really sometimes cause nervous headaches in people, and the second - "poetic", because it was so much sung by poets of all countries and centuries like no other, except perhaps the rose, another plant.

Mohammed himself said about him: "He who has two loaves, let him sell one to buy a flower of narcissus, for bread is food for the body, and narcissus is food for the soul." And the Persian king Cyrus called him "the creation of beauty - an immortal delight."

He was also admired by Shakespeare, who charmingly described him in his tragedy The Tempest, Edgar Allan Poe, who described him as one of the flowers of that "valley of multi-colored herbs", where he managed to experience heavenly love. And in Shelley's "Mimosa" we find this description:

"The tulip and bitterweed lit up with love, / And the wondrous handsome man, Narcissus in love, / Blossomed over the stream and looks at himself, / Until he dies infinitely loving ..."

The reason for such universal admiration for him is partly the very beauty and elegance of the flower, and most importantly, as it seems to us, the myth that has developed about him in ancient times, which made his name a household name; To call someone a "narcissist", as you know, is the same as saying: this person is in love with himself.

The ancient Greeks told the following about the origin of this myth:

“The mother of all gods, the queen of heaven, Juno, had a beloved confidante, a mountain nymph named Echo. The goddess trusted her with all her heart secrets, shared all her impressions with her, in a word, this was her closest and most faithful friend.

But Echo turned out to be false and treacherous. She was in secret relations with Juno's husband, Jupiter, and tried in every possible way to hide all his tricks.

When Jupiter went to Echo's companions, the mountain nymphs, she knew how to entertain the jealous Juno with funny stories so that the hours ran unnoticed...

But one day Juno finally noticed her cunning and became so angry that she immediately deprived her of her tongue.

“Out of sight, vile deceiver!” the angry mother of the gods shouted to her. “Let from now on be taken from you the language with which you managed to charm me so! of people".

And since then, the saddened nymph Echo has retired to the forest, where she still lives and repeats the last syllable of the word or the last word of the speech with which we address her.

But, living alone in the forest, surrounded by rocks, Echo could hardly endure loneliness and tried in every possible way to find someone who would love her.

Once a blooming young man, the son of the river god Kefiss, the handsome Narcissus, was passing through the forest, to whom it was predicted that he would reach a ripe old age only if he never got to know himself, never saw his face, which was not difficult in those days: no mirrors did not yet exist, and one could only see oneself in calm water.

Seeing Narcissus, Echo fell madly in love with him and tried her best to captivate him. But Narcissus did not give in and remained completely cold to her caresses. Then Echo, in despair, turned to the gods with a prayer and asked them to take pity on her and punish Narcissus for such insensitivity. And the touched gods heard her prayer and punished him.

Feeling one day a strong thirst, he stopped at the edge of a clean and calm, like a mirror, source and, bending down, wanted to drink; but here, for the first time in his life, he saw his charming image and was so captivated by its beauty that he fell in love with himself and, being unable to tear his eyes away from him for a minute, he withered from love, withered and faded like a flower.

However, the merciful gods did not let him die completely, but turned him into a lovely flower, which is remarkably beautiful, wonderfully fragrant, and whose corolla leans downwards, as if wishing to once again admire itself in the water ... "

Ovid says this, describing this legend in his charming Metamorphoses:

"He admires himself, petrified with surprise. Forever frozen, like a marvelous image of Parian marble, he does not look enough at everything that he finds charming in himself."

According to another legend, Narcissus had a twin sister, who. she looked so much like him that there was no way to distinguish them from each other, especially since she dressed the same as him and was just as passionately fond of hunting. He loved this sister to the point of madness, but suddenly she died.

And so, left alone, in order to somehow calm his grief, he began to go to the source and look at his image, which reminded him of the image of his beloved sister.

However, the more he peered into it, the harder he felt the loss and, finally, in a moment of deep despair, he could not stand it and threw himself into the water, as if into the arms of a priceless creature dear to him ...

Narcissus

The German poet Isidore Orientalis, looking at a narcissus, exclaims:

"This slender figure, this wonderful head leans towards itself and, shining with eternal beauty, seems to be looking for a source."

As a result of all this, among the ancient Greeks, the narcissus was the flower of the dead, the flower of the dead, and it is often this emblem in ancient Greek mythology.

So, fury wreaths were woven from it - the goddess of revenge and retribution; Proserpina was amused by him at the time when Pluto kidnapped her; he was torn by Europe at the time when Jupiter, having turned into a white bull, approached her and carried her away to the island of Crete ...

The existence of narcissus among the ancient Romans is mentioned only by Pliny, who describes three of its types, and mainly yellow, whose homeland can be considered the south of Europe, especially Portugal.

From its flowers, the Romans wove wreaths and decorated themselves during feasts or when returning from war with victory. His image is repeatedly found on the walls of Pompeii.

Of other ancient peoples, the Chinese were and are still interested in him, in whom this flower plays an important role in New Year's ceremonies. Especially a lot of it is bred in Canton, where it is kept in glass cups with water and sand, or with small stones. Placed in such modest conditions, the narcissus bulb produces beautiful fragrant flowers and blooms for a long time.

On New Year's Eve, this flower is considered a must-have in every home. They decorate the altars of the gods, they wear it in all solemn processions on this day.

From European countries, the oriental narcissus came first of all to England, where it was brought in 1570, a little earlier than the reign of Elizabeth, under which it entered into great fashion. It was sent from Constantinople to the great Lord of the Treasury, a great lover of flowers, and was bred by him in the then famous garden of his estate on the banks of the Thames. This garden was especially famous for the many plants acclimatized in it. But here, of course, he was a complete stranger, while in southern Europe he quickly became almost native and grew in gardens almost like a native plant.

For this reason, undoubtedly, he soon became one of the most beloved flowers in Western Europe, without which almost no celebration can now do. In some places, as, for example, in the charming town of Montreux in Switzerland, a special festival of daffodils is even held annually.

This holiday usually takes place on one of the first Sundays in May.

On this day, the whole place is transformed. Its buildings are decorated with colorful flags; garlands of daffodils adorn the entrance to shops, houses, schools; bouquets of daffodils - in the hands of all the ladies, boutonnieres - in the buttonholes of jackets and coats of all men; horse-drawn carriages, carriages, manes of horses, donkeys are removed with daffodils - in a word, wherever you look, daffodils are full of daffodils, and their light aroma fills not only all the streets, but is also felt in cafes, restaurants, apartments.

The holiday lasts two days, and its center is a melodramatic performance and a battle of flowers.

On the first day, the bored rich bourgeoisie, who do not know where to put their time and money, have fun, and seats in the stands, from where they look at the performance and where the battle of flowers takes place, cost from 5 to 20 or more francs; and the next day people with more modest means are having fun: visitors, students, clerks, clerks, teachers and workers, and you can have a seat on the podium for 1 franc.

Here is how one of his eyewitnesses describes this festival:

"All the stands are decorated with colorful flags and an amphitheater surrounds a small wooden platform - a stage decorated with greenery and daffodils. Opposite the stage, in front of the orchestra - a choir of young girls in white dresses. They harmoniously perform a rather beautiful melody, somewhat, however, monotonous, passing like a leitmotif through the whole the musical part of the interlude "The Metamorphosis of Narcissus" A simple, naive interlude tells the mythological story of the handsome Narcissus.

The role of Narcissus is played by an actress of the Parisian comic opera. The main essence of the interlude, however, is in the dances. Mostly children dance, there are about two hundred of them - boys and girls from 8-9 years old and older. Here is a group of them poured onto the stage. Hats, costumes, dresses depict the stems and petals of daffodils. Under the direction of a strict lady - director, very similar to a school teacher, children perform pirouettes, intertwine and unweave into picturesque garlands. They may not have the proper bearing - they are schoolchildren from elementary schools, but there is so much direct childlike grace in their movements that the audience heartily encourages the little artists with friendly applause.

The daffodils are replaced by older sirens in greenish muslin dresses, then the nymphs perform, and finally, a common dance, joined by a group of children dressed as Swiss settlers of ancient times. The boys are in short tailcoats, shirt-fronts with green ties, straw hats; girls - in white long dresses with black aprons, in bonnets and gloves.

The appearance of these guys is so amusing that it causes friendly laughter from the public and equally friendly applause. The children also smile, but now they take on a serious look and begin to dance, obeying the instructions of a strict teacher.

The colorful costumes of the guys, the smart audience in the stands, the abundance of flowers, the shady chestnut trees on the other side of the stage - all this is so colorful, so beautiful ...

But that's where the ballet ends. The alleys are quickly watered, and the corso begins. Carriages of flowers, a white elephant, a carousel, carts of flower merchants, carriages - all in daffodils. There are cars with elegant ladies. The audience showers them with flowers and a whole hail of confetti... Jokes, laughter, witticisms are pouring in. The battle of flowers is becoming more and more lively. The whole crowd begins to take an active part in it. Daffodils are falling from balconies, falling from windows, throwing daffodils at everyone and everything. Cars and carriages are overflowing with flowers and confetti, which are beautifully dazzled in hair and on costumes. Fun captures everyone, even the most phlegmatic of the Germans - the Germans from the Oberland. In the meantime, confetti flower dealers are selling so briskly that there is not enough goods and more and more lots need to be brought up.

And so it continues until 6 pm. But it's 6 o'clock, and instantly the stations and the pier are overflowing with people: everyone is in a hurry to go home - some to Lausanne, some to Geneva, some to Bern, and some to the mountains. After all, tomorrow is weekdays, and most will have to get down to work ... "

In Germany, in the Marche, the fragrant (white) narcissus is called the "white woman" and it is said that in the form of a vampire it sucks the blood of people. For the thin red strip surrounding the flower, he is called "head off!"

It is viewed in a much rosier light in East Prussia, where it is seen as a symbol of spring and a happy marriage. The girl, having married, takes the daffodil from her parental home to her new home and carefully looks after him and grooms him so that he grows and develops as best as possible, since, according to legend, all the happiness of marriage depends on his beauty.

Narcissus is also considered a talisman against bloody diarrhea, and therefore in the summer they tell children to carry its bulb in their pocket. Crushed, its leaves are used as a means of healing wounds and even tying torn veins.

At present, of all peoples, the English are especially fond of daffodils. They have even founded a society dedicated exclusively to the cultivation of this flower and the breeding of its varieties, and spend enormous money on this undertaking.

Narcissus

Breeding a good variety of narcissus, as you know, is far from an easy task, and most importantly, it takes a lot of time, since it takes several years to wait for the final result.

Usually, to obtain such a variety, two bulbs are taken, the color of the flowers of which is most suitable for the intended purpose, and their flowers are artificially pollinated, that is, they carefully remove pollen from the flower of one bulb with a hair brush and transfer it to the pistil of the flower of another. Then, in order to avoid any accidents, they put muslin caps or bags on such pollinated flowers and wait until the seeds ripen. Then they are sown in a box with earth and, when plants develop from them, they are transplanted into small pots.

In this position, small seed daffodils remain for two years. During this time, each of them manages to develop a tiny onion, but it is still far from flowering. To get flowering, you need to transplant them into the beds and wait three or four years.

That's how much work and time you have to put in to get a kind of daffodil. But even here there is not always luck, on the contrary, there are much more failed pollinations than successful ones, and sometimes you have to make dozens, even hundreds of samples before you get what you want.

So, a few years ago, all the aspirations of daffodil lovers were directed towards obtaining a pure white variety, which was extremely difficult, since the characteristic yellow-red border did not want to disappear. Then several gardeners began to experiment, and finally the well-known company of the Barr brothers managed to bring out this rarity.

The flower they received, christened the name of one of the founders of this company, Peter Barr, was not pure white, but had such a lovely pale reddish tint that it aroused general surprise among specialists.

Each bulb of this novelty was sold for at least 500 rubles, and the largest ones were even more expensive.

The same thing happened with the tubular narcissus with an orange-red calyx. How much work and experimentation had to be done to obtain this lovely variety! Now, of course, it is already quite common and inexpensive, but at one time its appearance positively produced a sensation among specialists, and it was valued almost worth its weight in gold.

In a word, almost the same thing is happening with daffodils in England now as it was two hundred years ago with tulips and hyacinths in Holland. Collectors are especially mad, who, in order to add to their collection some novelty not yet available to other amateurs, do not spare any money and sometimes pay big money for the most insignificant deviation from some already known variety.

Let's also say that the narcissus was the favorite flower of our great writer Turgenev, proof of which we find in the album left after him, where he used to, for fun, write down everything that he especially liked. He made these notes several times, and in one of them for 1867, to the question "which of the flowers does he like best?" he replied "Narcissus". This curious album was kept by the recently deceased Viardo Garcia.

(Pauline Viardot-Garcia (1812 - 1910) - a famous French singer and composer, a close friend of I.S. Turgenev.)

Author: Zolotnitsky N.

 


 

Narcissus. Botanical description, plant history, legends and folk traditions, cultivation and use

Narcissus

One cannot be indifferent at the sight of a slender and graceful narcissus, one of whose species is affectionately called poetic. It blooms in March - April and has a strong and pungent smell. It is dangerous to place a large bouquet of these flowers in a room, it can cause dizziness. No wonder the name of the flower comes from the Greek word "narkao", that is, "intoxicating".

The radiant, soft white flower of the daffodil is always slightly inclined to one side, and when it grows near a pond, it seems that the daffodil is admiring its reflection.

In ancient Greek legend, the handsome young man Narcissus cruelly rejected the love of a nymph. The nymph withered from hopeless passion and turned into an echo, but before her death she cursed: "Let the one whom he loves not reciprocate with Narcissus."

On a hot afternoon, exhausted by the heat, young Narcissus leaned over to drink from the stream and saw his reflection in its bright jets. Narcissus had never met such beauty before and therefore lost his peace. Every morning he came to the stream, dipped his hands into the water to hug the one he saw, but it was all in vain.

Narcissus stopped eating, drinking, sleeping, because he was unable to move away from the stream, and melted almost before our eyes, until he disappeared without a trace. And on the ground where he was last seen, a fragrant white flower of cold beauty grew. Since then, the mythical goddesses of retribution, the Furies, have adorned their heads with wreaths of daffodils.

The myth of Narcissus is a kind of sentence to individualism, narcissism, contemplative deepening into one's own experiences, because self-valuable beauty loses all meaning and is doomed to death.

Here is how Publius Ovid Nason tells in Metamorphoses about the nymph's love for Narcissus: She sees Narcissus, wandering in the thicket of the desert, and now she is lit up and secretly follows the young man.

It follows further behind him and burns, approaching the fire, This is what happens when, doused with hot sulfur, The fire brought by the torches of tar takes the ends.

Oh, how I longed to approach him with affectionate speech more than once.

Gentle add and requests! But nature became an obstacle. The boy, fighting off meanwhile, from a host of faithful companions, Shouted: "Is there anyone here?" And "is!" Echo answered.

He was amazed, looked round and in a loud Voice called out: "Here!" And calls the calling Nymph.

He looked around and again, not seeing anyone: “Why are you running,” he says, “you’re running?! Here we will converge!” He shouts and most willingly responding to this call of him, “Let’s converge!” answers Echo.

The Nymph is submissive to her own words, and, having left the forest, They are striving to embrace the desired neck with their hands.

He runs and, running: "Hold your hands from a quick hug! I'd rather die," he says, "than I'll get it for you!" The same answer only one thing: "I'll get it for you!" She hid her face from shame and lives alone in the caves.

From constant worries, the poor body is exhausted: Thinness pulled off her skin, bodily juices Gone into the air, and only voice and bones remained.

The voice lives, they speak, and the bones have become stones ...

In different nations and at different times, the daffodil was loved and had different meanings. The Persian king Cyrus called it "the creation of beauty, immortal delight." The ancient Romans greeted the winners of battles with yellow daffodils. The image of this flower is found on the walls of ancient Pompeii. For the Chinese, it is obligatory in every home on New Year's holiday, and especially many daffodils are bred in Guangzhou (Canton), where they are grown in glass cups in wet sand or in small pebbles filled with water.

Narcissus came to Europe in 1570 from Constantinople as a gift to one of the English lords and was grown at first only in his garden, but then they were so carried away that a society of daffodil lovers was created.

In Prussia, daffodils were a symbol of love and a happy marriage. The girl who was getting married took the flower away from her parents' house and looked after it so that it would grow better, because, according to legend, the happiness of the new family depended on its appearance.

In Switzerland, on the holidays of narcissus, on the first Sunday of May, all buildings were decorated with multi-colored flags, and the doors of houses and shops - with garlands of these colors; festivities were organized in the streets and squares.

Wild-growing daffodils are found in the east of the Transcarpathian region, in alpine meadows, mountain slopes and lowlands. A large array of these flowers can be seen on a humid lowland (two hundred meters above sea level) near the city of Khust. Here, white and yellow daffodils grow on fifteen hectares of land on the Svidovets Ridge.

Narcissus is one of the gardeners' favorite plants. It is grown outdoors in areas with a temperate and even cold climate, where it endures harsh winters without any protection from frost. Numerous varieties of it have been created, among which there are species with large pink corollas, which give the flower a special charm.

Author: Krasikov S.

 


 

Narcissus, Narcissus. Recipes for use in traditional medicine and cosmetology

cultivated and wild plants. Legends, myths, symbolism, description, cultivation, methods of application

Ethnoscience:

  • For the treatment of skin diseases: to do this, use an infusion of narcissus bulbs, which can be prepared, pour 1 tablespoon of chopped narcissus bulbs with 1 cup of boiling water, let it brew for 30 minutes, then strain. This infusion can be used to treat affected areas of the skin for diseases such as eczema, dermatitis, lichen and others.
  • To treat a cold: to prepare this remedy, use an infusion of daffodil flowers, which can be prepared, pour 1 tablespoon of crushed daffodil flowers with 1 cup of boiling water, let it steep for 30 minutes, then strain. This infusion can be used orally for colds such as runny nose, cough and flu.
  • For pain management: for this, use a narcissus bulb ointment that can be prepared, grind a few daffodil bulbs and mix them with enough oil to get a thick mass. This ointment can be used to treat painful areas of the body in diseases such as sciatica, arthritis, and others.
  • For headache treatment: to prepare this remedy, use an infusion of daffodil flowers, which can be prepared, pour 1 tablespoon of crushed daffodil flowers with 1 cup of boiling water, let it steep for 30 minutes, then strain. This infusion can be drunk to relieve headaches and calm the nervous system.
  • To improve digestion: to prepare this remedy, use an infusion of narcissus bulbs, which can be prepared, pour 1 tablespoon of chopped narcissus bulbs with 1 cup of boiling water, let it brew for 30 minutes, then strain. This infusion can be drunk to improve digestion and relieve symptoms of dyspepsia.

Cosmetology:

  • Face cream: To prepare this cream, use an infusion of narcissus bulbs, which can be prepared, pour 1 tablespoon of chopped narcissus bulbs with 1 cup of boiling water, let it brew for 30 minutes, then strain. Add the resulting infusion to your face cream and use daily. This cream will help moisturize the skin, make it firmer and improve its texture.
  • Mask for the face: To prepare this mask, use an extract from narcissus flowers, which can be prepared, pour 1 tablespoon of crushed narcissus flowers with 1 cup of boiling water, let it brew for 30 minutes, then strain. Add the obtained extract to the face mask and apply on the skin for 15-20 minutes. This mask will help cleanse the skin, making it smoother and more radiant.
  • Hand cream: To prepare this cream, use an infusion of narcissus bulbs, which can be prepared, pour 1 tablespoon of chopped narcissus bulbs with 1 cup of boiling water, let it brew for 30 minutes, then strain. Add the resulting infusion to the hand cream and use daily. This cream will help moisturize the skin of the hands, protect it from environmental influences and make it softer and smoother.
  • Shampoo: To prepare this shampoo, use an extract from daffodil flowers, which can be prepared, pour 1 tablespoon of crushed daffodil flowers with 1 cup of boiling water, let it steep for 30 minutes, then strain. Face cream: To prepare this cream, use a narcissus bulb infusion that can be prepared, pour 1 tablespoon of chopped narcissus bulbs with 1 cup boiling water, let it steep for 30 minutes, then strain. Add the resulting infusion to your face cream and use daily. This cream will help moisturize the skin, make it firmer and improve its texture.
  • Mask for the face: To prepare this mask, use an extract from narcissus flowers, which can be prepared, pour 1 tablespoon of crushed narcissus flowers with 1 cup of boiling water, let it brew for 30 minutes, then strain. Add the obtained extract to the face mask and apply on the skin for 15-20 minutes. This mask will help cleanse the skin, making it smoother and more radiant.
  • Hand cream: To prepare this cream, use an infusion of narcissus bulbs, which can be prepared, pour 1 tablespoon of chopped narcissus bulbs with 1 cup of boiling water, let it brew for 30 minutes, then strain. Add the resulting infusion to the hand cream and use daily. This cream will help moisturize the skin of the hands, protect it from environmental influences and make it softer and smoother.
  • Shampoo: to prepare this shampoo, use the extract from daffodil flowers, which can be prepared, pour 1 tablespoon of crushed daffodil flowers with 1 cup of boiling water, let it steep for 30 minutes, then strain

Attention! Before use, consult with a specialist!

 


 

Narcissus, Narcissus. Tips for growing, harvesting and storing

cultivated and wild plants. Legends, myths, symbolism, description, cultivation, methods of application

Daffodils are beautiful bulbous plants with a variety of flowers that are often used to decorate gardens and bouquets.

Tips for growing, harvesting and storing daffodils:

Cultivation:

  • Choose a well-lit area for planting daffodils. They prefer a sunny or partial shade location.
  • Prepare the soil before planting by adding compost or manure to improve fertility.
  • Plant the bulbs at a depth equal to three times their height, with an interval of 8-10 cm between them.
  • Water your daffodils regularly, especially when they are actively growing.
  • Remove wilted flowers to encourage new growth.
  • When the leaves begin to turn yellow, stop watering the plants and let them dry before digging them up.

Workpiece:

  • Daffodils can be used to create beautiful bouquets. Before cutting the stems, let the flowers grow a few buds so that the bouquet is more dense.
  • Cut the daffodil stems at the base with sharp scissors.
  • Before placing in a vase, remove any leaves that will be under the water level.
  • Change the water in the vase every few days and add a sachet of flower preservative to prolong their freshness.

Storage:

  • If you want to save the bulbs for next season, dig them out when the leaves are completely dry and starting to turn yellow.
  • Clean the bulbs of soil and dry leaves.
  • Store bulbs in a cool and dry place away from direct sunlight.

We recommend interesting articles Section Cultivated and wild plants:

▪ Buttercup

▪ Rudbeckia

▪ Manchurian apricot

▪ Play the game "Guess the plant from the picture"

See other articles Section Cultivated and wild plants.

Comments on the article Read and write useful comments on this article.

<< Back

Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:

Energy from space for Starship 08.05.2024

Producing solar energy in space is becoming more feasible with the advent of new technologies and the development of space programs. The head of the startup Virtus Solis shared his vision of using SpaceX's Starship to create orbital power plants capable of powering the Earth. Startup Virtus Solis has unveiled an ambitious project to create orbital power plants using SpaceX's Starship. This idea could significantly change the field of solar energy production, making it more accessible and cheaper. The core of the startup's plan is to reduce the cost of launching satellites into space using Starship. This technological breakthrough is expected to make solar energy production in space more competitive with traditional energy sources. Virtual Solis plans to build large photovoltaic panels in orbit, using Starship to deliver the necessary equipment. However, one of the key challenges ... >>

New method for creating powerful batteries 08.05.2024

With the development of technology and the expanding use of electronics, the issue of creating efficient and safe energy sources is becoming increasingly urgent. Researchers at the University of Queensland have unveiled a new approach to creating high-power zinc-based batteries that could change the landscape of the energy industry. One of the main problems with traditional water-based rechargeable batteries was their low voltage, which limited their use in modern devices. But thanks to a new method developed by scientists, this drawback has been successfully overcome. As part of their research, scientists turned to a special organic compound - catechol. It turned out to be an important component that can improve battery stability and increase its efficiency. This approach has led to a significant increase in the voltage of zinc-ion batteries, making them more competitive. According to scientists, such batteries have several advantages. They have b ... >>

Alcohol content of warm beer 07.05.2024

Beer, as one of the most common alcoholic drinks, has its own unique taste, which can change depending on the temperature of consumption. A new study by an international team of scientists has found that beer temperature has a significant impact on the perception of alcoholic taste. The study, led by materials scientist Lei Jiang, found that at different temperatures, ethanol and water molecules form different types of clusters, which affects the perception of alcoholic taste. At low temperatures, more pyramid-like clusters form, which reduces the pungency of the "ethanol" taste and makes the drink taste less alcoholic. On the contrary, as the temperature increases, the clusters become more chain-like, resulting in a more pronounced alcoholic taste. This explains why the taste of some alcoholic drinks, such as baijiu, can change depending on temperature. The data obtained opens up new prospects for beverage manufacturers, ... >>

Random news from the Archive

15000 RPM Enterprise Hard Drives from HGST 07.03.2014

HGST (formerly Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, now a subsidiary of Western Digital) has launched a new family of high-capacity 2,5-inch 15k rpm enterprise hard drives, the Ultrastar C15K600. The innovations provide high performance and capacity in a small size and low operating temperature, thus providing increased information density while reducing support costs and total cost of ownership. This was reported to CNews in HGST.

The high speed of hard drives, according to HGST, was achieved, among other things, thanks to media caching technology that uses algorithmic processing of input data to optimize the recording process, which is much faster than non-volatile caching on NAND or flash memory. As a result, the speed of access to a random sector is 2 times higher than 2,5-inch competitors and 2,5 times faster than 3,5-inch ones, the spindle speed of which is 15 thousand rpm. What's more, the Ultrastar C15K600 is equipped with a fast 12Gb/s SAS interface and a fast 128MB cache to ensure stable system performance, according to the company.

The Ultrastar C15K600 has twice the capacity of today's 2,5" 15K RPM hard drives and matches that of 3,5" 15K RPM hard drives. "The 600GB capacity makes it easy for any business to migrate from 3,5" drives to 2,5" HDD platforms and experience the difference in performance and power consumption," HGST said. With a 2,5-inch Small Form Factor (SFF) and Advanced Power Management technology, the C15K600 delivers up to 55% lower power consumption during operation and up to 54% during idle compared to the latest 3,5-inch drives, according to the company. with 15 thousand rpm from HGST.

At the same time, Ultrastar C15K600 SAS drives offer a wide range of encryption and security options, such as Instant Secure Erase (ISE) technology and SSC-compatible Self-Encrypting Drives (SED) technology from the Trusted Computing Group (TCG), certified according to FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) 140-2, ur. 2.

The Ultrastar C15K600 has an MTBF of 2 million hours and an annual failure rate of less than 0,44%. With many customers running both modern and legacy systems, the Ultrastar C15K600 line of drives will be available in both 4K Advanced, 512e and 512n formats, the company said.

In addition to the Ultrastar C15K600 line, HGST announced Ultrastar Enterprise SSDs with 12Gb/s SAS, also certified to FIPS 140-2, ur. 2. As explained by HGST, these drives have been designed for the most demanding applications such as high-speed trading, online banking, cloud computing, and big data analysis. FIPS 140-2 is an IT security standard used by government organizations and regulated industries such as healthcare or financial institutions that store and share sensitive but not classified information.

Other interesting news:

▪ Sony IMX487 CMOS sensor

▪ NASA to pay 18000 euros for two months in bed

▪ Repetitive routes will reduce the fuel consumption of hybrid cars

▪ There is enough wind for energy for everyone

▪ Nissan xStorage: domestic battery packs for households

News feed of science and technology, new electronics

 

Interesting materials of the Free Technical Library:

▪ section of the site Visual illusions. Article selection

▪ article Along the main street with an orchestra. Popular expression

▪ article Why is the sky blue? Detailed answer

▪ article Water supply in the Arctic. Travel Tips

▪ article A simple current regulator of a welding transformer. Encyclopedia of radio electronics and electrical engineering

▪ article Automatic signal switch. Encyclopedia of radio electronics and electrical engineering

Leave your comment on this article:

Name:


Email (optional):


A comment:





All languages ​​of this page

Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews

www.diagram.com.ua

www.diagram.com.ua
2000-2024