Common Marian flowers

There are over 1,100 flowers that honor Mary. Here are a few that you may be familiar with, with their medieval names after their common names.

• Amaryllis – “Beautiful lady”
• Baby’s breath – “Lady’s veil”
• Bachelor’s buttons – “Mary’s crown”
• Bleeding heart – “Mary’s heart”
• Bluets – Houstonia caerul. – “Madonna’s eyes”
• Buttercup – “Lady’s locks”
• Carnation – “Mary’s love of God”
• Chamomile – “Lady’s flower”
• Columbine – “Our Lady’s shoes”
• Dandelion – “Mary’s bitter sorrow”
• Fern – “Lady’s hair”
• Forget-me-not – “Eyes of Mary”
• Foxglove – “Our Lady’s gloves”
• Geranium – “Lady beautiful”
• Honeysuckle – “Lady’s stick”
• Impatiens – “Our Lady’s earrings”
• Iris – “Mary as Queen”
• Larkspur – “Mary’s tears”
• Lily-of-the-valley – “Our Lady’s tears”
• Marigold – “Mary’s gold”
• Morning glory – “Our Lady’s mantle”
• Ox-Eye daisy – “Mary’s star”
• Pansy – “Our Lady’s delight”
• Petunia – “Lady’s praise”
• Rose – a symbol of Mary herself (she is known as the “Mystical Rose”)
• Rosemary – “Mary’s nosegay”
• Sweet pea – “Our Lady’s flower” or “Mary’s foot”
• Sweet William – “Lady tuft”
• Tulip – “Mary’s prayer”
• Violet – “Our Lady’s modesty”
• Zinnia – “Little Mary”