I am happy to have met a rare member of the daffodil family. Yes, I’m talking about the sand lily. This elegant white flower, which is endangered, was protected by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2016. The penalty for plucking sand lilies or damaging their spread is thousands of dollars.
The thousands of years of historical accumulation of this flower, which is believed to be the sand lily of the flower referred to as the “Rose of Sharon” in the Old Testament section of the Bible by linguists, has a mystery as surprising as it greets us with a magnificent grace among the beach sands. Especially in the summer evenings, I suggest you inhale the fragrant scent of the wind from the sea for once in your life.
Scientific Name
Latin: Pancratium Maritimum. “Pancratium” means chicory in Latin,
“Maritimum” means belonging to the sea, in short, the Latin name means “sea chicory”.
Also known as: Sea daffodil, St. Nicholas lily, sea chicory.
Homeland: Mediterranean
A Poetry with Lily
…Lilies bloom in the most desolate places
And there is pride in every wild flower
The wind waiting behind a candle
It shakes my lightless soul and stops…
Monna Rosa, Sezai Karakoç
“…I am a honey bee, your name is lily
You can’t put a rose you don’t like
When reds and purples intertwine
You can’t find a cure for colors…”
Lily in Art
The Renaissance painting called Annunciation/ Annunciation, designed by Leonardo da Vinci in 1472-1475 for the church of San Bartolommeo around Florence, as a graduation project and by signing for the first time, is a 78 x 219 cm Renaissance painting, kneeling in front of her pregnancy and the birth of Jesus. He tells the news of the collapsed Messenger Angel Gabriel to Mary. Guess what Gabriel has in his hand? Yes, white lilies… These flowers, which are symbols of chastity, purity, sinlessness, and birth, are mentioned in many works as “the flowers of the Virgin Mary”.
Did You Know That?
In many places such as Bartın and Datça, municipalities organize Sand Lily Festival every year in order to draw attention to the endangered sand lily. You can meet this rare flower by participating in one of these festivals that take place in August.
A Book with Dried lİLY Between Pages
Beautiful, human flower that my mind caresses and my soul kisses! O my lily! We have not always been touched like this, always stand on its stem, always white, proud, fragrant, lonely lily!
“Lily of the Valley, Honore de Balzac
Mythological Story
MYTHOLOGICAL
In mythology, the way the demigod son Heracles (Hercules), who was born from the union of Queen Amphitryon in one of the infidelities of God Zeus, became a god is the Goddess Hera sucking milk from her breast. His wife Hera’s pride is broken, he does not accept. However, Zeus leaves the baby Heracles in her bed while Hera is in a deep sleep, and the hungry baby sucks the milk. Realizing this, Hera immediately pulls her chest, at that time the milk droplets scattering turn into the Milky Way and into white lilies on earth.
Symbolic Meaning
It won’t surprise you if I say that, according to Greek mythology, these white flowers sprouting from Hera’s milk are a symbol of motherhood and fertility. Adam’s first wife, Lilith, Hera, Aphrodite, and the Virgin Mary are symbolized by white lilies in many works.
Visits: 123
