It’s impossible not to be dazzled by the brilliant blossoms that come with the warm weather. Most of us appreciate flowers for their vivid colors but there are many fascinating aspects to floral life that go beyond mere beauty. Below are five intriguing facts about flowers:

 

Dandy Dandelions

One doesn’t often think of snacking on dandelions but it’s a little-known fact that they are packed with nutrients that can help keep people healthy and strong. They abound with vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, and potassium. One cup of dandelion greens contains 7,000 – 13,000 I.U of vitamin A. 

 

Lotus Lore

The lotus flower, which blooms in wetlands and rivers, was lauded by ancient Egyptians as a sacred flower. It possesses the ability to lie dormant through dry seasons and then bloom once more with the return of water, a trait that spurred Egyptians to view it as a symbol of eternal life and resurrection.

 

Warring Roses

Today, roses are mostly associated with romance and love but in fifteenth century England they held another significance. They were viewed as figurative representations of the country’s two warring groups, with red roses symbolizing the Lancaster faction and white roses representing the York faction. Because of these associations, the battle between Lancaster and York became known as “The War of The Roses.”

 

Thistle History

When Vikings invaded Scotland a long time ago, the thorns of the wild thistle slowed them down and hampered their invasion. While the Vikings were delayed amidst the thistle, the Scottish people managed to escape the attack. Hence wild thistle became the national flower of Scotland.

 

World’s Smallest Flower

There is a duckweed flower called Wolffia that is so small that a bouquet of a dozen of them would fit on the head of a pin. Wolffia, native to Australia and Malaysia, blooms on the surface of streams and ponds. To give you a concrete idea of the size of an individual Wolffia blossom, consider this: the plant’s body is 0.6-0.9 mm long and 0.2-0.5 mm wide.