Lilac – awesome flowers
Lilacs are about 10 species of shrubs and small trees in the olive family. They are native to Eurasia but are widely planted in many places as ornamental shrubs.
The common lilac has shiny green wedge-shaped leaves. There are large numbers of tiny flowers before the leaves have developed. These flowers are rich in nectar and are pollinated by insects. Flowers may be white, lavender, or purple. They contain fragrant oils that are sometimes used to flavor candy or cake or to manufacture perfume. Lilac lives more than 100 years.
There is a Scandinavian legend about the origin of the lilac. Scandinavians are sure that the lilacs were created by the Sun and the Rainbow.
The goddess of spring woke the Sun and his faithful companion Iris (rainbow), mixed the rays of the sun with the rays of the rainbow, began to splash them generously in fields, meadows, tree branches. And flowers appeared everywhere. So they reached Scandinavia, but the rainbow had only lilac paint. Soon there was so much lilac color that the Sun decided to mix the colors on the Rainbow and began to sow white rays, so the white lilac joined the purple lilac.
The ancient Greek legend tells, that the young Pan, the god of forests and meadows, once met a beautiful river nymph. She was so graceful and beautiful, and Pan decided to speak with her. The nymph got scared and ran away. Pan ran after her. The nymph suddenly turned into a fragrant bush with tender purple flowers.
Girls use lilacs for fortune-telling: it is believed that if you find a five-petalled lilac flower, then you will be happy. But it happens that the flowers of lilac instead of four petals have only three. Then, on the contrary, these flowers are considered a misfortune.
In the East, the flowers of lilac are considered a symbol of the separation of lovers.
Ointment made from lilac flowers is used to treat rheumatism. In medicine, tincture of lilac leaves is used for treatment of inflammatory diseases of the kidneys and stones in the renal pelvis.