Zakynthos Flowers and Herbs
Narcissus
Zakynthos, often called the Flower Island, welcomes you with a vibrant display of blossoms waiting to be discovered. It begins in spring with the rose-colored pasgalies—flowers that announce the arrival of Easter (Pascha means Easter in Greek). Then come the rose peony, the flower of the nymphs, and the famously vain flower: the narcissus. In Greek mythology, at his birth, the fortune-teller Teiresias made a remarkable prophecy: Narcissus would live a long life, provided he never looked upon his own reflection. He grew up to become an extraordinarily handsome man, admired by countless women who simply couldn’t take their eyes off him. But due to his arrogance, he ignored them all. One of them was poor Echo, a nymph punished by Hera for talking too much. Hera cursed her voice, so that Echo could only repeat the last words spoken to her. When she fell in love with Narcissus and was harshly rejected, her sorrow turned her heart to stone, and she went into hiding in the mountains. This cruelty was the final straw for the gods. Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, arranged for Narcissus to grow extremely thirsty after a long hunting trip. As he bent over a stream to drink, he saw his reflection. At that moment, Cupid shot an arrow into his heart, making Narcissus fall madly in love with his own image. Unable to look away, he remained there, slowly wasting away in his obsession. His final words, as he stared into the water, were, “Goodbye, my love,” and Echo, still listening, repeated softly, “Goodbye, my love…” From the place where Narcissus died, a beautiful flower emerged, bearing his name. Many centuries later, Freud would use his story as the foundation for the concept of narcissism.
The Hyacinth
According to Greek mythology, Hyacinthus was a young prince from the Spartan Empire, much loved by Apollo, the god of art, theater, music, and light. They shared a strong bond of friendship. One day, as they were playing by throwing the discus to one another, the Southern wind, Zephyrus, became very jealous. He blew so strongly that the discus veered off course and struck Hyacinthus in the head, killing him instantly. Apollo rushed over to Hyacinthus, trying to help his dear friend, but it was too late. As life slipped away from Hyacinthus, Apollo created a beautiful flower from the blood droplets of his wounded friend to honor and remember him. This is how the hyacinth was created.
Autumn is announced by the little purple cyclamens, which are mostly found next to the roads. The Zakynthians call them Koppelitza's, which means "little girls." Winter is a spectacle of different types of flowers, but the blossoming almond tree in January is also a delightful sight for the eyes.
The Herb Garden of Zakynthos Island
Basilikos / Basil
Even though basil is a herb with a very special taste and aroma, it still does not have a place in Greek cuisine. The Greeks see basil as a holy plant. Basilikos also means "belonging to the King." Greek history tells us that when Christ was crucified, basil started to grow underneath the holy cross. Another story or legend tells us that there was a large cross-shaped patch of basil in a big open field, which caught the attention of Helena (the mother of Constantine the Great, who gave his name to Constantinople - something the Greeks, even today, will always refer to, and never call Istanbul). Helena was drawn to the mysterious-looking cross, and when she began digging in the ground, she found the holy cross. It was such a holy phenomenon that Helena was declared a saint from then on. In churches, you will find a lot of basil around September 14th, which is the day honoring the Holy Cross. The word "Stavros" means "cross," so it is also the name day for every man named Stavros and every woman named Stavroula. Name days are far more important to the Greeks than birthdays (though birthdays are celebrated for little ones). Nearly everyone is named after a grandparent, and they are mostly named after saints. For instance, Nicos has his name day on December 5th, and Maria on August 15th. But what if you're not named after a saint? Then there's a day for those who don't have a holy name! As you can see, they’ve thought of everything!
The peninsula of Vasilikos, with the second-largest mountain, Skopos (meaning "lookout point" or "soldier on watch," which made this area important in times of war), is also named after the herb basil. There are also stories suggesting that, perhaps once upon a time, there was a kingdom in this part of Zante.
And if a Greek ever offers you a piece of basil, it is a sign of friendship!
Camomile
The name "camomile" comes from the Greek word hamai, meaning "on the ground" or "earth," and milo, meaning "apple." If you look carefully at this herb, with its beautiful small white flowers, it does indeed resemble and smell like a ground apple. Hippocrates (BC 460-377, the father of medical science) discovered that camomile is excellent for skin problems, toothaches, and relaxation. It is also called the "plant healer" because it benefits other plants around it by promoting growth and other positive effects.
Fennel (Maratho)
Fennel is famous as a cure for coughs, stomach aches, and rheumatism. It is also commonly used in Greek cuisine. In Greek mythology, the brave titan Prometheus (the one who is forward-thinking) stole a spark from the crown of sunbeams of Helios, the god of the sun. He put it in a fennel stalk so he could smuggle it from Mount Olympus to his beloved mortals. The gods were outraged because fire represented knowledge, and they could not believe that Prometheus had given such a gift to humanity. Prometheus was chained to the karkarus, and every day a vulture would visit him to eat his kidneys, which would regrow each night. Eventually, Hercules saved him, and by then the gods had calmed down and allowed Prometheus to return to Mount Olympus.
The island Maratho-nissi used to be attached to Marathia, an area near Keri in the southwest part of Zante. Maratho comes from marathia (which also translates to "maratho-fennel") and nissi means "island." Today, it is better known as Turtle Island. Around 1500, the villagers were struck with fear. Every misty night, they would hear a loud, roaring voice coming from the island, and they were convinced it was a ghost. The Venetian rulers, who were less superstitious, went out to catch "the ghost." Upon arrival at the island, they discovered that the "ghost" was actually a famous smuggler, who was then imprisoned.
Oregano
As soon as you visit the mountains of Zakynthos and Kefalonia, you will understand the meaning of Oros-ganos ("the happiness of the mountains"). Aphrodite, the goddess of love, happiness, and prosperity, gave us this herb. That is why it is an old tradition to crown a married couple with oregano. It is a symbol of love, happiness, and prosperity. The first introduction to oregano for many visitors to Greece will be in the choriatiki salata (village salad), better known as Greek salad. The better tavernas will serve you a starter of rigagnata - toasted bread dipped in olive oil with slices of tomatoes, feta cheese, and a bit of oregano (rigani). As a medicine, it can disinfect wounds and act as a painkiller. As a tea, it helps soothe cold symptoms.
Thyme (Thimari)
The name of this marvelous herb comes from the Greek word thumus, meaning "courage." In antiquity, Greek soldiers would bathe in thyme to give them courage in battle. It was used frequently during wartime because of its strong antiseptic qualities for treating wounds. Today, it is mostly known as an ingredient in cough syrup. In ancient times, Pretza cheese, which was made with thyme, was considered a delicacy. Thyme was also a symbol of graceful elegance. The phrase "to smell of thyme" was an expression of praise for those whose style was admired. Bees are attracted to medicinal herbs, and on Zakynthos, you can find excellent local thyme honey (meli-thimarisio).
Rosemary (Dendrolivanon)
Its name comes from the Greek dendro (tree) and livanon (incense). Rosemary is considered a holy herb and essential oil. Many folk songs attribute deep mystery to its healing properties. In Greek churches, the twigs and incense are used during holy ceremonies. Rosemary was also used for exorcisms to drive out bad spirits from homes, etc. Rosemary can also help strengthen memory. In ancient times, people would give a wreath of rosemary to their beloved ones going on long journeys, so they would not be forgotten. Rosemary has traditionally been used as a universal healing herb and was a key ingredient in medicines made by alchemists and early scientists. It was praised for its curative benefits in treating liver, heart, brain, and eye disorders. Throughout the ages, rosemary has been used to celebrate life and attract benevolent outcomes. No feast was complete without rosemary.
Myrrh
Myrrh gets its name from Myrrha, the daughter of Thesis, king of Syria. According to Greek myth, Myrrha was forced by Aphrodite to commit incest with her father. To save her from being killed by her father, the gods transformed Myrrha into the myrrh tree. Hearing a child crying from within the tree, some passersby rescued her baby, Adonis, who later became the companion of Aphrodite. The sap from which myrrh is derived is said to be the tears of the transformed Myrrha. Myrrh is highly praised as an antibiotic and disinfectant, and it was one of the famous gifts presented by the three kings/wise men to baby Jesus.
