Pushing Up. Cyclamen coum, Round-leav'd Cyclamen, Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
David Gledhill in his wonderful The Names of Plants curiously writes: 'coum from a Hebrew name for Cyclamen coum'. But in Hebrew our Cyclamen is said to be יוונית, that is: Greek. It's unclear what the etymology of 'coum' really is. It's been suggested that it's a form of Koa or Quwê (ancient area of eastern Cilicia) where our Cyclamen grows widespread. There are other conjectures as well, e.g. 'from the island of Kos'. But its real origin is lost in the mists of time and behind the veil of languages.
In the context of Spring and New Life pushing up from Winter's wastes we might refer to the Bible (Mark 5, 41). A story there of Jesus raising the daughter of Jairus from the dead, saying in Aramaic: 'Talitha kumi' (KJV), something like 'Sweetheart, get up!'
And indeed - so the tale goes - she got up.
Our Cyclamens don't need a command...
Pushing Up. Cyclamen coum, Round-leav'd Cyclamen, Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
David Gledhill in his wonderful The Names of Plants curiously writes: 'coum from a Hebrew name for Cyclamen coum'. But in Hebrew our Cyclamen is said to be יוונית, that is: Greek. It's unclear what the etymology of 'coum' really is. It's been suggested that it's a form of Koa or Quwê (ancient area of eastern Cilicia) where our Cyclamen grows widespread. There are other conjectures as well, e.g. 'from the island of Kos'. But its real origin is lost in the mists of time and behind the veil of languages.
In the context of Spring and New Life pushing up from Winter's wastes we might refer to the Bible (Mark 5, 41). A story there of Jesus raising the daughter of Jairus from the dead, saying in Aramaic: 'Talitha kumi' (KJV), something like 'Sweetheart, get up!'
And indeed - so the tale goes - she got up.
Our Cyclamens don't need a command...