Heirloom Cottage Garden
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Seeds
  • My Garden
  • Gardens I've Visited
  • Misc.

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)

1/14/2019

12 Comments

 
Picture
   "Nothing is older, better known, or more disregarded", writes Professor James Rhoads, "than the proverb that tells us of a weakness peculiar to man, which induces him to despise what he can have with little trouble or expense, no matter how beautiful it may be. This moralizing has little to do with flowers, but some of the prettiest and most neglected of flowers have something to do with it—for they caused it". And the particular flower he had in mind was the pre​tty Garden Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus). True, it seems to have held its own in our gardens, but perhaps it has not been quite appreciated as it should be! Interestingly enough, there are very few poetical associations with this flower, and I am not the first to notice this. In her book Flora Domestica (1823), Elizabeth Kent says that "notwithstanding the glowing and sunny beauty of this well-known flower," it seemed to have been "almost overlooked by those immortal bestowers of immortality, the poets". 

PictureNicolas Monardes (1493-1588)
   The Nasturtium is a native of South America and was brought back to Spain by the Spanish physician and botanist Nicolas Monardes (famous for his work, Joyfull News Out of the New Found World, and after whom the genus Monarda is named). From there it seems to have been introduced to France, and later to England. Several 19th century writers give the year of its introduction to England as 1686, but Gerard writes in 1596 that he had received seeds for "this rare and faire plant" from a friend in Paris.
​   It was first known as Indian Cress, possibly because the Americas were​ still considered to be a part of the Indies at the time, and because the leaves and flowers were used in salads like Cress. Another old English name for this flower is Lark's Heel. This name must have come somewhat later, as Gerard does not mention it as a name but simply compares it to the Field Larkspur (Consolida regalis), because "unto the backe-part [of the flower] doth hang a taile or spurre". But in Shakespeare's The Two Noble Kinsmen, mention is made in the opening song of "Lark's-heels trim". According to the notes I have found in the back of an edition published in 1906, this is believed to be the Nasturtium, not the Larkspur, as might be supposed! I have not been able to find out when it came to be called Nasturtium, since it is not very closely related to the true Nasturtium genus (indeed, at least one 19th century writer calls it a foolish name!) but I did learn that the word is derived from the Latin naris, a nose, and torquere, to twist, a possible reference to the rather bitter smell! The genus name Tropaeolum is derived from the Greek Tropaion, a trophy, and was given by Linnaeus, who, I am just finding out, had quite a lively fancy! It is said that the leaves, resembling shields, and flowers like blood-stained helmets,  reminded him of an ancient Roman custom in which the Romans set up a trophy pole where they hung the armor and weapons of their vanquished enemies. 

PictureElisabeth Christina von Linne
   About 1762, at the age of 19, Linnaeus' oldest daughter Elisabeth Christina noticed something unusual about the Nasturium flowers in her father's garden at Hammarby. Walking in the garden at twilight, she observed that the bright reddish flowers seemed to be giving off flashes of light at certain intervals. She reported this to her father, and later even published a paper entitled Om Indiska Krassens Blickande (Concerning the Flickering of the Indian Crass), in which she questioned whether the flashing came from the flowers themselves, or were rather an illusion of the eye. Her discovery attracted the notice of several noted scientists of the day, who attributed it to different causes, such as electricity, phosphorescence, or simply a wild imagination! There is a very interesting article published in Paxton's Magazine of Botany in 1836 by a Mr. J. R. Trimmer, considering all the different possible causes. He writes that this phenomenon is not "more wonderful than that the electric eel and torpedo should give voluntary shocks of electricity; and in this plant perhaps, as in those animals, it may be a mode of defense, by which it harasses or destroys the night-flying insects which infest it, and probably it may emit the same sparks during the day, which must be then invisible. This curious subject deserves further investigation. The ceasing to shine of this plant after twilight might induce one to conceive that it absorbed and emitted light like the Bolognian Phosphorus, or calcined oyster shell. The light of the evening, at the same distance from noon, is much greater, as I have repeatedly observed, than the light of the morning; this is owing, as I suppose, to the phosphorescent quality of almost all bodies in a greater or less degree, which thus absorb light during the sunshine, and continue to emit it again for some time afterwards, though not in such quantity as to produce apparent scintillations.”
   He goes on to quote Erasmus Darwin, who writes: “In Sweden a very curious phenomenon has been observed on certain flowers, by M. Haggren, Lecturer on Natural History. One evening he perceived a faint flash of light repeatedly dart from a marigold; surprised at such an uncommon appearance, he resolved to examine it with attention, and to be assured that it was no deception of the eye, he placed a man near him, with orders to make a signal at the moment when he observed the light. They both saw it constantly at the same moment. The light was most brilliant in marigolds of an orange colour, but scarcely visible in pale ones." 
  Mr. Trimmer claims to have "often observed the curious circumstance of the flashing of flowers, with out being at all able to ascertain its cause. Sometimes I have been almost led to suppose it to be an optical deception, occasioned by an impression made on the eye by the bright colour of the flowers from which the coruscations seemed to proceed. But at times I have seen the flashes of light so vivid and plain, and extend to so great a distance, that it is impossible for me longer to entertain that opinion; besides, too, I have seen the flashes proceed from pale-coloured and even white flowers, which would not make that impression on the eye. On the whole, I am much inclined to believe it to be electric, particularly from a circumstance which occurred a few years ago. In walking in my garden in the evening, in which was a considerable quantity of the Nasturtium in bloom, not at all thinking of the flashing of plants, I was struck by the very vivid flashes that proceeded from them, the scintillations were the most brilliant that I had ever observed, and at the same time the sky was overcast with a thunder cloud; directed by this circumstance, I have on several occasions looked for the flashes, when in the evening there has appeared electric clouds collecting, and have always found them, at that time, most to abound, and to be most brilliant."

Picture
   The poet-scientist Goethe seems to have been the first to realize that this unusual flashing, which had now been observed in other brightly colored flowers, including the Calendula, African Marigold, and Sunflower, was indeed an optical illusion caused by the brilliant flowers amongst the leaves in certain light conditions, pointing out that  this flashing was only seen in a flower which comes sideways into the field of vision. Professor F. A. W. Thomas confirmed this in 1914.  "It is perceived", he says, "in twilight, which makes red brighter and green duller than they appear in full daylight. As the image of the red flower moves from the peripheral part of the retina, where the rods are red-blind, to the fovea, the red is perceived somewhat more vividly than before, and this image coincides with the Purkinje after-image of the surroundings, giving the impression of a flash".  This curious marvel is still known as the Elisabeth Linnaeus Phenomenon. There are even a few references to it in poetry, such as these beautiful lines from Samuel Taylor Coleridge...

'Tis said, in summer's evening hour
Flashes the golden-coloured flower
A fair electric flame...
Picture
   
​   I heartily agree with Elizabeth Kent, who says that surely this flower is as worthy of a poet's praise as so many others that have been immortalized..."singular leaves, fire-coloured flowers, a lady, sparks of light, and an evening,—what might not a poet make of all these?"
12 Comments
JanetLee
1/15/2019 09:43:03 am

Beautiful flower, interesting background.

I have never had much luck with this flower. Love all the different colors available.

Reply
Joanna link
1/15/2019 06:02:37 pm

Yes they are beautiful! The only thing I don't like about them is their smell but they more than make up for that. 😊 In my experience they are very carefree plants, but maybe there is something about your climate they don't like? I know they actually prefer poor, somewhat dry soils.

Reply
Eliza link
1/15/2019 05:27:15 pm

Nice portrait of this lovely annual, Joanna. I've never heard before of the 'flashing' phenomenon. Do you have a favorite variety? I'm partial to dark red flowers and variegated foliage.

Reply
Joanna link
1/15/2019 06:07:31 pm

The flashing flowers phenomenon is very fascinating to me...I haven't seen it either, but I'm definitely planning to spend more time around them in the evenings next summer. 😊
The first nasturium I ever grew was 'Jewel Peach Melba', which is a dwarf variety but it has beautiful flowers! I prefer the trailing kinds ...especially 'Tall Trailing Mix', and 'Moonlight'. There is an old dwarf variety called 'Vesuvius' that I think is just lovely but I have yet to see it in person.

Reply
Noelle link
1/16/2019 12:26:23 pm

I love nasturtiums, and have posted several times on the topic. Your post is well researched and has some interesting facts...I have put a link to your from one of my posts on the topic: https://noellemace.blogspot.com/2018/08/in-vase-on-monday-in-or-out.html

Reply
Joanna link
1/16/2019 01:19:57 pm

I actually thought of you while I was posting this because I remembered some of the pretty nasturtium vases you had shared with us on IAVOM! 😊 Thank you for sharing the link in your post! I had a good time going back and reading some of your posts on this flower. I loved the nasturtium fairy, and that you mentioned that they are also called Lark's Heel. I forgot to mention that in my post, but Gerard compares it to Consolida regalis, which he says was called "Larke's heele" (now Field Larkspur).

Reply
Noelle link
1/16/2019 04:39:12 pm

Do add your findings under the main body, it is only right that researchers of your calibre state the earliest sources, and your ideas as to how names evolve.

Joanna link
1/16/2019 07:23:51 pm

It is done! 😊 You can find the added notes in the 3rd paragraph. Thanks to you, I did more research on the name and found out a few more interesting things, including a possible reference in Shakespeare! Now I'm curious, is Lark's Heel still a commonly used name in England? Just wondering, as I have never heard it called that here, yet I found it listed in an American dictionary as late as 1895!
Something funny...I tried to google "Lark's heels, nasturtium" and for a few moments couldn't figure out why all I was getting was high heel shoes...then I realized I had accidentally typed "Clark's Heels"!! 😃

Noelle link
1/17/2019 02:28:04 am

The term lark's heel and the allusion to noses comes I believe from the shape of the spur at the back of the bloom. When I find original historic references to this, I'll send you the source.

Joanna link
1/17/2019 06:44:57 am

Thank you!!

Jason link
1/16/2019 02:51:45 pm

I love Nasturtiums, though they struggle a bit when I put them in my containers. They live through the season, but they are not especially robust or floriferous. Nothing like the glorious Nasturtiums I've seen in California. Still, those colors!!! Especially 'Empress of India'. Even a feeble Nasturtium is worth quite a lot.

Reply
Joanna link
1/16/2019 07:27:40 pm

'Empress of India' is another beautiful one which I have only seen in pictures! I have never had much luck with them in containers either, come to think of it! I love to plant them in the vegetable garden where they trail between the rows. By August most of the ground is covered with them! They like to self-sow too, so nowadays I don't really even have to plant them!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    ​I am a passionate gardener and seed-saver, who also enjoys playing the violin and accordion, running, spending time with my 4 golden retrievers, keeping chickens, photography, and reading. ​
    ​

    Picture

    Archives

    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017

    RSS Feed

      Follow my blog!

    Subscribe
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Seeds
  • My Garden
  • Gardens I've Visited
  • Misc.