PL ANT OF TH E M ON TH
JIM FUNAI, LIC Cuyahoga Community College
SHELLEY FUNAI, LIC Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens Leucothoe
LEUCOTHOE DOG-HOBBLE
Join us now, as we journey back to antiquity in search of the origin of this month’s plant name. Truth be told, many plant names come from Greek and Roman mythology – not because the ancient Greeks were naming plants – but because Greek mythology played such a major role in the educational curriculum of 18th century plant explorers. These mythological stories of gods and mortals, though more complicated than an episode of Jerry Springer, seem to have inspired explorers such as Linnaeus and Thunberg to honor the gods through the naming of plants. Children of Zeus, Apollo and his twin sister Artemis (plant genus: Artemisia) play major roles in Greek mythology. And anyone who knows anything about Apollo knows he had enough lovers to fill a whole month on Springer shows. One of these lovers, Acantha, died unexpectedly. As tribute, Apollo turned her into a sun loving plant – the origin of the genus Acanthus. Another, Daphne (plant genus: Daphne), grew tired of Apollo chasing her, so her father turned her
28 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association
into a Laurel Tree (Laurus nobilis). This is why Apollo is always shown with a crown of Laurel around his head. Yet another, Coronis, gave birth to one of his sons – Asclepius – which is now a plant genus. One final member in Apollo’s little black book gives us the name for this month’s plant. Leucothoe, who didn’t exactly have her father’s permission to be with Apollo, was buried