The Spring-Blooming Flower Perfect For Passover Decorations

If you're looking for a hostess gift for a Passover celebration you've been invited to, there's a pretty spring-blooming flower that would be absolutely perfect. Of course, if you celebrate Passover yourself, you may be quite familiar with the delightful blooming plant, known as the pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris). This lovely purple bloom with its bright yellow center, gets its common name from the Hebrew word "Pesach", which literally means Passover. Another interpretation is that its name comes from "Pâques," which is the French word for Easter. This is fitting because Its flowers usually appear around the time of Passover and Easter celebrations. It's also refreshing to know that rabbits won't bother this spring-blooming addition to any flower garden.

There are various beliefs and symbolisms attributed to the pasque flower. According to one belief, pasque flowers are a symbol of the Israelites' journey out of slavery in Egypt.  It's also interesting to note that in the past, the purple sepals were used to create a dye as a natural way to decorate eggs for Easter. Going even further back in history, when the flower was discovered growing in the burial grounds of Romans and Danes, it was thought that the plant only grew from the blood of those who passed. Furthermore, according to native American traditions, this striking flower is considered sacred and even mentioned in songs. The pasque flower even appears in Greek mythology, where it was believed that it grew from the tears of the goddess Aphrodite, after she discovered her partner had died.

With so much symbolism surrounding this gorgeous flower, it's no wonder that it's a popular choice for Passover decorations. The pretty flowers can be cut and arranged in a vase as part of a display for the table or on the sideboard. To make the display even more stunning, add a few of the seed heads, which are almost as striking as the blooms themselves. If you're planning to give pasque flowers as a hostess gift, make sure you present them in a water-filled vase because Jewish law prohibits any kind of planting or cultivating during Passover.

Better yet, why not purchase a plant in a pot as a present instead. You can wrap the pot with some attractive paper, and decorate with a ribbon and bow to match the color of the flowers. Or, if you're keen, you could consider growing a few plants from seeds and tending them until you're ready to gift them during Passover. Pasque flowers grow fairly easily from fresh seeds planted in late summer or early fall. After celebrations are over, these plants can then be transferred to the garden, but they have to be handled carefully so as not to break the fragile and fleshy roots. The good news is that pasque flowers can live for 50 years or more, so your gift will continue to please for many years to come. Finally, you might like to let the gift recipient know the best way to protect pasque flowers from winter frost.