Flowers in Israel – ישראל פרחים תמונות

Some say it is the most erotic flower, look to the lower part: a red ring, a light tongue and red lips!

Cyclamen, a genus of plants of the Primrose family, received its name kyklaminos meaning “circle” from its bulblike, underground stem. In most of the 20 known species, the flower scape coils downward after pollination. The ripe seed are then shed near the soil. The flowers are produced in whorls of 3-10, each flower on a slender stem 3-12 cm tall, with five united petals; the petals are usually reflexed back 90° to 180° erect above the flower, and vary from white through pink to red-purple, most commonly pale pink.

Cyclamen persicum is the parent species of the cultivated Cyclamen; they are tuberous plants native to the eastern Mediterranean -southern Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel. They grow in the wild as well in Algeria, Tunisia and on the Greek islands of Rhodes, Karpathos and Crete. It is thought that the cyclamen in North Africa and the Greek islands were introduced by monks or other religious orders for they are often found near old monasteries or cemeteries.In Hebrew it is named Rakefet, רקפת after the Syrian name Rakafta.The popular name for Cyclamen in Arabic is Sabounat al- Raa’i, סבונת אל-רעי, i.e. soap of the shepherd, testifying that the herdsmen recognized the foaming qualities of Saponin in it and used the leaves or tuber as soap in emergency time. Cyclamen contains a toxic saponin, cyclamin, in the tuberous rhizomes. The extreme acridity would be fair warning not to eat it.

Many English farmers called Cyclamen “stag-truffle” or “sowbread” and in the herbals cyclamen were referred to as sow-bread or Panis porcinus; wild pigs were supposedly fond of the tubers and digging them in the ground with their snouts.

Pedanius Dioscorides, an ancient Greek physician, pharmacologist and botanist who practised in Rome at the times of Nero in the first century CE. He is famous for writing a five volume book De Materia Medica, not just for the history of herbal science; it also gives us knowledge of the herbs and remedies used by the Greeks, Romans, and other cultures of antiquity. Among the “ciclamino” were put many medical uses: women who wished to end their pregnancies would walk over flowering cyclamens in the belief that this could induce miscarriages, it counteracts any kind of poison, especially sea air, it is good against serpent’s bite and make a man drunk if it was put in his wine. Ointments made with oil or honey were believed good to treat cataracts and weak eyesight, cleanse the skin to cure blemishes and boils, treat sunburn, and make hair grow.Dioscorides suggested its use also as a purgative, antitoxin, skin cleanser, and labor-inducer. When used as a purgative, juice from the tuberous root-stock was applied externally, either over the bowels and bladder region or on the anus. Dioscorides also mentioned its use as an aphrodisiac and that the seeds removed sorcery. Theophrastus (372-287 B.C.) noted that the cyclamen was a symbol of lust because of its use as an aphrodisiac.And no doubt of the folkloric custom preparing real aphrodisiac of the cyclamen; the powder has no sense of smell, colour and taste, and a woman, who wanted to arouse her man, put it in the soup without showing anything, and went quickly to bed.Cyclamen tubers were baked and made into cakes and eaten as a love potion.Powdered cyclamen tubers were and still are used for poisoning fish; if you scatter it on water the fish will float to be able to breathe so that they are an easy catch. The Roman author Pliny also spoke of cyclamens used as a toxic fish bait.

In Israel you will find Cyclamen galore in many places, but special on the Cyclamen Hill (Rakafot Hill) near Kibbutz Galed. From Eliakim Junction on the Fureidis-Yokneam road (near Yokneam), take Route 672 southward to Kibbutz Galed. In 1950 a pine forest was planted and a few years later Cyclamen started to grow, flowering end January- begin February.

And then you can sing the popular Israeli song:CYCLAMENLyrics: Levin KipnisMusic: FolkSinger:Esther OfarimUnder the rock grows like a wonderA very cute CyclamenThe shining sun kisses itAnd crowns her with a pink crownCyclamen, the bird whistlesLook at me for a minuteBeautiful Cyclamen hiding under the rockHiding from every thingBat sheva went out for a walkThe morning was brightShe collected every flower and plantHer mouth full with a songBat sheva singsCyclamen speeds uppeeps out for a momentWho is looking at me here?That’s CyclamenBat sheva gets closer slowlyBat sheva gets off the rockA beautiful Cyclamen on her chestA bird whistles the wind folndles

And this song comes to an end.

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RAKEFETMitachat lasela tzomachat lefeleRakefet nechmedet me’odVeshemesh mazheret nosheket oteretOteret la keter varodRakefet rakefet tzipor metzaftzefetHatzitzi ach rega elaiRakefet nehederet basela nisteretNisteret minefesh kol chaiYatza’a im haruach rakefet lasuachHaya az haboker bahirKol tzemach kol perach osefet baderechUfia ach zemer vashirBat sheva mezameretrakefet memaheretMetzitza ach rega echadMi zot hanishkefet achen zo rakefetBat sheva nigheshet le’atMisela vageva yoredet Bat shevaRakefet chen al hechazeTzipor metzaftzefet veruach lotefet

Vesof kvar lazemer haze.