Music, Movie and Entertainment

Madonna – warrior, queen of pop, or beloved star – take your pick because any of those descriptions matches with her August birth flower the gladiolus. The gladiolus, which is often called the Sword Lily because of its shape, was, in fact, named after the gladiator’s weapon of choice, the sword. The root of the word gladiolus is “gladius,” which means sword.

Though it has ancient associations with working class gladiators, the gladiolus is also marked by nobility. The gladiolus was chosen by the founders of the French monarchy to appear in the fleur-de-lys, the royal emblem of France. The gladiolus is also a flower of romance. An arrangement of gladiolus shows the recipient that he or she “pierces the heart” like the sword after which it is named. In fact, the roots of the gladiolus were once thought to be an aphrodisiac. (more…)