Editor’s Note: The theme for the Garden Club of Denver’s Annual June Flower Show is “Language of Flowers.” To prepare for the show, each month eNews will feature a different flower. This month’s flower is Freesia, presented by Martha Veldkamp from the Floral Design Committee.
Freesia, a flower that originated in Africa signifies lasting friendship, innocence, trust and thoughtfulness. It is a perennial bulb with 14 species that belongs to the iris family. This beautifully scented flower is zygomorphic, which means the flowers grow on one side.
Freesia was discovered by a German physician, Freidrich Theodor Freese (1795-1876), who brought it to Europe. The flower was first mentioned in a botany book in 1886 by German botanist Klatt, who named it after the German physician Freese.
Freesia flowers are widely used in weddings because they represent the trust between the couple and the purity of the bride. They also are used to celebrate a seventh wedding anniversary.