Customs, traditions and the unknown are firmly entrenched in the beliefs of the Manks people, this is no more evident than in the folklore associated with a variety of flowers and plants that grow and prosper throughout the year.  ‘Global Warming’ appears to be playing havoc with the flowering of plants and more and more are now coming into flower earlier with each year that passes.  Gorse and Red campion are two flowers that traditionally flower all the year round, Gorse (Ulex sp.), Aittin or Conney in Manks, has two distinct species, the tall ‘leggy’ European gorse that flowers from the spring time onwards and the Manks gorse that forms low ‘pillows’ on the mountains predominantly, and which tends to flower later in the year, this gives rise to the saying, “Kissing is in vogue while the Gorse is in flower.” Red campion (Silene dioica), Blaa ny Ferrishyn (Fairies flower) is another flower that can be found in flower in sheltered spots throughout the year.

Two other plants that are associated with early flowering are Winter heliotrope and Sweet cicely. Both of these plants show their flowers and the leaves appear later. Sweet cicely was known in the Island as Myrrh and this traditionally appears on Old Christmas Eve (Shenn Oie’ll Verree). Tradition predicts that it is possible to see the Myrrh appearing out of the ground that night.  Myrrh is a sweet aniseed smelling plant that was used in cooking.  Being an ‘umbellifer’, it looks like Hog weed (Farrane) or Cow parsely (Ollystryn), the Myrrh can be recognised by the scent of the leaves, and by a white mark at the base of the leaves close to the stem. Winter heliotrope (Petasites fragrans) is a member of the Butterbur family and has spikes of mauve flowers.  Butterbur is so named for the use made of the large leaves for wrapping butter prior to the likes of grease proof paper.  The leaves of the Heliotrope are smaller than the large tough leaves of Butterbur, having a downy underside which helps to protect and insulate the butter. It can be found beside the road at the low end of the Ballamodda close where the Millennium way turns to go through the glen to Silverdale.

I hope through this column to discuss and inform monthly on the plants and flowers that are of interest on Mann and form part of the Islands folklore.

John ‘Dog’