We all know that our Washington State Flower is the Rhododendron. We also recognize that rhoddies are happy on the West side of the state while on the East side, the lilac is queen. Ever wondered how the rhoddie (or lilac) got its name?
A 1563 plant listing mentioned the Rhodedendron ponticum, a name that comes from Greek words for tree and rose. The plant first appeared in Britain in the 1670s. In a letter dated 1756, written by a Quaker botantist, mention is made that "this year the Great Chamerhododendron flowered for the first time and it is a charming plant."
"Lilac" comes from the Arabic word laylak, meaning "blue." The botanical name, Syringa, is from the Green syrinx, a "pipe" because the pithy stems can be hollowed out. The plant, first found in Turkey, was eventually discovered and taken to France and quickly spread across Europe. There was a lilac tree growing in Vienna in 1562.
My source for this information was 100 Flowers And How They Got Their Names, by Diana Wells, 1997. The author ends the page on lilacs with this: "Even when lilacs die, they retain their perfume. For if you burn their wood, the sweet fragrance endures in the smoke, reminding you that, like all brave souls, lilacs are forever."
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