candytuft

[prettygoodword]

candytuft (KAN-dee-tuhft) - n., any plant of the genus Iberis, especially I. umbellata, an ornamental plant with tufted pink, violet, purple, or red flowers


One of the enormous number of Brassicaceae, or mustards/cabbages. There's about 30 species in the genus, a handful of which are cultivated as ornamentals. Despite the name, they aren't sweet, but rather either originally from or especially associated (dictionaries aren't clear on this) with the island of Crete, formerly known as Candia, especially during its rule by the Venetians from 1204 through 1669, which name is the italianized/latinized form of of Chandax, the hellenized form of Rabḍ al-ḫandaq ("Castle of the Moat"), the Arabic name for modern Heraklion, the capital of the island.


Thanks, WikiMedia!

---L.

Comments

[prettygoodword]

I do have to confess, with a name like that, I expect the flowers to be more tuft-y -- more like a fairy duster.

[minoanmiss]

Fairy dusters! My neighbor growing up had one of those trees, which leaned over our yard. I loved it so much.

[prettygoodword]

Most of the native fairy dusters here are bushes -- but they are still quite charming.