houseleek

[prettygoodword]

Is it time already for another theme week? Since I have a bunch of plants lined up, yes -- yes, it is. Plants, starting with:


houseleek (HOUS-leek) - n., any of several Eurasian succulents (genus Sempervivum) with rosettes of leaves and pinkish flowers, especially S. tectorum.


Also known by many other names, including homewort, roof foil, Jupiter's eye, Thor's beard, thunderplant, sengreen, hen and chicks, and welcome-home-husband-though-never-so-drunk. Many of those reflect the traditional belief (going back to at least the Romans) that it warded off lightning. Now a common inside-the-house-plant, traditionally it was grown on the roofs of homes throughout Europe (because lightning ward), from whence the name, going back to Anglo-Saxon hūslēac, from hūs, house + lēac, plant (and ancestor of leek).


Thanks, WikiMedia!


(FWIW, I seriously considered running welcome-home-husband-though-never-so-drunk instead, but c'mon, as awesome as that name is, houseleek is even more awesome.)

---L.

Comments

[oracne]

When I water mine, I sing "Sempervivum!" to the tune of Handel's "Hallelujah."

[prettygoodword]

"Ever-living" is appropriate for that music!

[oracne]

And it also scans!

[mount_oregano]

Thunderplant! Now I want one.

[prettygoodword]

Talk to oracne! I learned about them from her.