St Patrick’s Day: the Shamrock, the Colour Green and Festive Flowers

On 17 March people around the world celebrate St Patrick’s Day, the national holiday of Ireland. Rivers and buildings are lit up in green, people pin a shamrock to their clothes and florists put together bouquets in green tones. Here is where these symbols come from and which flowers suit the day.

Green and white bouquets for the day: chrysanthemums and potted plants.

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Who was Saint Patrick

Patrick lived in the 5th century and is the patron saint of Ireland. According to tradition, he was born in Britain, was taken to Ireland as a captive in his youth and later returned there as a missionary. The date of 17 March is traditionally linked to the day of his death. For a long time it was mainly a church feast; in the early 20th century it became a public holiday in Ireland.

Large street parades began not in Ireland but among Irish emigrants in North America. Today big parades take place in Dublin, New York and Boston, and since the 1960s Chicago has dyed its river bright green.

Symbols of the day

• The shamrock. Legend says Patrick used the three-part clover leaf to explain the Holy Trinity. The story was written down fairly late, but it made the shamrock the emblem of the day. Botanists still debate which species is the “true” shamrock; small clovers are named most often.
• The colour green. The link with green grew gradually, through Ireland’s green hills and its nickname, the Emerald Isle. Interestingly, a shade of blue was once associated with Patrick too.
• The four-leaf clover. It is very rare, so it is seen as a sign of luck, although it has no direct connection with the saint.

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Green flowers for 17 March

To bring the festive mood indoors you do not have to look for clover. Many familiar flowers come in green:

• Chrysanthemums. Some varieties have lime-green pompons or spidery petals and last a long time in a vase.
• Carnations and roses. There are varieties with soft green petals.
• Hydrangea. As they age, the flower heads of many varieties turn greenish.
• Bells of Ireland. Tall stems covered with green “bells”; despite the name, the plant comes from Western Asia.
• Oxalis. A potted plant with shamrock-shaped leaves, a living souvenir that stays after the holiday.

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A green bouquet pairs well with white tulips, freesias or ranunculus, which feel right in spring. For more ideas, see early spring flowers, and for customs in other countries, flower etiquette around the world.

FAQ

Why is St Patrick’s Day on 17 March?

By tradition, this date is considered the day Saint Patrick died, so that is when he is remembered.

Is a shamrock the same as a four-leaf clover?

No. The shamrock is the symbol of the holiday and of Ireland, while a four-leaf clover is a rare find seen as a sign of luck.

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Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.