Off-topic, of course, but connected with flora. Please forgive me.

Does anyone recognize what plant is being used for the wreaths with which
the Olympic medal winners are being crowned? It is certainly not laurel,
which is the traditional source of the branches for this purpose.

Actually, laurel is an edible plant, good in stews and soups, so this is not
as off-topic as I first thought.

--
Stan Goodman
Qiryat Tiv'on
Israel

Saddam is gone. Ceterum, censeo Arafat esse delendam.

Does anyone recognize what plant is being used for the wreaths with which
the Olympic medal winners are being crowned? It is certainly not laurel,
which is the traditional source of the branches for this purpose.

The wreath is actually an olive wreath, made of olive leaves, like those used
in the early olympics by the Greeks. The wreaths are proving so popular that
there is talk that they may be used in future Olympics.

The Romans also adopted the custom of bestowing wreaths for meritorious
service, and they used often laurel, which was supposed to be a symbol of the
god Saturn and of the Caesars. The laurel they used is a variety of bay laurel,
the stuff of the kitchen, which was highly prized for medicine and cooking,
even then. The death of a bay tree in a household garden was a portent of great
evil for the home, btw.

(Did not pay to be a lousy gardener in Roman times!)
-=epm=-

In matters of truth and justice,
there is no difference between large and small problems,
for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.
- Albert Einstein

Does anyone recognize what plant is being used for the wreaths with which
the Olympic medal winners are being crowned? It is certainly not laurel,
which is the traditional source of the branches for this purpose.

The wreath is actually an olive wreath, made of olive leaves, like those used
in the early olympics by the Greeks. The wreaths are proving so popular that
there is talk that they may be used in future Olympics.

The Romans also adopted the custom of bestowing wreaths for meritorious
service, and they used often laurel, which was supposed to be a symbol of the
god Saturn and of the Caesars. The laurel they used is a variety of bay laurel,
the stuff of the kitchen, which was highly prized for medicine and cooking,
even then. The death of a bay tree in a household garden was a portent of great
evil for the home, btw.

(Did not pay to be a lousy gardener in Roman times!)
-=epm=-

In matters of truth and justice,
there is no difference between large and small problems,
for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.
- Albert Einstein

hmmm...I thought it was Bay...but I certainly could be wrong.

"EvelynMcH" wrote in message
...
Does anyone recognize what plant is being used for the wreaths with which
the Olympic medal winners are being crowned? It is certainly not laurel,
which is the traditional source of the branches for this purpose.

The wreath is actually an olive wreath, made of olive leaves, like those
used
in the early olympics by the Greeks. The wreaths are proving so popular
that
there is talk that they may be used in future Olympics.

The Romans also adopted the custom of bestowing wreaths for meritorious
service, and they used often laurel, which was supposed to be a symbol of
the
god Saturn and of the Caesars. The laurel they used is a variety of bay
laurel,
the stuff of the kitchen, which was highly prized for medicine and
cooking,
even then. The death of a bay tree in a household garden was a portent of
great
evil for the home, btw.

(Did not pay to be a lousy gardener in Roman times!)
-=epm=-

In matters of truth and justice,
there is no difference between large and small problems,
for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.
- Albert Einstein

hmmm...I thought it was Bay...but I certainly could be wrong.

"EvelynMcH" wrote in message
...
Does anyone recognize what plant is being used for the wreaths with which
the Olympic medal winners are being crowned? It is certainly not laurel,
which is the traditional source of the branches for this purpose.

The wreath is actually an olive wreath, made of olive leaves, like those
used
in the early olympics by the Greeks. The wreaths are proving so popular
that
there is talk that they may be used in future Olympics.

The Romans also adopted the custom of bestowing wreaths for meritorious
service, and they used often laurel, which was supposed to be a symbol of
the
god Saturn and of the Caesars. The laurel they used is a variety of bay
laurel,
the stuff of the kitchen, which was highly prized for medicine and
cooking,
even then. The death of a bay tree in a household garden was a portent of
great
evil for the home, btw.

(Did not pay to be a lousy gardener in Roman times!)
-=epm=-

In matters of truth and justice,
there is no difference between large and small problems,
for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.
- Albert Einstein

On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 21:01:15 UTC, (EvelynMcH)
opined:
Does anyone recognize what plant is being used for the wreaths with which
the Olympic medal winners are being crowned? It is certainly not laurel,
which is the traditional source of the branches for this purpose.

The wreath is actually an olive wreath, made of olive leaves, like those used
in the early olympics by the Greeks. The wreaths are proving so popular that
there is talk that they may be used in future Olympics.

Doesn't look like olive. The green is too bright. Olive trees are almost
grey.

The Romans .... The laurel they used is a variety of bay laurel,

I don't know what "bay laurel" is. The plant that grows around the
Mediterranean
is L. Nobilis, which is ubiquitous here. It would take over my lot, if I let
it.
--
Stan Goodman
Qiryat Tiv'on
Israel

Saddam is gone. Ceterum, censeo Arafat esse delendam.

On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 21:01:15 UTC, (EvelynMcH)
opined:
Does anyone recognize what plant is being used for the wreaths with which
the Olympic medal winners are being crowned? It is certainly not laurel,
which is the traditional source of the branches for this purpose.

The wreath is actually an olive wreath, made of olive leaves, like those used
in the early olympics by the Greeks. The wreaths are proving so popular that
there is talk that they may be used in future Olympics.

Doesn't look like olive. The green is too bright. Olive trees are almost
grey.

The Romans .... The laurel they used is a variety of bay laurel,

I don't know what "bay laurel" is. The plant that grows around the
Mediterranean
is L. Nobilis, which is ubiquitous here. It would take over my lot, if I let
it.
--
Stan Goodman
Qiryat Tiv'on
Israel

Saddam is gone. Ceterum, censeo Arafat esse delendam.

You're correct - it's the Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) - not the olive.

Paolo

"Stan Goodman" wrote in message news:uViCr8LlbtmJ-pn2-Oq2BrhM5h4EM@poblano...
On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 21:01:15 UTC, (EvelynMcH)
opined:
Does anyone recognize what plant is being used for the wreaths with which
the Olympic medal winners are being crowned? It is certainly not laurel,
which is the traditional source of the branches for this purpose.

The wreath is actually an olive wreath, made of olive leaves, like those used
in the early olympics by the Greeks. The wreaths are proving so popular that
there is talk that they may be used in future Olympics.

Doesn't look like olive. The green is too bright. Olive trees are almost
grey.

The Romans .... The laurel they used is a variety of bay laurel,

I don't know what "bay laurel" is. The plant that grows around the
Mediterranean
is L. Nobilis, which is ubiquitous here. It would take over my lot, if I let
it.

You're correct - it's the Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) - not the olive.

Paolo

"Stan Goodman" wrote in message news:uViCr8LlbtmJ-pn2-Oq2BrhM5h4EM@poblano...
On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 21:01:15 UTC, (EvelynMcH)
opined:
Does anyone recognize what plant is being used for the wreaths with which
the Olympic medal winners are being crowned? It is certainly not laurel,
which is the traditional source of the branches for this purpose.

The wreath is actually an olive wreath, made of olive leaves, like those used
in the early olympics by the Greeks. The wreaths are proving so popular that
there is talk that they may be used in future Olympics.

Doesn't look like olive. The green is too bright. Olive trees are almost
grey.

The Romans .... The laurel they used is a variety of bay laurel,

I don't know what "bay laurel" is. The plant that grows around the
Mediterranean
is L. Nobilis, which is ubiquitous here. It would take over my lot, if I let
it.

wrote:
You're correct - it's the Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) - not the olive.

Paolo

"Stan Goodman" wrote in message news:uViCr8LlbtmJ-pn2-Oq2BrhM5h4EM@poblano...

On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 21:01:15 UTC, (EvelynMcH)
opined:

Does anyone recognize what plant is being used for the wreaths with which
the Olympic medal winners are being crowned? It is certainly not laurel,
which is the traditional source of the branches for this purpose.

The wreath is actually an olive wreath, made of olive leaves, like those used
in the early olympics by the Greeks. The wreaths are proving so popular that
there is talk that they may be used in future Olympics.

Doesn't look like olive. The green is too bright. Olive trees are almost
grey.


The Romans .... The laurel they used is a variety of bay laurel,

I don't know what "bay laurel" is. The plant that grows around the
Mediterranean
is L. Nobilis, which is ubiquitous here. It would take over my lot, if I let
it.

The ones being used in the current games are olive. In the ancient
Olympic games, olive wreaths were originally used but in the rival
Pythian Games in Delphi they used laurel wreaths to honor Apollo, who is
symbolized by laurel. In the Isthmian Games a wreath of celery was used
and in the Nemean Games it was a wreath of parsley. It was the Romans
who more or less standardized wreaths of honor as being madw of laurel.
But in the modern Olympic game it's olive. 2,563 olive wreaths and
bouquets for the Olympics and 2,960 for the Paralympics are being
donated by Interflora.

Lorenzo L. Love
http://home.thegrid.net/~lllove

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”
Cicero

wrote:
You're correct - it's the Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) - not the olive.

Paolo

"Stan Goodman" wrote in message news:uViCr8LlbtmJ-pn2-Oq2BrhM5h4EM@poblano...

On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 21:01:15 UTC, (EvelynMcH)
opined:

Does anyone recognize what plant is being used for the wreaths with which
the Olympic medal winners are being crowned? It is certainly not laurel,
which is the traditional source of the branches for this purpose.

The wreath is actually an olive wreath, made of olive leaves, like those used
in the early olympics by the Greeks. The wreaths are proving so popular that
there is talk that they may be used in future Olympics.

Doesn't look like olive. The green is too bright. Olive trees are almost
grey.


The Romans .... The laurel they used is a variety of bay laurel,

I don't know what "bay laurel" is. The plant that grows around the
Mediterranean
is L. Nobilis, which is ubiquitous here. It would take over my lot, if I let
it.

The ones being used in the current games are olive. In the ancient
Olympic games, olive wreaths were originally used but in the rival
Pythian Games in Delphi they used laurel wreaths to honor Apollo, who is
symbolized by laurel. In the Isthmian Games a wreath of celery was used
and in the Nemean Games it was a wreath of parsley. It was the Romans
who more or less standardized wreaths of honor as being madw of laurel.
But in the modern Olympic game it's olive. 2,563 olive wreaths and
bouquets for the Olympics and 2,960 for the Paralympics are being
donated by Interflora.

Lorenzo L. Love
http://home.thegrid.net/~lllove

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”
Cicero

Stan Goodman wrote:

Does anyone recognize what plant is being used for the wreaths with which
the Olympic medal winners are being crowned? It is certainly not laurel,
which is the traditional source of the branches for this purpose.

There's two villages in Greece with really old olive trees. Both insist
that theirs is the older tree, the tree in the other village is merely a
sapling, a few hundred years old.
They've stopped feuding for the duration of the games, as the Olympic
Committee decided to take branches from both trees for the most important
laurels - marathon perhaps? I forget.

They're also using branches from a dozen or so olive trees planted some
years ago for just that purpose. Interflora, possibly, dunno, they haven't
talked about that in our newspapers.

.... the feud included one village asking the other to cut their tree down
and count the rings, they'd do the same, honest, would we lie to you? The
other village declined. There's nothing like a fight that you can hand
down to your grandkids' grandkids' grandkids, really.

Henriette

--
Henriette Kress, AHG * * * * * * * * * * *Helsinki, Finland
Henriette's herbal homepage: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed

Stan Goodman wrote:

Does anyone recognize what plant is being used for the wreaths with which
the Olympic medal winners are being crowned? It is certainly not laurel,
which is the traditional source of the branches for this purpose.

There's two villages in Greece with really old olive trees. Both insist
that theirs is the older tree, the tree in the other village is merely a
sapling, a few hundred years old.
They've stopped feuding for the duration of the games, as the Olympic
Committee decided to take branches from both trees for the most important
laurels - marathon perhaps? I forget.

They're also using branches from a dozen or so olive trees planted some
years ago for just that purpose. Interflora, possibly, dunno, they haven't
talked about that in our newspapers.

.... the feud included one village asking the other to cut their tree down
and count the rings, they'd do the same, honest, would we lie to you? The
other village declined. There's nothing like a fight that you can hand
down to your grandkids' grandkids' grandkids, really.

Henriette

--
Henriette Kress, AHG * * * * * * * * * * *Helsinki, Finland
Henriette's herbal homepage: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 15:30:13 UTC, opined:
You're correct - it's the Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) - not the olive.

Paolo

If you are saying that the wreaths I have been seeing on the TV are Laurel,
you are mistaken. They don't look anything like laurel.

I accept that they are made of olive branches, largely because there was a
segment on the evening news yesterday, showing a team of Greeks in Athens
who are turning them out for the medal winners. In this segment, one could
see that they were indeed olive, just as the sound track was saying. My
earlier objection to that was that the color seemed wrong; I now attribute
that to an artifact of color balance in the program transmission at some
point.


"Stan Goodman" wrote in message news:uViCr8LlbtmJ-pn2-Oq2BrhM5h4EM@poblano...
On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 21:01:15 UTC, (EvelynMcH)
opined:
Does anyone recognize what plant is being used for the wreaths with which
the Olympic medal winners are being crowned? It is certainly not laurel,
which is the traditional source of the branches for this purpose.

The wreath is actually an olive wreath, made of olive leaves, like those used
in the early olympics by the Greeks. The wreaths are proving so popular that
there is talk that they may be used in future Olympics.

Doesn't look like olive. The green is too bright. Olive trees are almost
grey.

The Romans .... The laurel they used is a variety of bay laurel,

I don't know what "bay laurel" is. The plant that grows around the
Mediterranean
is L. Nobilis, which is ubiquitous here. It would take over my lot, if I let
it.

--
Stan Goodman
Qiryat Tiv'on
Israel

Saddam is gone. Ceterum, censeo Arafat esse delendam.

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 15:30:13 UTC, opined:
You're correct - it's the Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) - not the olive.

Paolo

If you are saying that the wreaths I have been seeing on the TV are Laurel,
you are mistaken. They don't look anything like laurel.

I accept that they are made of olive branches, largely because there was a
segment on the evening news yesterday, showing a team of Greeks in Athens
who are turning them out for the medal winners. In this segment, one could
see that they were indeed olive, just as the sound track was saying. My
earlier objection to that was that the color seemed wrong; I now attribute
that to an artifact of color balance in the program transmission at some
point.


"Stan Goodman" wrote in message news:uViCr8LlbtmJ-pn2-Oq2BrhM5h4EM@poblano...
On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 21:01:15 UTC, (EvelynMcH)
opined:
Does anyone recognize what plant is being used for the wreaths with which
the Olympic medal winners are being crowned? It is certainly not laurel,
which is the traditional source of the branches for this purpose.

The wreath is actually an olive wreath, made of olive leaves, like those used
in the early olympics by the Greeks. The wreaths are proving so popular that
there is talk that they may be used in future Olympics.

Doesn't look like olive. The green is too bright. Olive trees are almost
grey.

The Romans .... The laurel they used is a variety of bay laurel,

I don't know what "bay laurel" is. The plant that grows around the
Mediterranean
is L. Nobilis, which is ubiquitous here. It would take over my lot, if I let
it.

--
Stan Goodman
Qiryat Tiv'on
Israel

Saddam is gone. Ceterum, censeo Arafat esse delendam.