An 1882 issue of Gardeners' Monthly and Horticulturist magazine shared a story about the legend of the Cherokee Rose. I especially appreciate their wry skepticism over the origins of yet one more "Indian" legend:
Legend Of The Cherokee Rose.—The Christian Advocate tells
the following story, which we record, as we usually do in such cases, more as a
matter of news than as a genuine legend. It is a misfortune that there is no
way by which a genuine legend can be distinguished from a newspaper lie; but
for the credit of the newspaper name from which we quote, we will hope that
there is such a legend afloat, and that the story was not expressly
manufactured for its columns.
It may be remarked, in passing, that the origin of the
Cherokee rose on this continent is enshrouded in mystery. It was found by
Michaux in the South, but has never been found wild since his time. It is
hardly believed to be a native rose, though by analogy with some other rare
Southern plants, it might be. It has Asiatic relatives:
"The legend of the Cherokee rose is as pretty as the
flower itself. An Indian chief of the Seminole tribe was taken prisoner by his
enemies the Cherokees. and doomed to torture, but became so seriously ill that
it became necessary to wait for the restoration to health before committing him
to the fire. As he lay prostrated by disease in the cabin of the Cherokee
warrior, the daughter of the latter, a young, dark-faced maid, was his nurse.
She fell in love with the young chieftain, and wishing to save his life, urged
him to escape; but he would not do so unless she would flee with him."
"Yet
before she had gone far, impelled by soft regret at leaving home, she asked
permission of her lover to return for the purpose of bearing away some memento
of it. So, retracing her footsteps, she broke a sprig from the white rose which
climbed up the poles of her father's tent, and preserving it during her flight
through the wilderness, planted it by the door of her new home in the land of
the Seminole. And from that day this beautiful flower has always been known
between the capes of Florida and throughout the Southern States by the name of
Cherokee rose."
Let's explain here that the Cherokee Rose, Rosa laevigata, is a white, fragrant rose
native to southern China and Taiwan south to Laos and Vietnam. The species was introduced to the southeastern United
States in about 1780, where it soon became naturalized (and even invasive). It is the state flower of Georgia.
The version published in 1882 was just one variant. In White's 1855 publication, Historical Collections of Georgia, the story was only slightly different:
The version published in 1882 was just one variant. In White's 1855 publication, Historical Collections of Georgia, the story was only slightly different:
Once upon a time, a proud young chieftain of the Seminoles
was taken prisoner by his enemies the Cherokees and doomed to death by torture;
but he fell so seriously ill, that it became necessary to wait for his
restoration to health before committing him to the flames.
As he was lying, prostrated by disease, in the cabin of a
Cherokee warrior, the daughter of the latter, a darkeyed maiden, became his
nurse. She rivalled in grace the bounding fawn, and the young warriors of her
tribe said of her that the smile of the Great Spirit was not more beautiful. Is
it any wonder, then, though death stared the young Seminole in the face, he
should be happy in her presence? Was it any wonder that each should love the
other?
Stern hatred of the Seminoles had stifled every kindly feeling
in the hearts of the Cherokees, and they grimly awaited the time when their
enemy must die. As the color slowly returned to the cheeks of her lover and
strength to his limbs, the dark-eyed maiden eagerly urged him to make his
escape. How could she see him die? But he would not agree to seek safety in
flight unless she went with him; lie could better endure death by torture than
life without her.
She yielded to his pleading. At the midnight hour, silently
they slipped into the dim forest, guided by the pale light of the silvery
stars. Yet before they had gone far, impelled by soft regret at leaving her
home forever, she asked her lover's permission to return for an instant that
she might bear away some memento. So, retracing her footsteps, she broke a sprig
from the glossy-leafed vine which climbed upon her father's cabin, and
preserving it at her breast during her flight through the wilderness, planted
it at the door of her home in the land of the Seminoles.
Here, its milk-white blossoms, with golden centers, often
recalled her childhood days in the far-away mountains of Georgia; and from that
time this beautiful flower has always been known, throughout the Southern
States, as the Cherokee Rose.
In recent years, the legend has been recycled - or "appropriated" if you wish - to complement a certain narrative about the "Trail of Tears." The National Park Service got in on the act by disseminating this version of the new and improved legend:
The Cherokee were driven from their homelands in North
Carolina and Georgia over 100 years ago when gold was discovered on their
lands; the journey, known as the "Trail of Tears”, was a terrible time for
the people - many died from the hardships and the women wept. The old men knew
the women must be strong to help the children survive so they called upon the
Great One to help their people and to give the mothers strength.
The Great One
caused a plant to spring up everywhere a Mother's tears had fallen upon the
ground on the journey. He told the old men that the plant would grow quickly,
then fall back to the ground and another stem would grow. The plant would have
white blossoms, a beautiful rose with five petals and gold in the center for
the greed of the white man for the gold on their land.
The leaves would have
seven green leaflets, one for each Cherokee clan. The plant would be strong and
grow quickly throughout the land all along the Trail of Tears. The stickers on
the stem would protect it from those who might try to move it, as it spread to
reclaim some of the lost Cherokee homeland. The next morning, the women saw the
beautiful white blossoms far back on the trail. When they heard what the Great
One had said they felt their strength returning and knew they would survive and
the children would grow and the People would flourish in the new Cherokee
Nation.
OK. Whatever.
Back in the 19th century, the Cherokee Rose was a popular subject for poetry:
THE CHEROKEE ROSE
Come ripple your fleetest,
Oh rhymes that are meetest,
In praise of the sweetest
Wild blossom that blows.
Though tripping most lightly,
And pattering brightly,
Ye ne'er can sing rightly
The Cherokee rose.
The zephyr that kisses
Its petals hath blisses
That paradise misses
And seraph ne'er knows.
So charming its face is,
I long to change places
With bee that embraces
The Cherokee rose.
In sultry midsummer,
Who would not become a
Luxurious hummer
That merrily goes.
Defying the lances
That noonday advances,
To revel where dances
The Cherokee rose.
Shame on the brown thrushes
That pipe in the bushes!
My melodic gushes
Were sweeter than those—
If I could sit swinging
Where perfumes are winging
More worthy my singing
The Cherokee rose.
That noonday advances,
To revel where dances
The Cherokee rose.
Shame on the brown thrushes
That pipe in the bushes!
My melodic gushes
Were sweeter than those—
If I could sit swinging
Where perfumes are winging
More worthy my singing
The Cherokee rose.
- From Rhymes and Roses (1895), by Samuel Minturn Peck