'Where streams his blood there blushing springs a rose And where a tear has dropped, a wind-flower blows.'

According to Greek mythology, windflower emerged from the tears of Venus while mourning for her beloved Adonis. Wind flower is also known by the name ‘anemone’. As the delicate flower sways to and fro with the slightest touch of wind, it gets its name, wind flower.

Wind flower used to symbolize sickness for the ancient Egyptians. The Chinese call it “flower of death” may be due the paler shade of the petals on the inner side.

Its leaves are deeply segmented and somewhere in the middle of the stalk, three small leaflets emerge wrapping a young bud. But when the flower blooms, the stalk grows in length, leaving the triplets below. The flower is white above and a paler rose shade on the inner side, blossoming in spring. The sepals resemble the petals of the flower which are six in number. The flower blooms in the morning but closes its petals at nightfall. The different parts of the plant are used for medicinal purposes, primarily to treat headaches and rheumatic gout.