Orchis is a greek word which means “testicles”.
According to Greek mythology, Orchis was the son of a nymph and a satyr. During the festivities in honor of Bacchus, Orchis tried to rape a priest. His punishment from the gods was to be eaten by wild beasts and transformed into a weak and modest plant.
Theophrastus, who referred to the flower “Orchidaceae”, was the one who gave it the name Orchid, inspired by the Orchis’ myth, as it resembles a male genitalia. Orchis was also punished because of his “genitals”!
The ancient Greeks considered the Orchid to be a symbol of manhood and fertility. They believed that eating orchid tubers could give birth to male children!
