Thornocopia: On Plants With a Prickly Disposition

I am always intrigued by the makings of a rose. The crimson red paint that coats its curvacious flops, the luscious green calyx that cups its majestic beauty, its long stems – and the thorns – yes, the daunting little thorns that define the other persona of this hybrid perpetual. Thorns are the sole feature that reveals how roses, though soft and beautiful, can also be nature’s double-edged sword.

Roses (Rosaceae) are only one of the many glorious thorny plants. Apart from roses, we also have cactuses (Cactaceae), snake plants (D. Trifasciata), and the locally grown ones: the calamansi plant (C. Microcarpa), the bougainvillea flower (B. Spectabilis), the shameplant or makahiya (M. Pudica), the dragon fruit (H. Undatus), the crown of thorns (E. Milii), the anahaw (S. Rotundifolius), and many more species of breath-taking plant forms. Kingdom Plantae is indeed full of spunky creatures that require greater understanding. But are you truly ready to decipher the symbolism behind the ever-feared thorns?

Why the thorns?

As we journey through life, we may happen to stumble on to some thorns. These may prick us, cut us, and cause us a few pain. But if we think about it deeply, there’s an underlying statement behind the discomfort it brings us. Thorns teach us that (1) beautiful creations can sometimes be deadly (2) it is needed for one’s protection (3) pains caused by it are temporary and can be healed through time.

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Words by: DM Gasparillo Adil II

Art by: Augustus Oer Silapan