{"id":44479,"date":"2026-03-10T16:47:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T14:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kithera.gr\/amarantos-the-eternal-flower-of-kythera\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T18:35:46","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T16:35:46","slug":"amarantos-the-eternal-flower-of-kythera","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kithera.gr\/en\/amarantos-the-eternal-flower-of-kythera\/","title":{"rendered":"Amarantos, the eternal flower of Kythira"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Amaranthus or Sempreviva is not just a flower for Kythera, it is the symbol of the island, a living legend that “refuses” to die. Although we find it in various areas, the Kytherian variety has become completely identified with the local tradition and economy of the island.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n

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Amaranth or May or tears of the Virgin Mary!<\/h2>\r\n

What is Amaranthus (Sempreviva)<\/strong>? Its name comes from the Latin Semper Viva, which means “always alive”. Scientifically, it belongs to the genus Helichrysum, a word derived from the Greek words “sun” and “gold”, due to its intense yellow color.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

The characteristics of the plant.\r\nDurability: It is a perennial plant that thrives in rocky and coastal areas.\r\nImmortality: Its main characteristic is that, even if cut, it maintains its color and shape for years without wilting.\r\nAroma: It has a light, earthy aroma reminiscent of herbs from the Greek land.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n

The Connection with Kythera<\/h3>\r\n

In Kythera, Amaranth is the local emblem. If you visit the island, you will see it everywhere: in wreaths, in arrangements in jars, in jewelry, and even in tourist souvenirs.\r\n\r\nWhy is it considered \u201cKytherian\u201d?\r\nAlthough helichrysum grows throughout the Mediterranean, this particular variety (*Helichrysum stoechas*), found on the steep cliffs of Kythera and the islet of Hytra or (egg), is considered unique in quality and brilliance.\r\n\r\nCollection: A dangerous tradition\r\nCollecting Amaranth on Kythera is not an easy task. Local collectors have to climb steep rocks and cliffs, mainly on the islet of Hytra, during the months of May and June. This difficulty in access gives the plant an additional value, as each bunch carries with it the collector\u2019s effort and risk.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n

The Myth and Symbolism<\/h3>\r\n

According to local tradition, when Paris stole the Beautiful Helen from Sparta and they fled to Kythira<\/a>, he gave her a wreath of Amaranth, telling her that her beauty would remain eternal, like this flower.\r\n\r\nToday, Amaranth symbolizes eternal Love since it is often used in weddings as a wish for a relationship that will never fade. Patience for the ability to withstand the difficulties of time.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Uses and Products<\/h3>\r\n

In addition to being a decorative element, Amaranth (Helichrysum) has also gained ground in cosmetology:\r\nEssential Oil: It is considered the “oil of immortality” for the skin, with strong regenerative and anti-aging properties.\r\nHerb: It is used in some cases as a decoction to strengthen the digestive system.\r\nNote: If you buy Sempreviva from Kythira, remember to never put it in water! The secret of its “immortality” is dryness.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n

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Amaranthus or Sempreviva is not just a flower for Kythera, it is the symbol of the island, a living legend that “refuses” to die. Although we find it in various areas, the Kytherian variety has become completely identified with the local tradition and economy of the island. Amaranth or May or tears of the Virgin […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44478,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[259],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44479","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-kythira"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kithera.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44479","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kithera.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kithera.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kithera.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kithera.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44479"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.kithera.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44479\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kithera.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44478"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kithera.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kithera.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kithera.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}