The Smeraldo Flower: A Dip Into Modern-Day Symbolism

Anaya Umer investigates the seemingly true folktale behind a perfect flower.

The Smeraldo Flower is a flower said to be found in a secluded region in northern Italy. Resembling an orchid in shape, these plants’ striking blue-purple petals hold a mysterious meaning in the historical language of flowers: “The truth that couldn’t be told”.

The flower's message is rooted in the tragic Italian folktale of a disfigured man who found solace in isolation. Our story begins in the city of Smeraldo in Italy during the late 15th century. A nobles’ bastard lived in an ancient castle in exile, spending his days tending to his flowers. One day the man discovered a young woman from the nearby town stealing his flowers; he was initially enraged upon learning that his peace had been intruded upon but later learnt she sold those flowers to make a living. Seeing himself in the woman’s struggle, the man desired to help her, however, fearing her disgust due to his disfigured face, he resigned himself to growing a special flower that could earn her more money. The man laboured for weeks, creating the perfect flower that would capture the attention of all. Once he was satisfied, he placed his creation in his garden, awaiting her presence. The man waited what seemed like years for her to return, only for him to later discover that she had died. 

This story was heard by an unknown poet who stumbled upon the flowers years after the man had passed. Devastated by the tragedy, the man named the flowers after the town and gave them their meaning. This founded the Smeraldo as an anchor for grief and missed connections, establishing the fear of being seen as one of the greatest human pitfalls. The flower serves as a marker for human insecurity, symbolising the beautiful, artificial masks we construct to shield our authentic selves from the vulnerability of life and love. 

My personal favourite representation of this tragic motif is in BTS’s haunting ballad ‘The Truth Untold’. The folklore of the flower is woven into an anthem for an immensely connected, yet severely lonely generation. Through utilising this historic symbol, the track explores the universal paralysis of fear and self-doubt. The flower becomes a physical manifestation of the musical landscape, capturing the exact moment fear overrides the desire for genuine connection. 

Despite everything you’ve learnt, I have yet to reveal the most poignant aspect of the Smeraldo flowers.

The flower’s entire history is a lie. There is no Italian folklore, no ancient castle, and no such blue flower. The flower was carefully fabricated in 2017 by BTS’ company, BigHit Entertainment as part of a global marketing campaign. This deception was carefully planned through the fabrication of a whole mythosphere using fake blogs, artificial historical societies, and real-world pop-ups. This multi-million-dollar corporation weaponised the sanctity of human emotional connection to drive commercial consumption—revealing the intersectionality of capitalist marketing and traditional storytelling. 

Ultimately, the Smeraldo flower holds another meaning. It redefines what a symbol can be in the 21st century. It proves a symbol doesn’t need historical or cultural authenticity for human resonance. The tale is nothing more than a capitalist mirage designed as another cog in the machine of the global market. Nonetheless, the flower and its tale may be fake, but the tears shed by the audience and the emotional truths unlocked remain real.

by Anaya Umer