With a Burst of Yellow, Italy Celebrates International Women’s Day

Italy has feted International Women’s Day with mimosa since 1946 following a proposal by Teresa Mattei, a combatting partigiana (partisan) in WWII and later one of the youngest members of the Italian Parliament.

The predominant floral symbols of the day had always been violets and lilies-of-the-valley: scarce and costly in March in Italy. For her country’s International Women’s Day symbol, Mattei proposed the mimosa, a simple seasonal flower.

Celebrated around the globe on March 8, the origins of International Women’s Day date back to the early 1900s, tracing its history to women’s protests and movements in Russia, Europe and North America. The United Nations officially recognized International Women’s Day in 1975.

Mimosa trees (Acacia dealbata) in Italy grow primarily along the mild coastal regions, with over 90 percent produced in Liguria. They thrive in warm, sunny, frost-free climates, blooming from February to March, often found on coastal dunes in Sardinia and in gardens across central Italy.

As gifts for the special women in one’s life, florists offer bouquets of all sizes highlighted with vibrant yellow mimosa for the March 8 holiday. Mimosa sprays also honor deceased loved ones. 

In Italy – where cuisine is a cultural phenomenon and linked to every festival – mimosa stars in the pasticccerie, especially around International Women’s Day. The torta di mimosa (“mimosa cake”) is sold in many a pastry shop.Happy International Women’s Day