All through historical past, vegetation have performed a symbolic position in human burial practices as elements of graveyard landscapes and on particular person tombstones. The which means of every vegetation can differ relying on non secular affiliations.
As a part of a analysis undertaking carried out by means of the William L. Brown Heart and College of Missouri St. Louis, Tonia O’Neal put collectively the next checklist of some extra frequent plant depictions on monuments in St. Louis.
Flowers
Almond Blossoms, Prunus dulcis, symbolize rebirth.
Bellflower, any species of Campanula, is a logo for consistency, like a church bell that rings at particular occasions.
Carnations, dianthus caryophyllus, set at a headstone are meant to symbolize the ardour of Christ.
Clover, the frequent identify for any species of Trifolium, is taken into account a logo for the trinity due to its three leaf sample. It’s also a logo of Eire and should symbolize the placement of the deceased’s house nation.
Daisies, bellis perennis, typically adorn kids’s headstones as a result of they symbolize innocence. The simplicity of this flower made it an early addition to tombstone iconography as a result of it was simpler to create with primitive strategies.
Lilies, that are any species of Lilium, represents purity, charity, and hope.
Lily of the Valley, Convallaria majalis, is just not a lily. It’s a herbaceous perennial that produces white flowers. At gravesites, it symbolizes innocence.
Pansies, Viola × wittrockiana, are a logo of modesty and humility.
Ardour flowers, together with a number of species of Passiflora, Passiflora caerulea, tackle a Christian context, symbolizing Christ’s crucifixion, and redemption.
Roses are wealthy in symbolism. The which means assigned to roses in life are additionally assigned to headstones. Pink roses symbolize ardour, white symbolize purity and peace, and yellow roses friendship.
Meals Vegetation
Grapes at graves are supposed to symbolize the blood of Christ. When paired with wheat the scene represents the Holy Communion.
Wheat, Triticum aestivum, by itself symbolizes rebirth, lifeforce, and mankind. When proven in a grouping, it represents an extended life.
Olive, Olea europaea, symbolizes justice and peace, simply as mirrored within the expression, “to increase an olive department.”
Hops adorn the grave of Adolphus Busch, co-founder of a brewery Anheuser-Busch. That is an instance of plant iconography distinctive to a person. Hops, a key ingredient in beer, symbolize his brewing profession.