Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants and Trees

t took homo sapiens — the human being — aeons to learn to walk on his two feet, and to turn his grunts into the rudiments of speech, so he could communicate sensibly with his fellow men. It took him thousands of years to discover the making of fire which enabled him to roast and cook his food. It took many more thousands of years to invent the club, the ax, the bow and the arrow, so he could hunt more easily for food animals; to learn how to till the soil, plant and harvest crops; and finally foresake his cave for a dwelling he built himself. And throughout all this time of evolution, where man lived out in the open, he was surrounded by flowers, plants and trees appealing to all his five senses: to his sight, touch, taste, smell, and even to his hearing, warning him by the rustling of leaves and grasses, the rasping of branches, the snapping of breaking twigs, and the crackling of fallen leaves underfoot of any approaching danger by man and beast alike. The behavior of the plants around man was always peaceful and soothing, and man found that there is no such thing as an ugly flower, a menacing plant or an angry tree. Man’s mind became attached to these friendly beings, willingly lending themselves to his needs, giving him food and shelter and pleasing impressions for all his senses. Flowers were the first decorative implement for the earliest attempts of man to adorn himself; they grew all around him and were his just for the taking. Throughout human history flowers, plants and trees became so interwoven with man’s daily life that they developed into symbols for his expressions and sentiments, his passions and affections, his beliefs and religions, his fears and superstitions. In Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Nordic mythology, in the Scriptures and Biblical legends, in Oriental beliefs and Occidental lore the fertile human mind assigned the medicinal and nutritious properties of plants, the beauty and fragrance of their leaves, flowers and blossoms as floral symbols to gods and deities, and representations for seasons and months of the year. They became heraldic devices of rulers and states, and badges for heroes and saints; floral emblems of feasts and events, and decorations for religious and worldly ceremonies; flowery expressions of love and desire, and tokens of admiration and reverence. The religious, legendary and symbolic meaning attached to many a plant in bygone days was handed down to us throughout the ages, and is still valid today. We still use many special plants, flowers and trees in accordance with their age-old symbolism for Easter, Christmas, St. Patrick’s and other holidays, for weddings and anniversaries, for funerals and memorials, in valentines for mother and sweetheart, and for many other occasions.