Plants Like trees and flowers, plants symbolize death and resurrection; the life-force; the cycle of

Plants

Like trees and flowers, plants symbolize death and resurrection; the life-force; the cycle of life.

Plant and flower symbolism is closely connected with the Great Mother, goddess of the earth, of fertility and vegetation; it is also associated with the fertility of the life-giving waters; the sap-filled plant is motherhood.

Plants and trees are often regarded as mythical ancestors and usually associated with the moon cult.

Plants or flowers which grow from the spilled blood of a god or hero represent the mystic union between man and plant and the birth of life from death, life flowing from one state to another, e.g. violets grew from the blood of Attis; wheat and herbs grew from the body of Osiris; and pomegranate from the blood of Dionysus, anemones from the blood of Adonis and red roses from the blood of Christ.

In Chinese symbolism the plant Polyporus lucidus is the plant of immortality and is the food of the Taoist genii or immortals.

[Source: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Traditional Symbols by J.C. Cooper]