Brewer's: Flowers and Trees

(1) Dedicated to heathen gods:

The Cornel cherry-tree to Apollo

The Cypress to Pluto.

The Dittany to The Moon.

The Laurel to Apollo.

The Lily to Juno.

The Maiden's-hair to Pluto.

The Myrtle to Venus.

The Narcissus to Cerës.

The Oak to Jupiter.

The Olive to Minerva.

The Poppy to Cerës.

The Vine to Bacchus

(2) Dedicated to saints;

Canterbury Bells to St. Augustine of England.

Crocus to St. Valentine.

Crown Imperial to Edward the Confessor.

Daisy to St. Margaret.

Herb Christophe to St. Christopher.

Lady's-smock to The Virgin-Mary.

Rose to Mary Magdalene.

St. John's-wort to St. John.

St. Barnaby's Thistle to St. Barnabas.

(3) National emblems:

Leek emblem of Wales.

Lily (“Fleur-de-lys ” France.)

Lily (“Giglio Blanco ” Florence.)

Lily White “the Ghibelline badge”.

Lily red “badge of the Guelphs.”

“Linden ” Prussia.

“Mignonette ” Saxony.

“Pomegranate ” Spain.

“Rose ” England.

“Rose red ” Lancastrians

“Rose white ” Yorkists.

“Shamrock ” Ireland.

“Thistle ” Scotland.

“Violet ” Athens and Napoleon

“Sugar Maple ” Canada.

(4) Symbols.

Box is a symbol of the resurrection.

“Cedars ” the faithful.

“Corn-ears ” the Holy Communion.

“Dates ” the faithful.

“Grapes ” this is my blood.

“Holly ” the resurrection.

“Ivy ” the resurrection.

“Lily ” purity.

“Olive ” peace.

“Orange-blossom ” virginity.

“Palm ” victory.

“Rose ” incorruption.

“Vine ” Christ our Life.

“Yew ” death.

N.B.—The laurel, oak, olive, myrtle, rosemary, cypress, and amaranth are all funereal plants.

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
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