Plant Symbolism Archives

November 4, 2022November 5, 2022

Pumpkin Symbolism and Spiritual Meaning

An assortment of different types of pumpkins.

Pumpkin Symbolism and Spiritual Meaning

Pumpkins evoke the magic of the Fall season. When we think of pumpkins, we are reminded of jack-o-lanterns sitting on porches for Halloween, the scent of pumpkin pie baking for Thanksgiving festivities; the warmth of pumpkin-scented candles, and the return of (gasp!) pumpkin spice.

The Quintessential Symbol of Autumn

Pumpkins are intricately connected to Autumn and its various festivities, especially Samhain. Pumpkins help to unveil the intrigue, mystery, and magic of this supernatural time, as pumpkins are intricately connected to the Underworld and the Goddess of Magic.

Lit Pumpkins Guide Spirits and Ancestors

When the veil is at its thinnest, and the spirits of our ancestors and not-so-familiar spirits find purchase in the physical realm once again, it is the glow of carved pumpkins lit with candles from within that help guide the path — or steer them away.

A photo of orange pumpkins taken with a selective focus lens.

Pumpkins Remind Us of Mortality and to Respect the Dead

The spirits of the dead return for a brief moment to remind us that all that is living will one day pass away. In this regard, pumpkins also carry with them the sobering message of our mortality and respect for those that have passed before us.

All Things Come to an End

With the arrival of pumpkins also comes the awareness all things come to an end. The sweltering heat of the summer season is making way for the settling chill of autumn and winter.

Reaping the Fruits of Our Labor

All the planning, preparation, and sowing we had engaged in at the beginning of the growing season now come full circle, and we see the fruits of our labor. The time of growth has come to an end, and now it’s time to harvest and store.

Pumpkins Symbolize Wealth and Prosperity

Pumpkins share many associations with wealth, abundance, and prosperity. It is said that dreaming of a pumpkin patch is a sign that you will come into wealth. This makes perfect sense because being fortunate enough to have a pumpkin patch means having access to abundant fruit that can be used in many fortuitous ways.

Pumpkin Seeds Mean Opportunity

Pumpkin seeds especially seem to evoke the promise of wealth and abundance to come since pumpkins are replete with them and having so many seeds means many opportunities to grow the fruits that will lead to budding prosperity.

Three pumpkins — large and small — resting on a haystack with strings of orange lights in the background.

Pumpkin Fun Facts

Pumpkins are one of the oldest domesticated plants, with evidence of their use dating as far back as 7,500 to 5,000 B.C.

“Winter Squash” Pie

The pumpkins used for carving jack-o-lanterns are usually not the “pumpkins” used in the canned pumpkin puree, and pie filling found at the grocery store. The canned pumpkin puree is usually made from winter squash, most often butternut squash.

Where Does the Name “Pumpkin” Come From?

The word pumpkin originates from the Greek word pepon (πέπων), which means “large melon,” and is typically used to describe something round and large.

Two bright orange pumpkins on a dark gray wooden surface.

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An assortment of pumpkins of various colors, large and small, surrounded by twigs and fall leaves.

Pumpkin: All Hallow’s Gourd

It’s Halloween night. A certain fresh briskness fills the air as children dressed as goblins, ghouls, superheroes, and witches scanter excitedly from house to house, pillaging the neighborhood for treats. In the backdrop of the dark of night is the Autumn leaves, providing a certain fiery orange glow that seems to …

Oshun and Pumpkin Mythology

Oshun is a Yoruban river goddess (orisha) of fertility, love, and wealth and is intricately connected to the magic of pumpkins. As legend would have it, she even stores her magical tools and ingredients in a pumpkin. Pumpkins are sacred to Oshun, and the pumpkin fruit and its seeds are all considered children of Oshun. Therefore …

A jack o' lantern draped in faux spiderwebs.

Legend of Stingy Jack • The Story of Jack of the Lantern

Stingy Jack was a drunkard who was known to frequent various villages in Ireland. He was a nuisance with a reputation for being manipulative, deceptive, and general societal runoff. Stories of Stingy Jack’s misdeeds were the everyday talk of the townsfolk, to the point where Satan could not help but overhear …

September 10, 2022September 11, 2022

Honeysuckle Symbolism and Meaning

Understanding the Symbolism of Honeysuckle

With sweet nectar that is the substance of delight of many of the most blissful childhood memories, and a honeyed smell with pleasant, fruity undertones, it only makes sense that honeysuckle has become so symbolic of all that comprises the sweet, happy side of life.

Honeysuckle Expresses the Bonds of Nostalgia

The way honeysuckle clings and binds devotedly to buildings and walls as if almost embracing them engenders a yearning nostalgia for a time when we were young and felt that same devoted, unconditional love and the comfort of being cherished by those who nurtured us.

A Symbol of Dedication and Devotion

The climbing branches of the honeysuckle vine seem to dedicate themselves indiscriminately to any surface, no matter how unsightly or unlikely that surface may be. This habit of the vine has become a lesson of what dedication and devotion to love looks like.

Honeysuckle Attracts Good Things

Honeysuckle attracts all the good things of nature, from the beautiful hummingbird and industrious honeybees to the pleasant and uplifting aromatic winds by which happiness and good fortune arrive. The vine portends that sweet and good things are on the horizon.

The Spiritual Side of Honeysuckle

As honeysuckle’s pungent, sweet-smelling aroma has the power to penetrate through to the spiritual mind and bring one’s consciousness to an elevated state, it is also representative of numinous and mystical matters.

Honeysuckle is an Emblem of Fidelity

As an impeccably hardy vine and quite difficult to kill once it has established itself in the garden has led to honeysuckle becoming an emblem of long-lasting dedication and fidelity. Honeysuckle’s magic is often used to inspire potential marriage and to help encourage faithfulness and loyalty.

Honeysuckle Interesting Facts

Hummingbirds love honeysuckle flowers and the sweet nectar inside, especially orange honeysuckle. It’s sturdy, twine-like stems have been used to fashion ropes as far back as the Bronze Age.

Honeysuckle Attracts Hummingbird Hawk-Moths

Nocturnal and night-flying moths, such as the hummingbird hawk-moth, have a particular interest in honeysuckle as a food source and can detect its tantalizing scent up to a quarter-mile away.

How Did Honeysuckle Get its Name?

Honeysuckle’s quaint name is a consequence of the practice that children have had of biting off the ends of honeysuckle flowers to “suckle” on the sweet, tasty nectar found inside.

What Kind of Honeysuckle is Invasive?

Some species of honeysuckle, such as Japanese honeysuckle, Chinese honeysuckle, and white honeysuckle, are incredibly invasive and have experienced overwhelming growth on most continents.

Are Honeysuckle Berries Poisonous?

While most honeysuckle berries are poisonous, there are some breeds, such as blue honeysuckle, that produce edible berries that are grown for home and commercial use.

Honeysuckle and the Language of Flowers

In the Language of Flowers, honeysuckle stands for bonds of devoted love, fidelity, and spiritual vision.

Pink and light pink honeysuckle flowers and vine against a black background.

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Honeysuckle: The Hummingbird’s Joy

Honeysuckle exudes happiness and abundance. From its sweet and fruity, elevating fragrance to its curiously-shaped petals that house delectably tasty nectar inside, honeysuckle is exactly what occurs when Mother Nature decides to spoil us with her bounty. Moreover, unlike most wonderful and pleasant …

August 16, 2022August 19, 2022

Why Are Baby’s Breath Flowers so Popular at Weddings?

Love and Baby’s Breath Flowers

Baby’s Breath flowers and weddings go together like cake and ice cream. You’ll find that many soon-to-be-wed couples will incorporate Baby’s Breath flowers in their wedding decor.

Baby’s Breath Flowers and Marriage

The result is a dazzling and captivating visual array that brings beauty and grace to the wedding ceremony. Moreover, there is also deep symbolism involved in the tradition of using Baby’s Breath flowers for marital ceremonies.

How Baby’s Breath Flowers Came to Symbolize Everlasting Love

Baby’s Breath flowers have come to symbolize everlasting love. This is because they keep their visual beauty long after they’ve been cut and even dried.

A white rose and white baby's breath bouquet with decorative silver accents.

Couples Want Their Love to Last Forever Like Baby’s Breath

Of course, every newlywed couple wants their love to span through the ages. They also desire that their love stay as delightful and enchanting as the first day their love bloomed — just like Baby’s Breath flowers.

Give the Blessing of Baby’s Breath Flowers for a Happy Union

You can let the lovebirds know that you, too, wish them a long-lasting and happy union with a gift of Baby’s Breath flowers. Red roses and baby’s breath bouquets are pretty popular. They combine the intense romantic symbolism of roses with the enduring charm of Baby’s Breath flowers.

Baby’s Breath Flowers Fun Facts

Baby’s Breath is a member of the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae). The botanical name of Baby’s Breath, gypsophila, comes from the Greek roots gypsos, which means “gypsum,” and philia, which translates to “loving.” This results from Baby’s Breath flowers love to grow in gypsum-rich (chalky) soils.

Why is it Called Baby’s Breath?

The name Baby’s Breath references the plant’s appearance. During the summer, when it blooms, tiny white flowers appear like puffs of delicate clouds, evoking the innocence and purity of a “baby’s breath.”

White baby's breath flowers in a decorative wedding vase hanging on a wall.

The Taste of Baby’s Breath Flowers

Certain types of Baby’s Breath flowers are used in ice cream, liquor, and even cheese as the plant provides a crisp texture, unique aroma, and flavor. Halva, a sweet, condensed dessert usually made with flour or sesame paste and nut butter sometimes includes Baby’s Breath flowers as an ingredient.

What Does Baby’s Breath Flowers Smell Like?

Don’t let the name mislead you. Baby’s Breath doesn’t smell like a “baby’s breath.” Many have described the scent of Baby’s Breath flowers as quite unpleasant – rancid or similar to saliva.

Baby's breath flowers wrapped in brown paper sitting on a picnic table at the beach.

A.K.A Soapwort

Baby’s Breath is sometimes referred to as soapwort, which is probably no coincidence, as it has qualities that lend themselves well to being included in soaps and shampoos.

Does Baby’s Breath Attract Bees?

Baby’s Breath flowers attract both bees and butterflies.

How Many Species of Baby’s Breath Flowers Are There?

There are over 150 species of Baby’s Breath flowers in the gypsophila genus.

White baby's breath flowers in a glass jar near a chalkboard menu and clear plastic cups.

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Bouquets of white baby's breath flowers wrapped in cellophane.

Baby’s Breath Flowers: The Breath of Innocence

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Close-up of white baby's breath flowers.

Baby’s Breath Flowers Spiritual Meaning

The world can seem so mundane. We’re surrounded by brick, concrete, and metals in shades of dim silver and muted browns. There is a lot that makes up our day-to-day that is so depressingly uninspired. Thus, it can be difficult to catch a glimpse of the Divine in a world with so many shades of gray. But the sight of Baby’s Breath flowers in bloom can …

Baby’s Breath Flowers Colors and Meanings

White Baby’s Breath flowers appear like freshly-fallen snow resting delicately on the thin, green stems. They are a beautiful burst of cleansing energy with uniformly pure, snow-white petals. Associated with all that is good and wholesome, White Baby’s Breath flowers capture the essence of …

Jasmine: The Moonlight on the Grove

Known colloquially as the “Moonlight on the Grove,” Jasmine’s sensuous and mystical power is fabled to be able to attract many of the treasures that one might seek. The flower is beloved and revered in India, used in religious festivals and marriage ceremonies, and the Chinese are known to be fond of jasmine-flower tea. Though she loves …

August 6, 2022August 6, 2022

The Harbinger of Spring: Lilac Flower Meaning and Symbolism

Lilac Flower Meaning and Symbolism

During the Easter season, as the landscape transforms into the blossoming bounty that is the spring, curious magic takes hold — the lilac flower heads into the peak of its bloom. We are so fortunate that these paschal flowers bloom so early — earlier than many — as their tantalizing scent romances us and lulls us into the ascent of spring into summertime.

Lilac Flowers is a Harbinger of Spring

Because of lilac’s early bloom, lilacs have come to be known as one of the harbingers of the spring and a symbol of the rebirth, renewal, and new beginnings that accompany this season.

The Scent of Lilac Puts Love on the Mind

However, these blooms only last for a short time — just three weeks — a fleeting enchantment. But as they bloom and we are made to be intoxicated by their mystifying scent, a spell takes hold that puts love on the mind.

Pink and purple lilac flowers in a basket under bright sunlight.

Lilac Flowers Inspire Summer Lovin’

Hence lilac has always had a close kinship with love and romance, but more the “summer love” type of romance — the kind that warms the fires at the beginning of the summer season but cools as the autumn comes. Just like its short-lived floral blooms, the types of relationships that lilac symbolizes and even celebrates are the ones that burn brightly for a short while.

The Lesson of Lilac: Love and Let Go

Lilac seems to grant permission to enjoy the casual, flirty summer romance that may bloom and wilt quickly. The key is to enjoy it while it lasts — become enraptured in all of love’s rapturous energy — and be ready to let it go without mournful attachment.

Lilac Flowers Symbolize Change

As the lilac flower blooms and paints the horizon with bright and lively purple pops, they also signal that change is coming. Nature will soon transition into the summer season, as bouquets of color burst forth from flowering trees that will eventually bear fruit.

Embrace A Change of Pace

It’s time to perhaps engage in personal changes as well. Seeing lilacs might inspire you to do a little spring cleaning or shed some of that winter weight in anticipation of the summer.

Lilac Represents Confidence

Where the lilac flower blooms, it blooms confidently and boldly, unafraid to provide such a stark contrast to the surrounding landscape with its eye-popping color. It’s no wonder that lilac shares an association with confidence and self-assurance.

The Perfect Graduation Gift

As lilac flowers bloom just in time for graduation season, it’s not uncommon to give a bouquet of lilacs to a graduate to instill fortitude and conviction.

Close-up of pastel purple lilac flowers.

The Meaning of Lilac Flower’s Colors

The different colors of lilac flowers symbolize different sentiments.

White Lilac Meaning

Not surprisingly, white lilac evokes purity and innocence.

Blue Lilac Meaning

Blue lilac pops with such an evocative yet soothing hue that it fosters joy and peace.

Violet Lilac Meaning

The electric, bluish-purple glow of violet lilac stimulates the mystical and numinous aspects of the mind, body, and spirit. Magenta lilac rouses love and passion,

Purple Lilac Flower Meaning

Lilac, in its original, bright purple form, reminds us of first love.

A tan and yellow vase full of white, purple, and magenta lilac flowers.

Lilac Mythology: The Story of Syrinx and Pan

Syrinx (also known as Syringa) was a beautiful, chaste naiad who served the goddess Artemis dutifully and faithfully. Her mesmerizing beauty caught the attention of none other than Pan, god of the forest. He could not help but give in to his amorous proclivities, deciding to pursue the river nymph aggressively.

Syrinx Transforms into a Lilac Bush

Syrinx was frightened by the forest god’s advance and turned into a lilac bush to preserve and protect herself from Pan. This proved to be ample camouflage from Pan, who could not find Syrinx after her transformation. He did, however, notice the lilac bush with its hollow branches.

Lilac Becomes the First Pan Pipe

Thus the god decided to amuse himself by cutting off branches of the lilac bush and fashioning it into what became the first pan pipe — called a syrinx. This name coincides with lilac’s scientific name, syringa vulgaris.

A wooden crate filled with white and purple lilac blooms, with a blue curtain in the background.

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A lilac tree with deep, purple blooms covered in dew and sitting in a darkened garden.

Lilac: The Paschal Bloom

The first sight of lilac flowers blooming in the spring can be startling. After leaving the leaden haze of winter, with the cold and crisp still on the mind and in the bones, the idea that Spring has arrived and the world will blossom soon can feel like giving in to a dangerous hope. But then, there it is — a burst of bright, purple color on the horizon that is …