Various folk cultures and traditions assign symbolic meanings to plants. Although these are no longer commonly understood by populations that are increasingly divorced from their rural traditions, some meanings survive. In addition, these meanings are alluded to in older pictures, songs and writings. New symbols have also arisen: one of the most known in the United Kingdom is the red poppy as a symbol of remembrance of the fallen in war.
List
A
Plant Culture Meaning Abatina FloriographyFickleness Acacia general Ancient China The gods of the North Ancient Egypt Protection, the god OsirisFloriography Friendship; chaste love; pink Floriography Elegance yellow Floriography Secret Love rose or white Floriography Elegance; platonic love Acanthus General Floriography Art, artificeBears breeches Ancient Rome Rebirth and prosperity Adder's tongue Floriography Deceit Adonis' flower Floriography Painful recollection, sorrowful remembrances Agrimonia FloriographyThankfulness, gratitude Ailanthus Floriography Lofty aspirations Alder Ancient Greece The fire-bringer PhoroneusGerman folklore Seduction, trickery, enchantment Allium Floriography Patience, good fortune, prosperity, unity Almond general Ancient Greece The god AttisFloriographyProsperity, wisdom, money, promise; springtime, creationJudaism Light, the tree of life, divinity, life Common Floriography Indiscretion and thoughtlessness, stupidity Flowering Floriography Hope Laural Floriography Perfidity Allspice FloriographyCompassion Aloe Floriography Grief, affliction, religious superstition Aloysia Floriography Forgiveness Alyssum Floriography Worth beyond beauty Amaranth general Floriography Immortality Amaranth (Cockscomb) Floriography Foppery, affectation Amaranth (Globe) Floriography Immortal love, hard working, unchangeable Prince's feather Floriography Immortality, unfading Amaryllis Floriography Pride, timidity, splendid beauty; hope and achievement. Ambrosia Floriography Love is reciprocated American Cowslip Floriography You are my divinity, divine beauty American Elm Floriography Patriotism American Linden Floriography Matrimony American Starwort Floriography Welcome to a stranger, Cheerfulness in old age Anemone General Floriography Brevity, withered hopes; anticipation Zephyr Flower Floriography Sickness; expectation Garden Floriography Forsaken Angelica FloriographyInspiration Angrec Floriography Royalty Anthurium FloriographyHospitality, happiness, abundance Apple general Love, healing, immortality, preferenceAncient Greece Love, marriageFloriographyTemptation; Celtic tradition Truth, peace, beauty; harmony, prosperity, good fortune Blossom Floriography Preference, better things to come, good fortune; fame speaks him great and good Thorn Floriography Deceitful charms Apricot LoveFloriographyTemptation; doubt; Arborvitae Floriography Everlasting friendship, "live for me"; "thine till death" Arbutus Floriography Simplicity; you are the only one I love Arnica Floriography "Let me heal thy grief" ArumFloriographyArdour; Ancient Rome Fertility AshFloriography Grandeur; Ancient Greece/among Irish migrants Good luck at sea; Native American Calmness, sacrifice, sensibility Celtic tradition Protection from sorcery and fire Ash-leaved Trumpet Flower Floriography Separation Aspen Floriography Excess of sensibility; lamentation AsphodelAncient Greece The underworld, death, food of the deadFloriography Death, the underworld; "my regrets follow you to the grave"; remembered beyond the tomb Aster Floriography Symbol of love, daintiness, talisman of love, trusting; cheerfulness in old age Astragalus Floriography Your presence softens my pain Auricula General Floriography Painting Scarlet Floriography Avarice Azalea China WomanhoodFloriography Take care, temperance, fragile, gratitude, passion
B
Plant Culture Meaning Baby's breath Floriography Innocence, purity of heart Balm Floriography Sympathy Balm of Gilead Floriography Cure, relief; sympathetic feeling Balsam Red Floriography Touch me not; ardent love; impatient resolves Yellow Floriography Impatience BamboogeneralChina Modesty, prosperity, filial piety, integrity, chastity, purityKorea Good luck, resilience, flexibility, integrity, chastity, purityJapan ImmortalityBuddhism SpiritualityVietnam Unity, optimism, work ethic Hinduism The god Krishna Shintoism ProtectionGiant thorny bamboo India Shelter, audience, friendship Banyan Hinduism Knowledge, divinity Baobab Life, passage to and from the spirit world Barberry Floriography Sourness of temper, petulance Basil Floriography Hate; (archaic) poverty BayFloriography Glory, (in a wreath) reward of merit; "I change but in death" Bayberry Floriography "I respect thy tears"Bearded Crepis Floriography Protection Beech Knowledge; FloriographyProsperity; Ancient Rome Sacred tree of JoveNative American Tolerance, criticism Begonia Floriography Beware; a fanciful nature; deformity Bellflower Floriography Unwavering love, a constant heart gratitude, constancy Bells of Ireland Floriography Good luck Belvedere Floriography I declare against you Betony Floriography Surprise Bilberry Floriography Treachery; Celtic tradition Harvest Bindweed Great Floriography Insinuation Small Floriography Humility Birch Protection, purification, exorcism; the goddesses Freya and Frigg, motherhood, bosomFloriography Elegance; Meekness; Siberian shamanism Bridge to the spirit world Bird's-foot trefoil Floriography Revenge Bird of paradise flower Floriography Liberty, magnificence, good perspective, joyfulness; faithfulnessBlack-eyed Susan JusticeBlack oak Strength, durability, wisdom, and endurance Blackthorn Floriography Fate, protection, hope against adversity, good fortune; difficulty Bladdernut Floriography Frivolous amusement; a trifling characterBladderwort Inner Strength and Duality Bleeding Heart, Asian / Lamprocapnos Rejected love, passionate love, unconditional love, compassion Bluebell Floriography Loyalty, constancy, humility & gratitude Bog-rosemary Floriography Bound by fate; "Will you help me?" Boxwood Floriography Firmness and stoicism, constancy Borage Floriography Bluntness, abruptness Bouncing bet Floriography Intrusion Bouvardia Floriography Enthusiasm Bramble Floriography Lowliness, envy, remorse Broom Floriography Humility and neatness Browallia Floriography "Can you bear poverty?" Brugmansia Vivacity, vibrancy, health, danger Buckbean Floriography Calm repose Bulrush Floriography Docility; indiscretion; indecision Bugloss Floriography Falsehood Burdock Floriography Importunity, touch me not Buttercup Floriography Sarcasm, ingratitude; childishness; riches, memories of childhood Butterfly Weed Floriography Let me go
C