Chapter 14 - Plants

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any person martyred for his or her faith in God. Palm branches are frequently found held in the hands of martyrs when they are depicted in art. 3. In the early church, the palm tree was used interchangeably with the Tree of Life.

PANSY – 1. The pansy symbolizes meditation and remembrance. 2. The pansy’s three colors can represent the Trinity.

PASSION FLOWER – A flower named after the Passion of Jesus on the cross. Spanish missionaries, when they discovered the plant, connected its various parts to Jesus’ crucifixion. The numerous filaments radiating from the center of the flower represent the crown

of thorns. The ten petals symbolize the ten apostles who were faithful to Him. The three stigma symbolize the three nails used to hold Jesus to the cross and the five anthers symbolize the five wounds Jesus received.1

PEACH – 1. The peach is symbolic of virtue. 2. The peach symbolizes redemption. Like the orange, the

peach can appear in paintings of Jesus (second man) and the Virgin Mary (the second woman) to symbolize the conquering of the fall.

PEAR – The pear is a symbol of Jesus’ love for us.

PLANE TREE – The plane tree represents Christian charity because it spreads its branches high and wide.

PLANTAIN – The plantain symbolizes the pilgrim’s journey to Christ. This is because the plant was frequently seen growing along paths and roads.

PLUM – 1. The plum is symbolic of fidelity and inde-pendence. 2. The plum, like the vine, was frequently used to fill in space in paintings and architecture. In this context it has no meaning.

POMEGRANATE – The pomegranate symbolizes the church. The pomegranate’s many seeds symbolize the believers who make up the church. 2. The sweet red juice of the pomegranate represents the blood of the martyrs. 3. The pomegranate symbolizes the resur-rection. This is true when paintings depict it being held by Jesus. 4. A symbolic meaning of less significance in Christianity is that of fertility.

POPPY – 1. The poppy is a symbol of sleep and death. 2. Because the poppy is a blood red color it can symbolize Jesus’ death on the cross. 3. Ignorance. 4. A careless attitude.

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