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Nothing announces the arrival of springtime like a colorful gathering of Easter flowers. I love to see all of the Easter flowers and plants blooming around my neighborhood. I always pause a few extra moments to look at the delicate white blossoms of the flowering dogwood trees in my area. In fact, these unique trees are a memorable sight during all four seasons of the year. Not surprisingly, there is a history behind a lot of the Easter flowers and plants that we get to admire. I thought I would use this week’s blog to take a closer look at the histories of some notable Easter blooms. Enjoy!
The Flowering Dogwood Tree
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A flowering dogwood tree has white, pink, or red blossoms that appear in the springtime. If you look closely at one of these blossoms, you’ll see a gathering of yellow flowers in its center. A flowering dogwood grows to be about 20 to 30 feet high. It is said that the cross on which Jesus was crucified was made out of a dogwood tree. The story goes that Jesus understood the dogwood tree’s sadness at being used to make a cross, so he gave the tree small, crooked branches so it could never be made into another cross. To some, the gathering of yellow flowers at the center of a dogwood blossom represents Christ’s crown of thorns, and the white bracts, or petals, of a dogwood tree have a little bit of red on them to symbolize his blood.
The Scarlet Passion Flower
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The Scarlet Passion Flower is hard to miss in a garden. It has long green leaves and bright red petals. Every part of this flower can be seen as a symbol connected with Easter. For instance, the stigma of the Passion Flower is made up of three parts that represent the nails used during the crucifixion of Jesus. Ten of the disciples (Peter and Judas are excluded) are represented by the ten large scarlet petals of this flower. The five stamens of the flower stand for the five wounds suffered by Jesus on the cross. Lastly, the corona of the flower represents the crown of thorns.
The Crucifix Orchid
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The Crucifix Orchid can be seen in a variety of colors including red, orange, purple, yellow, and salmon. These are hardy flowers that love to grow in full sunlight. The labellum, or center part of this flower, has the appearance of a small cross. This feature has made the Crucifix Orchid a familiar sight during the Easter season.
The Easter Lily
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The Easter Lily is one of the more well-known Easter flowers. Its long green stem and pure white petals are a stunning addition to any garden. Though the Easter Lily doesn’t have any connection with the Bible, it is seen as a symbol of the renewed hope and life that comes with spring. Easter Lilies are popular gifts that symbolize the season.
So, take a few extra moments to look for all of the Easter flowers and plants in your area. I hope you enjoy this year’s gathering of new blossoms!