The act of giving a plant to someone experiencing loss offers a tangible, lasting symbol of comfort, unlike a bouquet of cut flowers. A living plant represents enduring life, growth, and the continuation of memory. Watching a plant thrive can become a small, hopeful focus for the recipient during a period of profound sorrow. This gesture serves as a quiet reminder of support, blossoming into a memorial that can last for years.
Traditional Indoor Sympathy Plants
The most common indoor offering is the Peace Lily, or Spathiphyllum, recognized for its deep green foliage and distinctive white, hood-like spathes. These plants are popular choices because the white bloom symbolizes peace, purity, and rebirth, offering a serene presence in a home or funeral setting. The Peace Lily is also known for its durability and tolerance for lower light conditions, making it relatively simple to care for when a person’s focus is elsewhere.
European dish gardens are another frequent choice, which consist of a container holding an arrangement of multiple small, low-maintenance plants. These gardens often contain a variety of tropical foliage plants like palms, ivy, or other green varieties, creating a miniature landscape. The combination offers a rich texture and lasting greenery, and the collection of different plants can symbolize a community of support surrounding the grieving person.
Meaning and Symbolism of Specific Varieties
Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) is associated with remembrance, making it a classic choice for honoring a loved one’s memory. A small potted rosemary plant provides a fragrant, living token.
The Hydrangea symbolizes sincere emotion, gratitude, and perseverance. Gifting a potted hydrangea, which can be planted outdoors later, offers a message of deep understanding and support.
Orchids, especially in white or pink, are traditionally seen as symbols of eternal love and sympathy, offering an elegant tribute that can bloom for months. In many parts of Europe and Asia, the Chrysanthemum holds specific cultural significance, where white varieties symbolize grief and honor the deceased.
Living Memorial Options for Outdoor Spaces
Selecting a plant intended for outdoor planting allows the recipient to create a dedicated, growing memorial. Trees and robust shrubs offer a long-term connection, establishing a physical place of remembrance that can be visited and nurtured for decades. This type of gift mirrors the enduring nature of love and memory.
Ornamental trees, such as a Dogwood (Cornus) or a smaller Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum), are excellent choices for a living legacy. The Dogwood offers seasonal interest with spring blossoms and rich fall color, while the Japanese Maple provides delicate structure and vibrant foliage. Choosing a tree that flowers around the time of a special anniversary can make the recurring bloom a comforting annual event.
Hardy flowering shrubs provide color and fragrance in a more contained space. Rose bushes symbolize love, while Lilac bushes (Syringa) are robust, long-lived choices that produce highly fragrant flowers each spring. Selecting a plant native to the recipient’s climate ensures a greater chance of survival and reduces the burden of complex care.
Practical Considerations for the Grieving Recipient
When selecting a sympathy plant, the recipient’s limited capacity for complex tasks must be the primary consideration. Choose varieties that are exceptionally low-maintenance, requiring minimal watering, pruning, or specialized light conditions.
Hardy options like the Snake Plant (Sansevieria) or certain Peperomia varieties are resilient and forgiving of occasional neglect.
Toxicity is another factor, particularly if the recipient has pets or small children. The popular Peace Lily is toxic if ingested, making a non-toxic alternative like a Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum) or a Boston Fern (Nephrolepis) a safer choice.
Presenting the plant in a beautiful, ready-to-display pot eliminates the need for immediate repotting. Including simple, clearly written care instructions on a separate card ensures the gift remains a comfort, not a chore.