Here are the cultural and religious meanings of some of the most basic flowers and plants. Knowing this, you can be aware of the subtle and obvious meanings of the images you choose to put in your domestic and global concepts.

	Rose Most important flower in the West. Protected by thorns, it symbolizes beauty, secrecy, love, life, blood, death and rebirth. In Christianity, a rose is often carved onto confessionals or plastered onto ceilings of meeting rooms as a warning that discussions are sub rose ("under the rose"—that is, secret). The white rose is linked to the Virgin Mary, who is the "Rose of Heaven", and was a medieval symbol of virginity. The red rose was said to have grown from the blood of Christ and therefore the symbol of martyrdom, charity and resurrection. In Islam, the rose signifies both male beauty and the blood of Mohammed, as well as his two sons. The rose of Baghdad represents the law, the path and knowledge, together symbolizing the truth and Allah. Different roses have various meanings: the blue rose, the impossible; the red and white rose, the union of opposites; and the golden rose perfection. The Rose is the national symbol of Britain, it is the cadency mark for the seventh son.
	Lotus This flower is very important to Hindus, Buddhists, as well as the Ancient religion of Egypt. It is a symbol of purity as it rises pure from muddy waters. It also signifies resurrection and perfect beauty. It also embodies the idea of the creation of life from the primordial slime. If it has eight petals, it means cardinal directions and cosmic harmony. With a thousand petals, it denotes spiritual revelation. The closed bud symbolizes potential. the union of bliss and emptiness that is the goal of tantric practice is termed mani padme ("Jewel in the Lotus")‚The lotus with Buddha as it's heart. Therefore the lotus has sexual symbolism, the jewel and lotus representing the phallus and yoni respectively. In Chinese Buddhism, the lotus is one of the eight symbols of Good Augury. It is now the emblem of India and Egypt.
	Iris Very similar in symbolism to the lily. Both represent light and hope. It can be called the "sword lily" because of it's pointy leaves and is an emblem of the sorrows of the Virgin Mary. Named after the Greek goddess of the rainbow and therefore represents the bridge between god and man. To the Chinese it signifies affection, grace and solitary beauty.
	Poppy Means both sleep and remembrance, but both interpretations can signify death. Because it produces opium it was sacred to both Hypnos and Morpheus, the gods of sleep and dreams in Greco-Roman Mythology. It can also signify both fertility and oblivion. In Christian iconography, it can represent Christ's passion and death. In Britain and the US it is a symbol of the remembrance of soldiers who died serving their country. The poppy as a symbol of remembrance comes from a poem written in 1915 by the Canadian soldier-surgeon John McCrae: In Flanders fields the poppies blow/Between the crosses, row on row...
	Chrysanthemum Most important in Asia where it is a good luck symbol, signifying happiness, wealth and longevity as well as meditation and the coming of fall. With it's many petals, it also looks like a sun and is the model for the sun on Japan's national flag. To the Chinese, it also represents easy retirement, scholarship and amiability. A sixteen pointed chrysanthemum is the symbol of the Japanese emperor, with the fourteen petaled one signifying his brothers and sons.
	Mistletoe Sacred to the Druids, who believed that mistletoe was created by a lightening bolt striking an oak tree, giving it magical powers. As an evergreen it's sacred to winter and is a symbol of immortality. It's white berries make it a sign of the moon and therefore of fertility and femininity. As it has no roots, it is sometimes considered a divine plant, although it's lack of roots make it sometimes embody chaos. In Norse mythology, it is a symbol of peace.
	Daisy The daisy and the marguerite, both represent the blood and tears of the Virgin Mary. the daisy alone represents innocence, salvation and immortality. It sometimes represents the innocence of the Christ child in Christian art. Sacred to the Norse mother-goddess, Freyja. Symbolizes the sun when referred to as the "day's eye". The marguerite, like the daisy, is likened to a pearl, therefore representing tears and the spilled blood of Christ and other Christian martyrs.
	Lily A symbol of purity, perfection, mercy and majesty. In Christian iconography, strongly associated with the Virgin Mary, and thus with the Angel Gabriel who is shown holding a lily during the annunciation, signifying chastity. Joseph is sometimes shown with a staff blossoming with lilies. The lily's stalk signifies Mary's religious mind, the leaves her humility, the white petals her virginity and it's scent her divinity. The lily can symbolize all of the virgin saints. Christ, as judge is sometimes pictured with a lily in his mouth, where the lily represents mercy. If a lily and sword are together, they symbolize the innocent and the guilty. It was believed to grow from Eve's tears of repentance shed as she left the Garden of Eden.
	Fig A symbol of fertility and natures bounty. The leaves represent masculinity and the fruit femininity. Because of the phallic nature of the fruit, the Greco-Romans equated it with Bacchus, Jupiter and Priapus. The Jews believe it is a symbol of peace and prosperity and use it as a symbol of Israel. The Hindus revere it as a provider of shelter during Vishnu's birth. But it's greatest significance is in Buddhism where it is an emblem of Buddha and was believed to be the sacred Bodhi Tree under which Buddha achieved enlightenment. In Islam, the fig tree is regarded as the Tree of Heaven by which Mohammed made a sacred oath.
	Shamrock Symbol of Ireland as it's an emblem of St. Patrick who used it to illustrate the Christian trinity.
	Thistle The national emblem of Scotland. In Christian mythology, it is equated to the crown of thorns and the fall of man, thus representing sorrow and pain.
	Christmas Tree Has come to be a universal symbol that is erected and decorated by people of all religions although it's origins lie firmly in pagan cultures. The Norse peoples decorated evergreen trees in honor of the winter solstice, and to celebrate the birth of the sun. The evergreen symbolizes the little piece of life that still exists, even in the dead of winter. During the "raw nights" of pagan times, when evil spirits abounded, evergreen branches decorated with lit candles were hung in homes as protection. This decorated tree only became a Christian symbol in the 19th century along with the stories of Dickens. Christians iconography says the tree symbolizes rebirth and immortality, Christ is the tree and the candles represent Christ as the light of the world.
	Oak King of the forest. Represents strength, masculinity, military glory and immortality. Sacred to the thunder gods as it's believed to attract lightening. Revered by Druids as the "male" and mistletoe as the "female". Some Native American tribes regard it as a symbol of mother earth. In Christian iconography, it symbolizes Christ's unshakeable faith and virtue and is often believed to be the wood of the cross. In Judaism, the oak is the tree of the Covenant and signifies God's presence. In China, although it is often connected to masculinity, it also can mean weakness, as it breaks in the wind rather than bending like the willow or bamboo.
	Pinecone The fruit of the evergreen symbolizes immortality and was viewed as an important fertility symbol. In Christian iconography, it can form the crown of the Tree of Life. Because of it's swirling shape, it can also be viewed as a dynamic and generative and cosmic power.
	Acorn The mighty oak is a symbol of potential. To the Celts and the Norse, acorns were a symbol of life, fertility and immortality. Druids swallowed them, believing they had the power of prophesy. Acorns and oak leaves form one of the circular "hex" signs used by the Amish and Mennonites of Pennsylvania.
	Sunflower An obvious symbol of the sun, not only from it's looks, but from the way it turns its head during the day to follow the path of the sun. In Christianity, it is a symbol of God's love and of a religious soul. As a symbol of the soul it symbolizes prayer and monastic obedience. Because it turns its head, it can signify infatuation, unreliability and phony riches. In China, it's considered a magical flower as it represents longevity. It is also a widespread symbol of nobility.
	foxglove The leaves are more important than the flowers. In many cultures, including Christianity, the leaves can signify the desire for forgiveness. To the Chinese, it represents peach, tranquility and humility. In Japan the flower is sacred to the Mano-Zinsya shrine in Kyoto. The Celts believed it to be the flower of the fairies.
	Tulip Along with the meaning of the rose in the west, the tulip was a symbol of perfect love in ancient Persia. It was the emblem of the rulers of the Ottoman empire and of Constantinople, their capital city. Rather than Holland, the tulip actually originates in the Ottoman empire and was exported to Holland. The Dutch loved the tulip so much, they made it their national emblem.
	Wheat Wheat and maize/corn are the universal symbols for agriculture and harvest. Because wheat is sown, grown and harvested, it can signify the cycle of birth, life and death as well as rebirth. In Christianity, wheat can signify Christ, thus life. Southwestern Native Americans regard corn as a sacred symbol of happiness and prosperity, and wheat germ as representative of man and the cosmos. The Mexican Sun Hero is symbolized by a maize plant and hummingbird. Wheat is sacred as a fertility symbol to multiple gods and goddesses throughout many cultures including the Canaanites, the Phrygians, Greeks, Romans and Christians. Wheat along with the grape is associated with the Eucharist and can represent the Virgin Mary as the mother of Christ. In heraldic art, the wheat sheaf is known as a garb and is sometimes used as the emblem of bakers.
	Mushroom Mushrooms and toadstools also symbolize male fertility and virility because of their phallic shape. In China, the mushroom symbolizes long life, happiness and rebirth. Mushrooms are the food of the Taoist immortals. In China, it's believed the mushroom will only grow in peaceful times, thus it is a symbol of successful government. Some African and Siberian tribes regard mushrooms as symbolic of the human soul, In Mexico, the sacred mushroom signifies knowledge and enlightenment. Some Western myths show fairies and elves sitting on mushrooms and toadstools.
	Ivy An evergreen it represents immortality, and because it clings while climbing, friendship and faithfulness. Because of this it is a symbol of the feminine as it needs closeness and protection. Because it is very prolific, it embodies sensuality and revelry.
	Laurel The laurel, often turned into a wreath is the symbol of victory. The evergreen laurel was regarded as a purifying plant with powers of immortality. This wreath came to be regarded both as a prize and a sign of divine blessing, which is why many portraits, particularly Napoleon, are shown wearing a laurel wreath. Today, those who have achieved much in their fields, still receive this sign of distinction.
	Palm Tree The palm was the Tree of Life in many early Middle Eastern civilizations. It if often associated with victory. In early Christian times the palm leaves were used as funerary emblems, signifying both martyrdom and victory over death. In the middle ages, a palm leaf was a badge of pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Today, it is made into little crosses to commemorate Palm Sunday, when Jesus entered Jerusalem.
	Olive Tree This tree is also a universal sign of peace, but it also symbolizes knowledge, purification, fertility, longevity, abundance and victory. It can live for centuries, therefore it can symbolize long life. To the Jews, it means strength and beauty and was the emblem of the tribe of asher. In China it represents quiet persistence and grace and is the tree of the fall. Sometimes the Virgin Mary is shown with an olive branch rather than a lily.