Drawn light
Plants, fruits and flowers often hold some symbolic meaning in folklore, and this holds true with religious art as well. Quite a few flowers, fruits and other plants have developed symbolic meanings in Christianity. The most obvious example is probably the apple, which earned its fame by having the bad luck of being pictured as the fruit seen in the story of Adam and Eve.
In many cases, symbols based around plants developed meanings based on what the plant looks like or when it blooms. This could make the references a little hard to understand for people today, as an increasing number of us are growing up in worlds of concrete, glass and steel.
Below is a table depicting fruits and plants that symbolize something and some information about them. If you want a better view of an image, simply click on it. If the name of the symbol is a link, clicking that will take you to a tutorial that walks you through drawing it.
1
Apple
Thanks to its role in the fall of Adam and Eve, the apple has come to represent sin and temptation.
2
Clover
This plant is sometimes substituted for the Shamrock, as they both feature three leaves coming off a single stem.
3
Olive Branch
Unsurprisingly, the olive branch is a symbol for peace.
4
Peach
This fruit is said to represent a charitable tongue as well as a charitable nature in general. The peach also can represent quiet or unassuming virtue.
5
Pomegranate
The fruit of the pomegranate tree is bursting with seeds, reminding people of fertility and Christ’s resurrection (ie, bursting forth from the tomb).
6
Shamrock
Legend has it that St. Patrick used this plant to help explain the nature of the Trinity. It’s a simple question: is a shamrock made up of three leaves or one?
