THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Cypress

Lisa Karen Miller

“Dark tree! Still sad when others’ grief is fled,

The only constant mourner o’er the dead.” Lord Byron

          Cyparissus, a youth of Ceos, Greece, took care of the sacred stag of the forest there.  He led him to new pastures and clear waters, and even wove garlands for his antlers.  While the stag was resting under the shade of a tree, the youth was practicing his javelin throwing, and accidentally killed his beloved friend.

          So profound was his grief, he asked the gods that he might mourn forever.  Exhausted by weeping, he found that his limbs began to droop and take on a green tinge, and his hair became a crest of bristles. Finally, he transformed into a tree whose slender top pointed to the heavens.  

          The cypress became the tree of grief – the symbol of the immortal soul and eternal death.

          Native to the Himalayas, it was introduced into the Mediterranean region by the Phoenicians, who colonized the Isle of Cyprus (whose name derives from the tree) in 1100 BCE.

          The tall and slender Italian variety (Cupressus sempervirens), also known as Cemetery Cypress, is often planted in rows, like sentries. The foliage is a beautiful bluish green.

          The oil distilled from the leaves, branches, and cones has a camphor resin scent, and is used in soaps, perfumes, and aftershaves. In aromatherapy, it treats broken capillaries, fluid retention, varicose veins, and coughing spasms.

          Virgil introduced the Greek symbol of death into the funeral rites of his heroes. It was planted around the graves of the ancients.

          In the language of flowers, it says mourning and lament.  The cypress was often used as a funeral flower in Britain, where it was also planted around cemeteries and at the head of graves.

          Its resistance to woodworm and other insects rendered it useful for Egyptian mummy cases.  It is one of the multitude of trees said to have provided the wood of the Cross. Italians deck Christmas mangers with cypress, holly, and moss.

          In the East, however, it has a somewhat brighter reputation.  It is the oriental emblem of grace and joy.

          On the Natchez Trace Parkway just north of Jackson, Mississippi, you can traverse a boardwalk suspended above a swamp, where grow Tupelo and Bald Cypress.   The bald variety has “knees” that protrude above the water and provide a stable base. 

          This Memorial Day, consider planting a cypress for a loved one who has gone before you.

© Copyright 2023 Lisa Karen Miller