The red cedar was and continues to be respected by Indigenous peoples who live in the region. The tree’s perpetually green needles also are said to symbolize “ eternal life”. Like its evergreen counterparts, the Eastern red cedar is known as the “graveyard tree” in this region because it can successfully grow for many years. The Eastern red cedar is common in many old cemeteries in Georgia and Florida. ![]() The researchers also note that the tree’s needles’ ability to withstand strong winds inspired people to compare it to “the just man who preserved his virtue.” Eastern Red Cedar Trees In their research, Dafni et al., found that cypress trees were described as “dark and gloomy” and looked like they were able “to express sorrow.” 3 The researchers also discovered that cypress would often be planted near graves or in the front yard of a home “as a warning against outsiders entering a place corrupted by a dead body.” The cypress became a lauded cemetery tree thanks to its appearance, which inspired folklore. also note that the cypress was considered sacred by the rulers of the underworld, as well as the “Fates and Furies.” Cypress Tree Graveyard Protection & Funeral Lore Zoroastrians considered the cypress tree to be a symbol of immortality and deathlessness, while later Celtics considered the cypress to be a “symbol of death.” Dehkordi adds that Celtic mourners would place their dead in the tree for burial, which would allow the deceased’s body to return to the plants to live again. Cypress TreesĬypress tree from an ancient Zoroastrian frieze. Turner discovered that superstitious monks “believed that the yew could drive away devils,” too. Yew branches also supposedly helped deter ghosts and apparitions. Robert Turner, the 17th-century translator of “mystical and medico-chemical texts,” said that some people, at the time, believed that yew branches could “‘draw and imbibe’ the ‘gross and oleaginous Vapours exhaled out of the graves by the setting Sun.’” ![]() Some people thought the yew sprig would bring eternal life. Mourners would then tuck the yew sprig in the deceased’s coffin. In addition to playing a prominent role in human spirituality, the yew tree has a history that’s steeped in superstition.Īccording to Royal Parks, some people would carry yew branches at a loved one’s funeral. Possible poisoning served as a solid reason for people to keep their cattle out of graveyards, which helped preserve graveyard grounds. “According to one study, a dose of 100 grams of chopped leaves could kill an adult,” Callery writes. These parts of the tree contain taxine, an alkaloid poison. ![]() And although the flesh of the tree’s bright red berry is not toxic, the berry seed is poisonous. Yew needles and bark are poisonous to most animals and people.
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