What does lilac symbolize? Discovering Centuries of Symbolism

The arrival of spring is often heralded not just by warmer breezes and longer days, but by the sudden, intoxicating perfume of lilacs. Often praised as the “Queen of Shrubs,” these plants have lush clusters of fragile flowers that offer an “enchanting fragrance and delicate beauty” which especially resonates in gardens and memories all around.¹ The aroma alone can take one back to seasons past, conjuring nostalgia and the promise of renewal.²

But, apart from its clear sensory appeal, the lilac (Syringa vulgaris) is a complicated cultural artifact, a vessel carrying different, evolving, and sometimes conflicting meanings accumulated over millennia and across continents. From the innocence of first love and the hope of spring to the persistent pain of memory and the gravity of death, it speaks a language of symbols.¹⁰ This paper sets out to decode this language, investigating the lilac’s mythological roots in ancient Greece, tracing its symbolic interpretations across many civilizations—Celtic, Russian, Victorian English, American, and others—and looking at the subtle meanings connected to its various hues. Moreover, it will explore the lilac’s function as a muse in literature and art, therefore examining how poets such Walt Whitman and T.S. Eliot and artists such as Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet. Ultimately, this investigation aims to uncover the rich tapestry of meaning woven into this apparently familiar flower.

Although the lilac is common and nostalgic, a deeper knowledge of its several symbolism usually eludes one. Its very familiarity might paradoxically hide the depth of its historical and cultural resonance. Though loved for its scent and springtime association, less often recognized are its ties to Victorian mourning customs, Russian folklore, or its rich literary legacy.¹⁴ Even in botanical settings, thorough information can occasionally be shockingly scant.¹⁴ This implies that the lilac’s symbolic richness is often concealed beneath the surface, eclipsed by its immediate sensory appeal. This paper intends to show the complex and lasting relevance of the lilac by combining these several threads, so transcending basic appreciation to a more complete knowledge of its rich cultural legacy.

Mythological Roots: Pan, Syringa, and the Birth of a Name

The story of the lilac starts not in a garden but in the lush green areas of ancient Greek mythology. Central to its origin story is the tale of Pan, the goat-footed god of forests, fields, and shepherds, and a lovely, chaste wood nymph called Syringa (or Syrinx in some versions).¹ Pan chased Syringa across the forest, driven by her beauty. Syringa fled to the river’s edge and prayed to the water nymphs for assistance, frightened by his advances and resolved to maintain her chastity (some legends say she was a devoted follower of Artemis, goddess of the hunt and wilderness, who had vowed to remain a virgin ¹⁴). In response to her request, she was changed into a cluster of hollow-stemmed reeds or, in many versions relevant to the flower, an aromatic lilac shrub.⁷

Pan, who came minutes later, could not locate the nymph. Sorrowful and irritated, he sighed into the reeds and found that his breath made a sad noise as it ran through their hollow tubes. In other versions, he merely discovered the lilac shrub.¹¹ He cut several of the hollow reeds (or branches from the shrub) into various lengths, tied them together, and made the first panpipe, an instrument whose sad music would always reflect his unfulfilled love and loss.⁷

This myth offers a clear etymological connection to the scientific identity of the lilac. The genus name, Syringa, comes from the ancient Greek word ‘syrinx’ (συ’ριγξ), which means ‘pipe’ or ‘tube,’ a clear reference to the hollow character of the plant’s stems, which Pan used, and the instrument he made.⁴ The common lilac species is therefore botanically known as Syringa vulgaris.¹¹

Beyond the naming convention, the myth of Pan and Syringa lays several fundamental themes that resonate throughout the lilac’s later symbolism. From conflict, loss, or yearning, it brings bittersweet beauty creation (both the flower itself and the music of the panpipe), transformation under duress, pursuit and escape, the conflict between desire and innocence, and the bittersweet creation of beauty. Syringa’s terrified flight and final metamorphosis result from Pan’s desire; this act of self-preservation also constitutes a loss of her former self. Pan’s creation of the musical instrument is an artistic act resulting from his inability to own the nymph, including the cutting and manipulation of the very plant she became. This natural duality woven into the origin myth—beauty mixed with possible suffering, creation tied to loss or destruction—subtly sets the stage for the lilac’s ability to hold complicated and apparently opposing meanings in later cultural contexts, foreshadowing its path as a symbol embracing both the vibrancy of love and life, and the sadness of memory and death.

The Spectrum of Symbolism: Meaning by Color

While lilacs generally evoke themes of springtime, renewal, confidence, and youthful emotions, their symbolic language becomes much more nuanced when one considers the particular colors of their blossoms.¹ Color has been a major differentiator in conveying exact emotions throughout history, especially during the Victorian era with its intricate “language of flowers” or floriography.¹³

The different hues of lilac each have unique symbolic weights:

White Lilacs

Nearly everyone agrees that white lilacs represent purity and young innocence.¹ Often seen as suitable for weddings, they reflect the purity of love and honor new beginnings like the birth of a child or relocation into a new house.⁸ In certain contexts, white also connotes nobility and, reflecting Roman customs and Christian symbolism, mourning or the spiritual purity of Easter resurrection.⁸

Purple Lilacs

The symbolism here usually varies with the depth of the hue.

• Light Purple (the color ‘Lilac’): This particular pale purple color evokes the “first emotions of love,” young crushes, nostalgia, and budding romance.² It reflects the innocence and sweetness of young love.⁴
• Deep Purple/Violet: Darker hues lean toward ideas of spirituality, knowledge, mysticism, royalty, and nobility.¹ They can also represent passion, intense dedication, or, in certain readings, be a substitute for black for mourning or remembering sad anniversaries.¹²

Blue Lilacs

These flowers represent happiness, peace, and calm.¹ Their soothing connection makes them appropriate presents for expressing peace.²¹

Pink Lilacs

Pink hues usually signify love, romance, strong friendships, tenderness, gratitude, and fond memories, especially of a first crush.⁶ They are perfect for expressing care and affection.¹²

Magenta Lilacs

This vivid, deep pinkish-purple hue denotes great love, passion, and the simple joy or thrill of being alive.¹

Yellow Lilacs

Especially the yellow lilac variety ‘Primrose’ is usually thought to lack particular symbolic significance.¹ This absence is usually ascribed to its relatively recent introduction in 1949, meaning it hasn’t had the centuries required for strong cultural associations to develop, unlike the more conventional colors.¹ While some sources advise using yellow creatively to motivate a sunny attitude, it lacks the historical weight of other hues.¹⁶

Summary Table: Lilac Color Meanings

It becomes evident that the meanings assigned to lilac colors often participate in a broader symbolic system. White’s link to purity, purple’s to spirituality or royalty, pink’s to love, and blue’s to calm are not particular to the lilac but rather common cultural archetypes applied to many flowers and settings. The lilac adopts and modifies these general color associations, giving them a particular inflection—white lilacs for youthful innocence, the precise lilac hue for first love. The subtle language of the lilac is formed by this interaction between general color symbolism and particular floral context. The absence of defined meaning for the yellow lilac emphasizes that such symbolism is not natural but rather culturally created and accumulated over time by means of use and association.

A Journey Through Cultures: Lilac Symbolism Across Time and Place

The journey of the lilac’s symbolism is a captivating passage through many different cultures and historical landscapes in transition. Starting in Southeastern Europe and the Balkan Peninsula, the lilac (Syringa vulgaris) traveled through Ottoman gardens to Northern Europe in the late 16th century and finally to North America in the 18th century, accumulating layers of meaning along the way.⁴ Its interpretation has differed greatly, reflecting the unique values, beliefs, and historical experiences of various societies.¹

Victorian England: The Language of Love and Loss

The Victorian era (1837–1901) saw the height of floriography, the coded “language of flowers,” where blooms were used to convey complex messages unspoken.¹³ Within this system, the lilac held a prominent, albeit somewhat ambiguous, position. Often symbolized by the pale purple ‘lilac’ hue, its most frequent association was with the ‘first emotions of love,’ which captured the innocence and budding character of early romance.¹³ A gift of lilacs could be an innocent offering from a young suitor.¹⁶ Yet, lilacs also served as a moving reminder of ‘old love’ or memory.¹ This link was maybe strengthened by the flower’s deeply nostalgic scent or the shrub’s extraordinary lifespan, often exceeding 100 years, representing enduring memory.¹ Most notably, widows during this time period frequently wore lilacs, especially the purple hues, as a public symbol of mourning and remembrance for their deceased husbands.¹ Some interpretations added further complexity by suggesting a lilac branch could even indicate a broken engagement.¹⁶ This Victorian duality—representing both the dawn of love and the remembrance of love lost—highlights the sophisticated, context-dependent character of floriography. The same flower could express the start or the finish, stressing that symbolic meaning is seldom static or straightforward.

Russia: Bestower of Wisdom

Many people thought that if a newborn baby had a sprig of lilac over them, they would gain wisdom.¹ This belief treats the lilac as an active agent able to give virtues rather than just a symbol. This custom resonates with the well-known ballet Sleeping Beauty, which was greatly shaped by Russian artistic legacy, in which the kind Lilac Fairy is described as the Fairy of Wisdom, reversing the curse of the wicked Carabosse.⁴⁰ This emphasis on actively bestowing a positive quality like wisdom contrasts sharply with the more passive or ambivalent meanings found in Victorian England (remembrance, ambiguous love signals) or the potentially sinister interpretations seen in some literary or cinematic contexts.¹⁸ It shows how much cultural background affects interpretation by changing a flower linked with memory and loss elsewhere into a strong symbol of blessing and intellectual endowment.

Celtic Lands: The Magic of Fragrance

For the ancient Celts, the lilac’s relevance was inextricably linked to its strong sensory impact. They thought the flower “magical” especially because of its very sweet and “extremely intoxicating aroma“.¹ Believed to transport or even enchant the senses, this strong scent could fill the air during the lilac’s short blooming season.² This viewpoint emphasizes the importance of olfactory experience in influencing folklore and symbolic meaning in pre-modern societies. Often, events with strong sensory effects were given supernatural meaning. Particularly striking would have been the lilac’s omnipresent scent, which would have suggested connections to otherworldly powers or unique influence as it sprang forth dramatically in spring. Emphasizing that the lilac’s aromatic identity is essential to its symbolic power, this contrasts greatly with symbolism based mostly on visual cues like color or from narrative origins like mythology.

Roman and Christian Traditions: From Mourning to Resurrection

Historical accounts suggest that even before the Victorian era, the lilac had associations with death. Ancient Romans allegedly saw it as a mourning flower and used lilac bouquets as funeral tributes to honor the dead interred in tombs or crypts.¹³ This association was absorbed and reinterpreted as Christianity rose in influence together with the lilac’s natural qualities. The flower’s arrival in early spring matched exactly with Easter’s timing, which led to a strong connection with the holiday and ideas of renewal.¹¹ White lilacs, already linked with purity, became symbols of Christ’s resurrection and were frequently used in Easter church decorations.¹⁶ A Christian legend even developed claiming that all lilacs were originally white until they turned violet upon seeing Christ’s suffering on the cross, therefore integrating the flower straight into Christian narrative.¹³ This process illustrates the fluidity of symbolism by showing how dominant cultural and religious changes can adapt, transform, and layer meanings, therefore repurposing a Roman mourning flower into a Christian symbol of hope and rebirth.

America: Resilience, Hope, and Public Grief

Its extraordinary capacity to endure severe winters and flourish led to its selection as the state flower of New Hampshire in 1919, chosen particularly because it reflects the “hardy character” of the Granite State’s people.⁴ This reflects an American self-image based in resilience. A classic gift for graduates to represent confidence as they start new beginnings, the lilac’s link to spring and renewal also links it to hope and future possibilities.¹¹ The most significant change in American lilac symbolism, though, came after President Abraham Lincoln was shot in April 1865. Poet Walt Whitman’s poignant elegy, “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d,” forever connected the flower’s spring return and ubiquitous scent to the nation’s shared sorrow and memory of the Civil War, therefore enhancing its meaning with a profound public grief.⁵ The lilac’s durability has also made it an accidental historical marker; stands of lilac bushes found in rural areas often signify the sites of former homesteads, echoes of gardens past.¹

Other Traditions

Beyond these major cultural touchpoints, lilacs appear in other traditions as well. Slavic mythology links them to spring renewal rituals ¹²; in China, they are connected to good fortune, success, healing, and relaxation, sometimes included into feng shui practices. ²¹

The Lilac as Muse: Literature, Art, and Performance

Often capturing the imagination of artists and writers, the lilac’s evocative power, with its strong aroma and rich symbolic past, has made it a recurring theme and strong symbol in poetry, painting, and other creative expressions.¹¹ These artistic interpretations, which reflect, support, and sometimes change the cultural relevance of the flower, engage directly with its multifaceted meanings.

Walt Whitman’s Elegy

Perhaps the most definitive literary use of the lilac comes from Walt Whitman in his 1865 masterpiece, “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d.” Written as a pastoral elegy mourning the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, the poem establishes a profound and enduring connection between the flower and themes of death, grief, and remembrance in the American consciousness.²² Whitman employs a central “trinity” of symbols: the lilac, representing the poet’s enduring love, memory, and offering of grief; the “great star” (Venus) drooping in the west, symbolizing the fallen Lincoln; and the solitary hermit thrush, whose song embodies an understanding and acceptance of death.⁴³ The poem powerfully intertwines the lilac’s perennial spring return and “mastering odor” with the inescapable memory of the national tragedy.⁵ Whitman himself recalled smelling lilacs in bloom when he first heard the news of Lincoln’s death, forging a personal sensory link that fueled the poem’s imagery.¹⁰ The work explores the challenge of mourning a public figure and implicitly questions the nature of loss in the context of the widespread death caused by the Civil War.⁴⁵ Whitman’s poem did not merely reflect existing symbolism; it actively forged a new, powerful association between the lilac and public mourning in America.

T.S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land”

Decades later, T.S. Eliot inverted the lilac’s conventional meaning with a shocking twist. Opening his groundbreaking modernist poem, “The Waste Land” (1922), T.S. Eliot uses the lilac’s emergence not as a straightforward sign of hopeful renewal, but as a painful catalyst: “April is the cruelest month, breeding / Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing / Memory and desire, stirring / Dull roots with spring rain”.¹⁶ Writing in the disillusioned aftermath of World War I, Eliot uses the lilac’s growth in the spiritually barren “dead land” of modernity forces a confrontation with painful memories and unfulfilled aspirations, so turning spring’s return into a cruel rather than comforting event.¹⁶ This contrasts sharply with Whitman’s use, emphasizing a change toward a more fragmented and tormented modern viewpoint where even symbols of life can elicit desolation.²²

Other Poetic Voices

Other poets have also interacted with the lilac’s rich symbolism. Linking the flower to personal loss and disrupted continuity, Ann Stanford’s “Done With” laments the destruction of a family home by trampling lilacs.⁴⁶ Phillip Levine’s “Burial Rites” conveys discomfort with the lilac’s tenacity, flourishing next to his mother’s ashes and stressing the apparent apathy of natural cycles to human sorrow.⁴⁶ Charlotte Brontë, in Jane Eyre, strategically places a blooming lilac tree in the scene where Jane and Rochester first declare their love, tapping into the flower’s association with “first emotions of love”.³³

These literary works show how much poets have changed the symbolic weight of the lilac. While Eliot used the flower to express the worries of modernity, Whitman especially confirmed the life/death paradox in the American setting. Literature therefore turns into a vital battlefield where the symbolic potential of the lilac is investigated and its meaning either confirmed or challenged.

Impressionist Paintings

Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet both produced remarkable lilac-themed works. Their approach sometimes varied from the poets’ deep dives into symbolic paradox.

• Painted while Van Gogh was at the asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, his 1887 work “Lilacs” uses bright purples and yellows, dynamic brushstrokes, and a dark backdrop to express joy, vitality, and movement.⁵⁰ The painting could represent personal rebirth, hope, and a profound gratitude for the healing beauty of nature given the circumstances of his life.⁵⁰
• Notably in his garden at Argenteuil in 1872, Claude Monet painted lilacs several times. His works, including “Lilacs, Grey Weather” and “Lilacs in the Sun,” emphasize how changing light and environment affect the scene.⁵¹ Under the blooming bushes he subtly includes figures, so stressing the immersive quality of the garden setting and the interaction of light and shadow.⁵¹

The Impressionists’ emphasis on capturing the fleeting moment, the play of light, and the vibrancy of color fits exactly with the lilac’s short but strong blooming season.¹⁰ Their paintings often celebrate the immediate sensory experience—the visual splendor and the feeling of spring—offering a viewpoint that stresses beauty and vitality, so complementing the sometimes more somber or complicated investigations found in literature.⁵⁰

Music and Film

Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninov wrote a brief piano piece called “Lilacs” meant to represent young love.²⁴ The Lilac Fairy, as already noted, is a main, good character in the ballet Sleeping Beauty.⁴⁰ More recently, the 2024 movie Nosferatu reportedly makes extensive use of lilacs as a symbol connecting first love, obsession, grief, and magical protection in its gothic story.⁵⁶

Beyond Symbolism: Scent, Folklore, and Practical Uses

Although the lilac’s rich symbolic life is interesting, its relevance also derives from its physical qualities and historical practical uses. Its strong aroma, rich folklore, and natural botanical qualities greatly enhance its lasting presence in human society.

The Power of Scent

The Celts, as previously mentioned, connected the magical qualities of the lilac straight to its overpowering aroma.¹ The scent is also strongly tied to memory and nostalgia, a trait Victorian sentiment exploited and Whitman powerfully captured in his elegy, where the aroma sets off his sorrow.² Modern techniques keep using this aromatic power. Fragrances and lilac essential oil are common in cosmetics and perfumes.⁴ In aromatherapy, the scent is used for its perceived calming and relaxing effects, used to combat stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms, and possibly improve sleep quality.² Capturing this elusive scent is challenging; traditional methods like enfleurage (infusing blooms in fat or oil without heat) are sometimes used, as heat destroys the delicate fragrance compounds.¹⁴

Interestingly, the science behind the scent adds another layer to the lilac’s complexity. Lilac flowers have indole, a natural substance also present in faeces.¹⁰ Although this chemical is present in tiny amounts and helps to shape the floral profile, it provides a scientific basis for the subtle “hint of decay” or “bottom note” that some people feel under the sweetness, reflecting the flower’s symbolic conflict between vibrant life and underlying mortality.⁵ The lilac’s fragrance’s great influence across cultures and time—driving associations with magic, memory, mood, and even the life/death paradox—underscores that its olfactory identity is inseparable from its symbolic meaning.

Folklore and Folk Medicine

Some American folklore holds that lilacs have protective powers; they were planted around homes to repel evil spirits or used inside to drive away ghosts or negative energies.⁵ This protective role is reflected in the symbolic use of lilacs for exorcism and fight against evil in the film Nosferatu.¹⁸ Historically, different parts of the lilac plant have been used in folk medicine, although these uses are not backed by current clinical research and should not be attempted without professional advice. Traditional uses included treating skin conditions, fighting bacterial and fungal infections, lowering temperature, addressing stomach problems, treating colds, boosting the immune system, and supporting respiratory health.³ The flowers have natural astringent qualities (causing drying or constriction), which inspired their use in witch hazel-based facial toners.³

Edible Flowers and Botanical Notes

The blossoms of several lilac varieties are also edible. Adding a floral touch to culinary creations, they have been used to make fragrant syrups, jams, and even lilac wine.³ Its renowned hardiness allows it to withstand cold winters, a quality directly linked to its symbolism of resilience, particularly in its designation as New Hampshire’s state flower.⁴ This hardiness contributes to its impressive longevity, with individual shrubs capable of living for over a century.¹ This long lifespan reinforces its connection to remembrance and explains why lilacs often persist long after the homes they once adorned have vanished, serving as living markers of the past.¹ Botanically, lilacs belong to the Oleaceae family, making them relatives of the olive tree, jasmine, and ash.¹ Their journey into widespread cultivation involved introduction from Ottoman gardens to Europe around 1562 via figures like Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq and Carolus Clusius, reaching England by the late 16th century and the American colonies by the 18th century, with prominent figures like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington documenting their cultivation.¹⁰ Extensive hybridization, particularly in France (by Victor Lemoine) and later in North America (by figures like T.A. Havemeyer and John Dunbar), led to the wide variety of cultivars available today.⁴

Conclusion: The Enduring Resonance of the Lilac

From this investigation, the lilac, Syringa vulgaris, comes out not as a straightforward flower but rather as a rich and multifarious cultural icon. Its path through history and across many civilizations shows an extraordinary ability to absorb and reflect a broad range of human experience. Simultaneously a harbinger of spring and renewal, a tender token of first love, a moving reminder of lasting memory and loss, an emblem of hardy resilience, a bestowal of wisdom, a vessel of perceived magic, and even a participant in national identity and collective grief.

Central to the lilac’s enduring symbolic power is the tension between life and death, renewal and remembrance. Woven throughout its very being, this duality is: its exuberant blooming happens in spring, the season of rebirth, yet its flowers are extremely short-lived, their beauty passing.⁶ Its fragrance, overwhelmingly sweet and connected to life and love, carries within it (via the compound indole) a subtle chemical hint of decay, reflecting the inextricable link between life and its eventual end.⁵ This fundamental paradox lets the lilac speak meaningfully to both joyful beginnings and somber reflection.

The lilac’s rich history, from its mythic naming after a transformed nymph to its incorporation into Victorian floriography, Russian folklore, American historical memory, and artistic representation, shows its adaptability as a symbol. Its strong scent and unique look have offered a canvas onto which many different societies have projected their values, hopes, and concerns. It reflects basic elements of the human condition: the innocence of youth, the complexity of love, the pride of accomplishment, the search for spirituality, the agony of loss, the strength discovered in resilience, and the relentless march of time. Whether found in a garden, a poem, a painting, or a treasured memory, the lilac still speaks loudly with its rich language about the cycles of nature and our own complicated lives.

Sources

Adobe. (n.d.). Inspiration in the color lilac. Adobe Express. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.adobe.com/express/colors/lilac

Agriforest Biotech. (n.d.). Language Significance and Symbolism. Agriforest Biotech News. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.agriforestbiotech.com/news/language-significance-and-symbolism/

Al-Jumaili, A. H. H., & Al-Obaidi, A. A. H. (n.d.). Portrayal of Man’s Sorrows, Impotence, and Lack of Spirituality through Flowering Judas, Dogwood, Chestnut, Hyacinths, and Lilacs in T.S. Eliot’s Poems: A Textual and Analytical ¹ Study. Journal of Language Studies. ² Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://jls.tu.edu.iq/index.php/JLS/article/view/810  

Anchorage Ballet. (n.d.). Meet the Sleeping Beauty Fairies. Anchorage Ballet Blog. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.anchorageballet.org/post/meet-the-sleeping-beauty-fairies

Arbor Hill Trees. (n.d.). Common Purple Lilac Facts. Arbor Hill Trees Blog. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://arborhilltrees.com/blog/common-purple-lilac-facts/

Art Flowers LA. (2025, January 15). Lilac Flower Meaning and Symbolism. Art Flowers LA Blog. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://artflowersla.com/blogs/news/lilac-flower-meaning-and-symbolism

Astrobloom. (n.d.). Lilac Mythology & Astroherbology. Astrobloom. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.astrobloom.ca/post/lilac-mythology-astroherbology

Better Homes & Gardens. (2024, May 14). 6 Lilac Facts That Will Impress Your Gardening Friends. BHG.com. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.bhg.com/gardening/flowers/lilac-facts/

Blossmcart. (n.d.). Lilac: A Deep Dive into Its Definition, Origin, and Meaning. Blossmcart Blog. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://blossmcart.com/blog/definition-and-significance-of-lilac-flower/

Bloom Flowers. (n.d.). The Victorian Language of Flowers. Bloom Flowers Blog. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.bloomflowers.com/blogs/bloom-journal/victorian-language-of-flowers

Bradley, A. (2024, January 29). Symbolism of Lilacs in Nosferatu (2024). Alyssa Bradley Blog. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.alyssa-bradley.com/blog/symbolism-of-lilacs-in-nosferatu

Diary of a Northern Belle. (n.d.). Loving Lilacs in “Jane Eyre”. Diary of a Northern Belle Blog. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://diaryofanorthernbelle.com/lilacs-in-jane-eyre/

Eat Your Flowers. (n.d.). The Queen of Shrubs. Eat Your Flowers Blog. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://eatyourflowers.com/blogs/recipes/the-queen-of-shrubs

Fisher Ballet Productions. (n.d.). Mythology in Sleeping Beauty. Fisher Ballet Productions. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://fisherballet.com/mythology-in-sleeping-beauty/

FloraQueen. (n.d.). Lilac Flower Meaning: Understanding this Beautiful Bloom. FloraQueen Blog. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.floraqueen.com/blog/lilac-flower-meaning-understanding-this-beautiful-bloom

Flower Meaning. (n.d.). Lilac Flower Meaning. FlowerMeaning.com. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.flowermeaning.com/lilac-flower-meaning/

Flowers.ie. (n.d.). The Secret Meaning Behind Purple Flowers. Flowers.ie Blog. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.flowers.ie/blogs/our-flower-blog/the-secret-meaning-behind-purple-flowers

Fotor. (n.d.). Lilac Color Meaning & Symbolism. Fotor Blog. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.fotor.com/blog/lilac-color/

FTD. (2016, June 8). Lilac Meaning and Symbolism. FTD.com. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.ftd.com/blog/lilac-meaning-and-symbolism

Giverny France. (n.d.). Monet Lilas. Giverny France. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://giverny-france.com/lilacsmonet.htm

Gouty, M. (n.d.). The Strange Connection of Lilacs to Life and Death. Literature Lust. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.literaturelust.com/post/the-strange-connection-of-lilacs-to-life-and-death

Interflora Ireland. (n.d.). The Ultimate Guide to Lilac. Interflora Ireland. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.interflora.ie/page/flower-types/lilac

Kanvah. (n.d.). Vincent van Gogh’s “Lilacs”: A Symphony of Color, Emotion, and Artistic Evolution. Kanvah. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://kanvah.com/products/lilacs-1887

Kibin. (n.d.). Review of Walt Whitman’s Poem When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d. Kibin. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.kibin.com/essay-examples/review-of-walt-whitmans-poem-when-lilacs-last-in-the-dooryard-bloomd-iSmisd2z

Kive.ai. (n.d.). Lilac Color Meaning. Kive.ai. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://kive.ai/colors/color-meanings/lilac

Kramer, D. (2019, May 14). Appreciating our lilacs in 7 photos and 10 facts. Rochester Beacon. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://rochesterbeacon.com/2019/05/14/appreciating-our-lilacs-in-7-photos-and-10-facts/

Lathan, S. (n.d.). Floriography – L and M Flowers. Sharon Lathan Author Blog. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://sharonlathanauthor.com/floriography-l-and-m-flowers/

Lilygrass Flowers and Decor. (n.d.). Flower Spotlight: Lilac. Lilygrass Flowers and Decor Blog. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://lilygrass.com/blog/flower-spotlight-lilac

Lov Flowers. (n.d.). The Beauty and Fragrance of Lilac Flowers. Lov Flowers Blog. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://lovflowers.co.uk/blogs/news/lilac

Lovingly. (n.d.). Lilac Flower Meaning. Lovingly. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.lovingly.com/flower-meanings/lilac

New York Botanical Garden. (n.d.). Lilac History. New York Botanical Garden. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.nybg.org/garden/lilac-collection/lilac-history/

Phuyal, K. P. (2024). Color Symbolism in T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land. Bodhi: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 5(2). Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.blcollege.edu.bd/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/V5I2E1-Komal-Prasad-Phuyal.pdf

PictureThis. (n.d.). The Language and Symbolism of Common Lilacs: A Historical Journey. PictureThis. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.picturethisai.com/language-flower/Syringa_vulgaris.html

Proximity Magazine. (2019, May 24). Let It Be the Lilac in Us: Poetry. Proximity Magazine. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from http://true.proximitymagazine.org/2019/05/24/let-it-be-the-lilac-in-us-poetry/

Reddit. (c. 2018). **. Reddit. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.reddit.com/r/literature/comments/7vheeu/discussion_of_ts_elliots_the_wasteland/

Reynolds, A. (n.d.). Purple, Indigo and Violet: Transform Your Space and Soul. Adrian Reynolds Blog. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://adrianreynolds.ie/purple-indigo-and-violet/

Scentsy Blog. (n.d.). Five May flowers that inspired Scentsy fragrances. Scentsy Blog. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://scentsyblog.com/authentic-scentsy/five-may-flowers-that-inspired-scentsy-fragrances/

Singh, R. (n.d.). Symbolism in Walt Whitman’s Poems: When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d and Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking. Bodhi: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 8(1). Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.bodhijournals.com/pdf/V8N1/Bodhi_V8N1_019.pdf

Soboleva, O. V., & Wrenn, A. (n.d.). Lilacs and Hyacinths: Two Symbols of Sadness in T.S. Eliot’s ‘The Waste Land’. CyberLeninka. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/lilacs-and-hyacinths-two-symbols-of-sadness-in-t-s-eliot-s-the-waste-land

SparkNotes Editors. (n.d.). The Waste Land: Setting. SparkNotes. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/the-waste-land/setting/

SparkNotes Editors. (n.d.). Whitman’s Poetry: “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d”. SparkNotes. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/whitman/section7/

SparkNotes Editors. (n.d.). Whitman’s Poetry: Symbols. SparkNotes. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/whitman/symbols/

Teleflora. (n.d.). Lilac Meaning & Symbolism. Teleflora. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.teleflora.com/meaning-of-flowers/lilac

Trusted Gift Reviews. (n.d.). Lilac Meaning for Thoughtful Gifting. Trusted Gift Reviews. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.trustedgiftreviews.com/lilac-meaning-for-thoughtful-gifting/

Washington Gardener. (2024, December). The Lilac in Nosferatu: Symbolism of Lilacs and Death. Washington Gardener Blogspot. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-lilac-in-nosferatu-symbolism-of.html

Wigington, P. (n.d.). Lilac Magic & Folklore. Learn Religions. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.learnreligions.com/lilac-magic-and-folklore-4064885

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Syringa vulgaris. Wikipedia. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syringa_vulgaris

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d. Wikipedia. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Lilacs_Last_in_the_Dooryard_Bloom%27d