plants that are typically found in graveyards

Cypress

Cypress trees have been associated with the underworld since ancient times.
Traditionally associated with the underworld since ancient times, the Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) is a favored tree for graveyard garden plantings. Chosen for its longevity, mournful coloring and stately growth habit, cypress appears in historic and modern graveyards throughout Europe, the Americas and the Middle East. Known for their erect, conical shape and dramatic whorls of evergreen foliage, cypress trees thrive in Mediterranean climates around the world, including California and southwestern Australia.




Weeping Willow

Willows have been described as "the perpetual mourner."
Few plants are more representative of graveyards than the weeping willow. Referred to as "the perpetual mourner," weeping willows earned this epithet with the mournful, trailing appearance of their branches. Native to northern China, weeping willows are a cultivar of the Babylonian willow (Salix babylonica), bred for their classic shape and narrow, silvery leaves. In addition to their aesthetic appeal, weeping willows serve a practical function when planted in graveyards, due to their ability to remove excess moisture from soil, which can cause graves and headstones to collapse.




Calla Lily

Calla lilies are often planted at the heads of graves.
White flowers hold a deep symbolic meaning of death, mourning and resurrection in many cultures around the world. In Europe and the Americas, calla lilies (Zantedeschia aethiopica) frequently grace graveyard gardens with their large, semi-tubular flowers. Native to southern Africa, calla lilies produce an abundance of evergreen foliage in areas of ample moisture and rich soil, sending up thick stalks topped by fleshy white flowers throughout the growing season. Symbolic of resurrection and eternity, calla lilies are often planted at the head and foot of graves.




Poppy

Corn poppies have traditionally been a symbol of lives lost in battle.
A potent symbol of death and immortality, corn poppies (Papaver rhoeas) have been featured in burial places since ancient times. Traditionally a symbol of lives lost in battle, corn poppies bear large, showy flowers in late spring, with a second blush in early autumn. Known for their vivid red hue, corn poppy flowers feature four large, delicate petals with black markings in the center. In cemetery settings, corn poppies are generally planted along the tops of graves where they quickly naturalize into dramatic drifts, reappearing each year.