ORANGE An emblem of fertility in China, it was the custom
to give twelve oranges as gifts on the New Year. This
conveyed wishing the recipient happiness and
prosperity.
PALM In Egypt, palm fronds were frequently laid on
coffins or offered to the goddess Hathor. Among the
Greeks and Romans, the palm frond was a symbol of
victory. Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, was often
portrayed holding a palm branch, and the palm was also
sacred to Astarte, Isis, and Aphrodite. The Greek word
for palm is the same as that for "phoenix," which ties
this tree to the Underworld, death, and rebirth. Carvings
from ancient Babylon show the palm tree as the Tree of
Life.
PEACH In many Eastern cultures the peach symbolized
long life and immortality. At one time, Chinese children
wore peach pits as amulets, and peach boughs were
hung over doorways for protection.
PEAR Pear wood was often used to carve goddess statues
in the early Mediterranean cultures. The pear was sacred
to the Greek goddesses Hera and Aphrodite, and to the
Roman goddess of vegetation, Pomona. In China, the
pear represented longevity.
PINE TREE The pine has religious significance in several
Mediterranean and Far Eastern cultures because of its
connection with immortality, rebirth, and fertility. It
represents the life force in Japan and China. Japanese
Shinto shrines and ritual tools are made from pine. In
the Mediterranean region, during ancient ceremonies
honoring the goddess Cybele, this tree represented the
body of her consort Attis, who was annually slain and