Lupine on a Headstone: Meaning

Tall spires of purple, pink and white lupines line the roadsides of Atlantic Canada, Newfoundland and Maine every June. On a headstone they bring a sense of summer, hope and joyful imagination.

What it means

A roadside favourite

Lupines are hardy flowers that thrive in poor, sandy soil, which is why they spread so freely along ditches and coastal meadows. Their name comes from the Latin for wolf. The Texas bluebonnet, the state flower of Texas, is a lupine too. Many gardeners love them for their colour and for the way they return year after year.

Design ideas

• A cluster of tall lupines rising beside the name.
• A field of lupines running down to the sea.
• Lupines with a farmhouse or lighthouse behind — see lighthouse meaning.
• Bluebonnets for a Texan.

Who it suits

Gardeners, Maritimers, Newfoundlanders and Mainers, Texans, artists and imaginative, joyful people. See headstone ideas for a gardener.

Colour

Lupines are known for colour. On black granite, hand-tinted purple or blue lupines look striking, though tints may need touching up over the years. On grey granite, a deeply carved outline gives a classic look. See headstone lettering colours.

Planting near the grave

Lupines self-seed readily and can spread, so many cemeteries don't allow them in the plot. A lupine etched in stone avoids the problem. See best low-maintenance plants for a grave.

Epitaphs to pair

• Forever summer.
• She made the world more beautiful.
• Blooming in a better field.
• The flowers appear on the earth. (Song of Solomon 2:12)

Key Takeaways

• Lupines mean imagination, hope and happiness.
• They line summer roadsides in Atlantic Canada and Maine.
• The Texas bluebonnet is a lupine.
• Etch lupines rather than planting them in the plot.

Next Step

See flower meanings on headstones and headstone quotes about summer.