Author: Rebecca Laurent

Inside a large church with stained glass windows and intricate architecture. Easter lilies line the steps up to the altar.

Essays

The Colonial Roots of Catholic Plants

Catholic churches in the U.S. are decorated with a shared, recurring cycle of select plants. Rebecca Laurent and Emily Burke dig into the historical and political roots of poinsettias and Easter lilies and what their floral glory tells us about nature, religion, and colonialism.