This flower, from which opium is also extracted, sometimes adorns graves in reference to the deep sleep it induces, metaphorically linked to death. Which flower?
The answer
The poppy, associated with the deep sleep it induces in the form of opium, serves as a funerary metaphor for eternal rest. It is distinct from the lily, a symbol of purity, and the chrysanthemum, the traditional flower of mourning in France since the twentieth century.
This question belongs to the “Symbols and Allegories” series of the Père-Lachaise quiz: ten questions, a story behind every right answer.