The Lilac in Nosferatu: Symbolism of Lilacs and Death

Do you swoon at the scent of lilacs? It is a favorite floral scent for many and a flowering shrub that others cherish for their childhood memories of smelling it in an older relatives' garden.

Lily-Rose Depp stars as Ellen Hutter in director Robert Eggers’ NOSFERATU, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

The lilac takes on a symbolic life of its own in a new horror film being released in theaters on Christmas Day 2024.

I attended a preview screening of  "Nosferatu" on Friday, December 13. It is a remake of the 1922 classic horror film, which was based on (completely ripped off, *ahem*) the "Dracula" novel by Bram Stoker. (Warning: The film is gruesome and hard to watch in many sections. It is definitely not for all.)

In an early scene in the film, the young newly married Thomas Hutter runs home in the driving rain with his hat covering a huge bouquet of cut lilacs for his new bride, Ellen. He is not a rich man, so this is quite an extravagant gesture and meant to make up for the fact that he will soon be taking a long work trip away from her. When she receives them, she screams in anguish and claims that the flowers are a waste and that they will all die. I have always found people who make this statement to be churlish and ignorant. It really is a silly assertion, given that the lilac flowers' vase life indoors is virtually the same as it is on the plant itself (one to two weeks), so why not go ahead and cut some to enjoy while they last!

The lilac is native to Eastern Europe, so it is no wonder Count Orlok is drawn to them, since they would have reminded them of the springtimes of his human youth. And that is where I have one serious issue with the movie, which takes place in 1838 during the weeks leading up to Christmas. How anyone of this time period would source a big bouquet of these springtime flowers is a mystery. It is not a plant that can be forced into bloom prior to February/March nor does it grow in southern locations where it could be imported from, because lilacs need a cold winter to set their flower buds.

Lilac, the color itself, which was named after the flower, is associated with youth and purity. In the film, Ellen wears a lilac dress and cloak and some (faux) lilacs in her hair. She also cuts the end ogf her hair and puts it into a locket for Thomas on his travels. (SPOILER ALERT: This locket is grabbed by Count Orlok and he smells the hair in it mentioning the scent of lilacs.)

According to LovFlowers.co, "lilacs symbolize renewal and the promise of new beginnings, as they are among the first flowers to bloom in spring. This makes them a wonderful representation of rebirth and growth. In Victorian England, lilacs were also a symbol of love and remembrance, often given to loved ones as a sign of devotion."

The lilacs use in funerals is described by the Schilling Funeral Home as a "common choice for the funeral or memorial tribute of a young person or someone who had a childlike nature or good heart. With its signature floral scent and youthful appearance, lilies signify purity and innocence. They are often brought to funerals and memorials to represent the idea that the deceased’s soul has become peaceful and innocent in death or that the deceased will be reborn in a new life."

SPOILER ALERT: This funereal use of lilacs is apropos for strewing around Ellen's body after her sacrifice at the end of the film and being robbed of her innocent youth. Moreover, it likely helped to combat the putrid smell of the Count's schriveled corpse lying on her.

Lilacs have many other layers of meanings. American folklore recommends them for warding off evil sprits and the Victorians associated them with "old love" and remembrance as the shrubs are long-lived (often lasting a century or more in the garden).

According to this article, they were not associated with death until the springtime assassination and funeral of Abraham Lincoln, which is a few decades after the events in this film. Smell is the most evocative of scents and can bring a person right back to a signficant time and place where they smelled a certain fragrance before. In the case of lilacs, Walt Whitman writes of Lincoln's passing, "I find myself always reminded of great tragedy of that day by the sight and odor of these blossoms. It never fails."

The article's author, Melissa Gouty, continues, "the scent of lilacs is what he associated with his grief, and he immortalized that in his eulogical poem about the death of President Abraham Lincoln, "When Lilacs Last In Dooryard Bloom’d."

Interestingly, the smell of lilacs releases the organic chemical compound Indole (present in both feces and flowers). As a Johns Hopkins University blog post explains, "lilacs can smell fresh at first and then, quickly thereafter, decayed and rotten...tempering the promise of spring with an indolic hint of decay and desolation." The film "Nosferatu" aims to do the same with its haunting story and stunning imagery that linger in one's mind far after the film has been viewed. Indolic, indeed. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Open Sea Design Co. (@openseadesignco)

The print shown above is by Open Sea Design and is inspired by "Ellen Hutter, a haunted young woman pursued by a terrifying vampire infatuated with her." They also offer this card with just a simple lilac flower on it. 

For information on actually growing lilacs yourself, go to our Lilac Plant Profile here.

Note that there is also a limited edition NOSFERATU perfume for $125.00. (It is currently sold out!) It is described as having a "chilling scent of wilting lilacs, velvety vegan ambergris and strikes of lightning that fill the air with petrichor and electricity—It's both delicate and hedonistic."

On a side note, if you are interested in adding more "Nosferatu" flowers to your goth garden, check out this dark-purple daylily with a chartreuse-green throat. I have found no other flowers or plants with "Nosferatu" in their names. Plant breeders, get on your marks - get set - go! Find out more about goth gardening here and here.

If YOU want to grow lilacs in your garden, here are some basics about lilac growing.

And I highly recommend this book, if you decide you want to get serious about collecting lilacs.

Lilacs: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden
Author: Naomi Slade
Photography: Georgianna Lane
Publisher: Gibbs Smith
List Price: $22.99
Order Links: https://amzn.to/3xLGGMX and https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9781423661306
Washington Gardener Magazine reviewer Tori Vandergriff wrote, "Lilacs is a jaw-dropping piece of literature due to Slade’s elegant and informative language, as well as Lane’s incredible photography. This book would be perfect for anyone seeking to learn more about the history of lilacs, the differences in each variety, and how to care for them in the garden. I would highly recommend this book to any gardener (beginner or otherwise) and anyone who loves gorgeous flowers!"