January 04

Birth Flower

Blue Star
Southern Star Star of Bethlehem Tweedia

Scientific Name: Oxypetalum caeruleum
Family: Apocynaceae

Flower Language

  • Happy love
  • Trusting hearts
  • Star spirit

Characteristics

Colors: blue

Description

A beautiful plant with refreshing blue star-shaped flowers. The flower color starts light and gradually becomes darker. This South American perennial from Brazil and Uruguay blooms from early summer to autumn and is often used in wedding bouquets as 'something blue'.

Trivia

  • In the West, there's a tradition that brides wearing something blue will have happiness
  • The flowers have the unique characteristic of turning pinkish when they're finishing
  • The formal Japanese name is Ruri-touwata
  • Plant height ranges from 60cm to over 1m when fully grown

Uses

Ornamental
  • cut flowers
  • garden planting
  • potted plants
Medicinal
  • no common medicinal uses

Caution: caution needed with plant's milky sap

Culinary

not suitable for consumption

Other
  • wedding decoration
  • flower arrangement

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Mild

Toxic Parts: stem sap

Symptoms: may cause skin irritation upon contact

Cineraria
Florist's Cineraria Pericallis

Scientific Name: Pericallis × hybrida
Family: Asteraceae

Flower Language

  • troubled memories
  • always cheerful
  • joy

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

A member of the Asteraceae family native to the Canary Islands, producing abundant vibrant flowers in pink, blue, purple, red, and white. It's beloved by gardening enthusiasts as a precious winter-to-spring bloomer. Often sold under the name 'Cineraria' to avoid negative connotations.

Trivia

  • Originally called 'Cineraria' but name was changed to avoid negative associations
  • Garden variety created by crossbreeding multiple native species from the Canary Islands
  • Valuable plant that blooms brightly during cold winter to spring period
  • Flowers are 5-10cm in diameter with large heart-shaped leaves

Uses

Ornamental
  • potted plants
  • greenhouse cultivation
  • container gardens
Medicinal
  • no common medicinal uses

Caution: no particular cautions

Culinary

not suitable for consumption

Other
  • indoor decoration
  • gift potted plants

Toxicity

Toxic Parts: no particularly toxic parts

Symptoms: no reported symptoms of poisoning

Hyacinth
Common Hyacinth Garden Hyacinth

Scientific Name: Hyacinthus orientalis
Family: Asparagaceae

Flower Language

  • modest loveliness
  • quiet love
  • mystery

Characteristics

Colors: white

Description

A bulbous plant of the Asparagaceae family native to the eastern Mediterranean coast. It produces fragrant white flowers in spikes in early spring and is loved for its pure beauty. It can be enjoyed through hydroponic cultivation and can bloom indoors from winter to spring. The name is said to derive from Hyacinthus, a beautiful youth in Greek mythology.

Trivia

  • Netherlands is the world's largest hyacinth bulb producer
  • Hydroponic cultivation is popular, allowing enjoyment of root growth in transparent containers
  • Flower fragrance becomes stronger at night
  • Bulbs are 3-7cm in diameter, with one flower stem growing from each bulb

Uses

Ornamental
  • hydroponic cultivation
  • garden planting
  • potted plants
Medicinal
  • no common medicinal uses

Caution: bulbs are toxic and require caution

Culinary

not suitable for consumption

Other
  • fragrance (flower scent)
  • indoor decoration

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Moderate

Toxic Parts: bulbs, leaves, flowers

Symptoms: ingestion may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms

Daisy
English Daisy Common Daisy Lawn Daisy

Scientific Name: Bellis perennis
Family: Asteraceae

Flower Language

  • innocence
  • purity
  • hope

Characteristics

Colors: white

Description

A perennial plant of the Asteraceae family native to Europe and the Mediterranean coast, producing charming white flowers about 5cm in diameter. The single-flowered blooms, resembling marguerites, open when receiving sunlight and close on cloudy days and at night. With a compact form and height of only 10-20cm, it's popular in bridal scenes.

Trivia

  • The name 'Daisy' comes from 'day's eye', likening the yellow center to the sun
  • Famous for 'loves me, loves me not' flower divination
  • The scientific name Bellis comes from Latin 'bellus' meaning beautiful
  • One of the most familiar wildflowers naturally growing in British lawns

Uses

Ornamental
  • flower bed borders
  • lawn planting
  • potted plants
Medicinal
  • traditionally used for wound healing
  • cough suppressant effects

Caution: consult experts for medicinal use

Culinary
  • young leaves
  • flowers
Other
  • bridal decoration
  • flower divination (loves me, loves me not)

Toxicity

Toxic Parts: no particularly toxic parts

Symptoms: no reported symptoms of poisoning

Narcissus
Daffodil Jonquil

Scientific Name: Narcissus poeticus
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Flower Language

  • mystery
  • respect
  • self-love

Characteristics

Colors: white

Description

A bulbous perennial of the Amaryllidaceae family distributed from the Mediterranean coast to North Africa and Asia. The pure white flowers blooming in severe cold are truly mystical, and their strong vitality and hope-filled appearance deserve people's respect. Named 'water immortal' in Chinese, and called 'snow flower' in Japan for blooming in snow.

Trivia

  • About 20,000 diverse varieties exist
  • Hydroponic cultivation is popular, often used for New Year indoor decoration
  • Bulbs have strong vitality and bloom every year in good conditions
  • Flower sizes vary from less than 1cm to over 5cm in diameter

Uses

Ornamental
  • hydroponic cultivation
  • garden planting
  • cut flowers
Medicinal
  • traditionally used as analgesic in folk medicine

Caution: bulbs and leaves are toxic and require caution

Culinary

not suitable for consumption

Other
  • fragrance (flower scent)
  • New Year decoration

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Severe

Toxic Parts: bulbs, leaves, flowers, stems

Symptoms: ingestion causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, dizziness, sweating and other poisoning symptoms