Sasanqua Camellia
Winter Camellia
Kan-tsubaki
Scientific Name:
Camellia sasanqua
Family:
Theaceae
Flower Language
-
modesty
-
charm
-
humble love
-
perfect loveliness
Characteristics
Colors:
deep red
Description
Kan-tsubaki is a group of horticultural varieties of Japanese Sasanqua camellia, named for blooming in cold seasons. From late November to late January, it produces deep red double or multi-petaled flowers 5-7cm in diameter. The branches spread horizontally, keeping the tree height low at about 1m, making it ideal for hedges and roadside plantings. The petals fall individually, and the plant is resistant to pollution.
Trivia
- Developed as a particularly cold-resistant variety among Sasanqua camellias
- A winter flower beloved by common people since the Edo period
- Flowers have the characteristic of opening toward the sun
- Sometimes called 'creeping camellia' due to its horizontal branching pattern
Uses
Ornamental
- Used as hedging
- Planted for winter garden color
- Used as cut flowers for indoor decoration
Medicinal
- Traditionally recorded uses for fever reduction and cough relief
Caution:
Medicinal use is not recommended in modern times
Culinary
Not suitable for consumption
Other
- Important as landscaping plant
- Also used as windbreak
Toxicity
Symptoms:
Non-toxic
Rose
Garden Rose
Hybrid Rose
Scientific Name:
Rosa hybrida
Family:
Rosaceae
Flower Language
-
love
-
beauty
-
friendship
-
devotion
-
happiness
-
jealousy
-
you are lovely in every way
Characteristics
Colors:
yellow
Description
Yellow roses are a relatively new group of varieties, with new cultivars continuously developed since the 19th century. The original yellow rose species were once-blooming and difficult to cultivate, but in 1900, French breeder Joseph Pernet-Ducher created 'Soleil d'Or,' beginning the history of yellow roses. Today they are cherished as flowers expressing friendship, happiness, and warmth, but they also carry negative meanings like jealousy and fading love, requiring careful consideration when giving as gifts.
Trivia
- The world's oldest rose fossil dates back about 35 million years
- Cleopatra was said to have loved rose baths
- Yellow rose breeding was so difficult it was called the 'Holy Grail of roses'
- Approximately 30,000 rose varieties exist worldwide today
Uses
Ornamental
- Most popular flower for cut flower arrangements
- Cultivation in gardens and rose gardens
- Indoor cultivation in pots
Medicinal
- Rose hips rich in vitamin C with beauty benefits
- Rose water used as facial toner
- Mental calming effects in aromatherapy
Caution:
Care needed to avoid injury from thorns
Culinary
- petals
- rose hips (fruits)
Other
- Raw material for perfumes and cosmetics
- Rose oil extraction
- Decorative dried flowers
Toxicity
Toxicity Level:
Mild
Toxic Parts:
thorns (physical injury)
Symptoms:
Puncture wounds and scratches from thorns. Petals and hips are generally safe
Calendula
Pot Marigold
English Marigold
Scientific Name:
Calendula officinalis
Family:
Asteraceae
Flower Language
-
sorrow of parting
-
secret love
-
loneliness
Characteristics
Colors:
yellow, orange
Description
Calendula is a cold-hardy annual herb native to the Mediterranean coast that produces yellow or orange flowers about 10cm in diameter. The flowers have the characteristic of opening and closing with the sun's movement, opening at sunrise and closing at night. It blooms for an extended period from October to May, hence its name derives from the Latin 'Calendae' meaning 'the first day of each month,' which is also the origin of the word 'calendar.' It has long been used as a medicinal plant and is still used today as an edible flower.
Trivia
- Sometimes called 'poor man's saffron' or 'Egyptian saffron'
- Used as a rejuvenation medicine in ancient Egypt
- The flower's name became the origin of the word 'calendar'
- A historic flower that appears in Shakespeare's works
Uses
Ornamental
- Border and front planting in flower beds
- Use as cut flowers
- Pot cultivation
Medicinal
- Used as treatment for skin problems
- Applied as ointment for burns and eczema
- Believed to have anti-inflammatory properties
Caution:
Caution needed as it may cause allergic reactions
Other
- Used as natural dye
- Cosmetics ingredient
- Consumed as herbal tea
Toxicity
Symptoms:
Generally safe, but those with allergies should be cautious
Adonis
Pheasant's Eye
Spring Adonis
Scientific Name:
Adonis ramosa
Family:
Ranunculaceae
Flower Language
-
bringing happiness
-
eternal happiness
-
sorrowful remembrance
Characteristics
Colors:
yellow
Description
Fukujusou is a perennial herb of the buttercup family native to Japan, Siberia, China, and the Korean Peninsula, blooming yellow flowers 3-4cm in diameter from April to May. It's a typical spring ephemeral, extremely sensitive to sunlight. In the Edo period it was called 'Fukutsugu-so' (fortune-telling grass), later changed to the auspicious character for 'longevity' to become 'Fukujusou' (fortune-longevity grass). Cultivated since ancient times as a good luck charm for blooming around the New Year in the old calendar, it's beloved as a flower celebrating the New Year. However, caution is needed as the entire plant is toxic.
Trivia
- Four species of Adonis are native to Japan
- Flowers are extremely sensitive to sunlight, closing in 1-2 minutes when cloudy
- Many horticultural varieties were developed during the Edo period
- Also called 'New Year's Day grass' or 'First day grass'
Uses
Ornamental
- New Year container arrangements
- Cultivation in wildflower gardens
- Enjoyed as bonsai
Medicinal
- Used in traditional Chinese medicine for cardiac effects
- Recorded folk medicine use for diuretic effects
Caution:
The entire plant is toxic, making medicinal use dangerous in modern times
Culinary
Not edible due to toxicity
Other
- Collection target for wildflower enthusiasts
- Subject of early spring nature observation
Toxicity
Toxicity Level:
Severe
Toxic Parts:
entire plant, roots, rhizomes
Symptoms:
May cause cardiac toxicity, gastrointestinal symptoms, and neurological symptoms
Sweet Alyssum
Sweet Alison
Lobularia
Scientific Name:
Lobularia maritima
Family:
Brassicaceae
Flower Language
-
grace
-
value beyond beauty
-
honesty
Characteristics
Colors:
white, light pink, purple, yellow, violet
Description
Lobularia is a cold-hardy annual herb of the mustard family native to the Mediterranean region, now cultivated worldwide. It grows to about 15cm tall with the characteristic of branching well from ground level and spreading in a mat-like form. It produces countless small 4-petaled flowers about 3mm in diameter with a strong sweet fragrance. Flower colors are diverse including white, light pink, purple, yellow, and violet, making it popular for border planting and front row plantings in flower beds. It was formerly classified in the genus Alyssum but is now recognized as the independent genus Lobularia.
Trivia
- Better known by the name 'Alyssum'
- Called 'Sweet Alyssum' due to its sweet fragrance
- Has the characteristic of keeping flowers open all day
- Will bloom again when cut back
Uses
Ornamental
- Used as flower bed edging
- Cultivation in rock gardens
- Used in hanging baskets
Medicinal
- Recorded folk medicine use for cough relief
Caution:
Medicinal use is not recommended in modern times
Culinary
Not suitable for consumption
Other
- Use in fragrance gardens
- Attracts butterflies and bees as nectar source
- Used as ground cover
Toxicity
Symptoms:
Generally considered safe