Sweet Pea
Everlasting Pea
Fragrant Pea
Scientific Name:
Lathyrus odoratus
Family:
Fabaceae
Flower Language
-
eternal pleasure
-
departure
-
don't forget me
-
farewell
-
departure
-
delicate
Description
Sweet pea is an annual plant that spread from Sicily, Italy to Europe in the 17th century. It captivates people with its sweet fragrance and butterfly-like beautiful flowers, beloved as a representative spring flower. It's a climbing plant that grows by twining around supports with tendrils, blooming with thin silk-like overlapping petals. Currently, through breeding, over 500 varieties exist, offering various colors and forms.
Trivia
- Made famous by Seiko Matsuda's song 'Red Sweet Pea', but red varieties didn't actually exist at the time and were first developed in 2002
- The flower language 'departure' comes from the butterfly-like appearance of the flowers, representing the act of taking flight
- In Europe, called the 'Queen of Fragrance' and treated as an important ingredient in the perfume industry
- Seeds are called hard seeds, and soaking them in water overnight before germination improves germination rates
Uses
Ornamental
- Used as cut flowers for bouquets and arrangements
- Garden planting for decorating trellises and arches
- Potted plants for balcony gardening
Medicinal
- Traditionally used externally for skin inflammation
- Aromatic components are said to have relaxing effects
Caution:
Seeds and pods contain neurotoxins, avoid internal use
Culinary
Sweet pea is for ornamental use only and not suitable for consumption
Other
- Raw material for perfumes and aroma oils
- Craft material as dried flowers
Toxicity
Toxicity Level:
Moderate
Toxic Parts:
seeds, pods
Symptoms:
Ingestion of seeds or pods may cause lower body paralysis, walking difficulties, and convulsions due to neurotoxins
Poet's Narcissus
Poeticus Narcissus
Pheasant's Eye
Scientific Name:
Narcissus poeticus
Family:
Amaryllidaceae
Flower Language
-
mystery
-
lovely attire
-
poet's heart
Characteristics
Colors:
white (with red center)
Description
Poet's Narcissus is a bulbous plant in the Amaryllidaceae family, native to Spain, France, and Greece. It gets its name from the white petals and the red-tinged tips of the central corona that look like lipstick has been applied. It blooms with fragrant beautiful flowers from March to May and is known as a flower beloved by poets. It's a late-blooming variety, characterized by flowering later than other narcissus species.
Trivia
- Called 'Poet's flower' because many poets have written about this flower since ancient times
- The red edge of the corona is said to be stained by the tears of blood that Narcissus shed when he fell in love with his own reflection
- Latest blooming among narcissus varieties, beloved as a flower that announces the end of spring
- Has an excellent fragrance that can fill an entire room with just one bloom
Uses
Ornamental
- Cut flowers for spring arrangements
- Garden planting for natural garden effects
- Potted plants for indoor decoration
Medicinal
- Traditionally used externally for skin treatment
- Used in aromatherapy for relaxation effects
Caution:
Bulbs are highly toxic, absolutely avoid internal use
Culinary
All parts contain toxins and are not suitable for consumption
Other
- Used as raw material for perfumes
- Craft material as dried flowers
Toxicity
Toxicity Level:
Severe
Toxic Parts:
bulb, leaves, stem, flowers
Symptoms:
Ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, headache, and coma within 30 minutes, potentially fatal in severe cases
Ranunculus
Buttercup
Persian Buttercup
Scientific Name:
Ranunculus asiaticus
Family:
Ranunculaceae
Flower Language
-
gentle consideration
-
radiant charm
-
very attractive
-
you are full of charm
-
natural beauty
-
purity
Characteristics
Colors:
yellow
Description
Ranunculus is a bulbous plant in the buttercup family native to Europe and Western Asia. It has glamorous flowers with thin silk-like petals layered like a dress, blooming from March to April. Through breeding, there are now over 500 varieties, with petal counts ranging from the original 5 to over 200. Flower colors are very diverse including white, pink, yellow, orange, purple, red, green, and black, with gradations and bicolors also available.
Trivia
- The name comes from Latin meaning 'little frog', named for preferring wetlands where frogs live
- Petal count has increased dramatically through breeding, with varieties now exceeding 200 petals
- The widest variety is available from February to March, making this the optimal purchasing period
- When buying as cut flowers, purchasing in bud stage allows for longer enjoyment
Uses
Ornamental
- Cut flowers for spring bouquets and arrangements
- Potted plants for indoor or balcony decoration
- Garden planting for border gardens and flower beds
Medicinal
- Traditionally used externally for skin inflammation
- Currently recommended for ornamental use only, not medicinal
Caution:
Buttercup family plants contain toxins, avoid medicinal use
Culinary
Contains toxins and is not suitable for consumption
Other
- Craft material as dried flowers
- Material for artistic works as pressed flowers
Toxicity
Toxicity Level:
Moderate
Toxic Parts:
leaves, stems, roots, flowers
Symptoms:
Ingestion may cause oral inflammation, abdominal pain, diarrhea, convulsions, and dermatitis
Hepatica
Liverwort
Snow-breaking flower
Scientific Name:
Hepatica nobilis var. japonica
Family:
Ranunculaceae
Description
Hepatica is a perennial plant in the buttercup family distributed on the Pacific side of Honshu's Tohoku and Kanto regions and Shikoku. It grows 10-20 cm tall, with triangular leaves from the base that are shallowly divided into three parts, characterized by rounded corners. The name comes from these rounded corners resembling 'suhama' (arc-shaped sandy beach). The basic flower color is white, but it comes in various colors including pink, blue, and light purple, with what appears to be petals actually being sepals.
Trivia
- The name 'snow-breaking flower' comes from its appearance of sprouting through snow to herald spring
- Called 'Liverwort' in English due to the liver-like shape of its leaves
- Flowers open only when warm sunlight shines, closing during cloudy or cold weather
- Distinguished from Hepatica triloba by its rounded leaf corners
Uses
Ornamental
- Potted cultivation as wild mountain plants
- Ground cover plants in shaded gardens
- Decorative flowers for tea ceremony tokonoma
Medicinal
- Traditionally used for liver ailments
- Currently recommended for ornamental use only, not medicinal
Caution:
Buttercup family plants contain toxins, avoid internal use
Culinary
For ornamental use only, not suitable for consumption
Other
- Material for artistic works as pressed flowers
- Symbol of wild plant protection
Toxicity
Toxicity Level:
Mild
Toxic Parts:
leaves, stems, roots
Symptoms:
Large consumption may cause gastrointestinal discomfort and dermatitis