April 30

Birth Flower

Dame's Violet
Sweet Rocket Dame's Rocket

Scientific Name: Hesperis matronalis
Family: Brassicaceae

Flower Language

  • blessed future
  • fountain of wisdom
  • intelligence

Characteristics

Colors: purple

Description

Murasakihanana is a biennial plant native to Europe in the Brassicaceae family, introduced to Japan around 1935. In spring, it beautifully colors embankments, roadsides, and riverbanks with purple. It has 4-petaled cruciform flowers that emit sweet fragrance in the evening. Also called Hanadaikon, but Murasakihanana is the correct official name. It is now widely distributed throughout Japan as a naturalized plant.

Trivia

  • Called 'Dame's Violet (evening lady)' because fragrance intensifies in the evening
  • Cruciform flower structure same as rapeseed due to being in Brassicaceae family
  • Seeds disperse long distances, expanding distribution along rivers and railways
  • Cultivated in monasteries as 'Virgin's herb' in medieval Europe

Uses

Ornamental
  • Natural viewing in naturalized colonies
  • Enjoyed as cut flowers for short periods
  • Component of wildflower gardens
Medicinal
  • Used for cough relief and fever reduction in medieval Europe
  • Currently not used medicinally

Caution: Effects in modern medicine unconfirmed, use for ornamental purposes is recommended

Culinary
  • young leaves
  • flowers
Other
  • Important as nectar source for butterflies and bees
  • Believed to have soil conservation effects
  • Used as educational material for nature education

Toxicity

Symptoms: Generally non-toxic with edible young leaves, but be careful about harvesting environment

Lady Banks' Rose
Banksia Rose White Lady Banks

Scientific Name: Rosa banksiae
Family: Rosaceae

Flower Language

  • happy childhood times
  • first love
  • purity

Characteristics

Colors: yellow

Description

Mokkou-bara is a climbing shrub native to China in the Rosaceae family, introduced to Japan during the mid-Edo period. It blooms many small flowers 2-3cm in diameter in clusters from April to May. It's a climbing variety with both yellow and white flowering types, easy to handle due to lack of thorns, with vines extending over 10m and enjoyed trained on fences and arches. Popular as disease-resistant and easy-to-grow rose.

Trivia

  • Named 'Lady Banks' Rose' after the wife of British botanist Joseph Banks
  • A specimen in America is registered in Guinness records as the world's largest rose
  • Main horticultural varieties are single white and double yellow flowering types
  • Historic flower cultivated in China for over 1000 years

Uses

Ornamental
  • Trained as climbers on fences and arches
  • Climbing roses for wall greening
  • Used as ground cover
Medicinal
  • Flowers used as 'muxiang flower' in traditional Chinese medicine for qi and blood harmony
  • Believed to have anti-inflammatory effects in folk medicine

Caution: Effects in modern medicine unconfirmed, use for ornamental purposes is recommended

Culinary
  • petals
  • young leaves
Other
  • Production of rose water
  • Material for potpourri and dried flowers
  • Petals used as natural dye

Toxicity

Symptoms: Generally non-toxic with edible petals, but choose pesticide-free horticultural varieties