May 04

Birth Flower

Chinese Peony
Common Garden Peony Herbaceous Peony

Scientific Name: Paeonia lactiflora
Family: Paeoniaceae

Flower Language

  • Bashfulness

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Chinese peony is a perennial herb in the Paeoniaceae family native to China, long cherished as a symbol of feminine beauty. It produces large, gorgeous blooms around May, opening beautifully during the day and closing in the evening. This bashful movement of the flowers gave rise to the flower language 'bashfulness'. It was introduced to Japan from China as a medicinal plant in ancient times and is now widely cultivated for ornamental purposes.

Trivia

  • Introduced to Japan during the Nara period, initially cultivated as medicinal herbs
  • The flower language 'bashfulness' arose from stems bending under the weight of heavy blooms
  • About 30 wild species exist worldwide with thousands of cultivated varieties
  • In China, sometimes used in 'flower fortune-telling' called 'Huaxiang'

Uses

Ornamental
  • Cut flowers
  • Garden ornamental
  • Potted plants
Medicinal
  • Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects
  • Muscle tension relief
  • Hemostatic and anti-inflammatory effects

Caution: Should be used appropriately under medical guidance

Culinary

Not suitable for culinary use

Other
  • Perfume ingredient
  • Cosmetic component

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Mild

Toxic Parts: Roots

Symptoms: Large amounts may cause gastrointestinal upset, but normal ornamental use poses no problem

Crown Imperial
Imperial Fritillary Kaiser's Crown

Scientific Name: Fritillaria imperialis
Family: Liliaceae

Flower Language

  • Heavenly Love
  • Majesty
  • Royal Dignity

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Fritillaria imperialis is a bulbous plant in the Liliaceae family native to Western Asia, also known as Crown Imperial or Kaiser's Crown. From spring to early summer, it produces 6-10 drooping bell-shaped flowers in yellow or orange at the top of stems over one meter tall, crowned with green leaves. This majestic appearance gave rise to flower languages like 'heavenly love' and 'majesty'.

Trivia

  • Traded at high prices during the Dutch tulip bubble era
  • Bulbs have a distinctive smell sometimes called 'fox scent'
  • Affectionately known as 'crowned prince' in Europe
  • Known for sweet nectar that collects in the hollow beneath flowers

Uses

Ornamental
  • Mass planting in spring gardens
  • Cut flowers
  • Accent in bulb gardens
Medicinal
  • Traditionally used in Persian medicine but not common today

Caution: Modern medicinal use not recommended

Culinary

Not suitable for culinary use

Other
  • Distinctive fragrance occasionally used in perfumery
  • Used as educational material for bulb gardening

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Mild

Toxic Parts: Bulbs

Symptoms: Large amounts of bulbs may cause gastrointestinal upset, but normal horticultural use poses no problem

Stokes' Aster
Stokesia Cornflower Aster

Scientific Name: Stokesia laevis
Family: Asteraceae

Flower Language

  • Purity
  • Reminiscence
  • Strength

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Stokesia is a perennial herb in the Asteraceae family native to southeastern North America, known in Japanese as Ruri-giku. It's the only plant in the genus Stokesia, producing beautiful flowers from June to September with flat outer petals and overlapping fine inner petals. With flower colors including blue-purple, light purple, white, and pink, it's popular as a garden plant for being hardy, low-maintenance, and blooming annually.

Trivia

  • Named after botanist Jonathan Stokes
  • Unusual as the only species in the genus Stokesia
  • Species name 'laevis' means 'smooth'
  • Sometimes called 'blue cornflower' in America

Uses

Ornamental
  • Mass planting in flower beds
  • Cut flowers
  • Natural gardens
Medicinal
  • Traditional medicinal use by Native Americans, but not common today

Caution: Modern medicinal use not recommended

Culinary

Not suitable for culinary use

Other
  • Nectar source for butterflies and bees
  • Can be used as dried flowers

Toxicity

Symptoms: No particular toxicity reported

Sea Lavender
Statice Marsh Rosemary

Scientific Name: Limonium sinuatum
Family: Plumbaginaceae

Flower Language

  • Unchanging Heart
  • Eternity

Characteristics

Colors: Purple

Description

Statice is an annual herb in the Plumbaginaceae family native to the Mediterranean coast, officially called Limonium. Its colorful flowers (actually bracts) don't fade for long periods, making it popular not only as fresh flowers but also as dried flowers. With diverse colors including purple, pink, white, and yellow, its long-lasting nature gave rise to flower languages like 'eternity' and 'unchanging heart'.

Trivia

  • What appears to be flowers are actually bracts, with true flowers being small white parts in the center
  • Has the property of not fading even when dried
  • Can be grown near coasts due to salt tolerance
  • Genus name Limonium derives from Greek word for 'meadow'

Uses

Ornamental
  • Cut flowers
  • Dried flowers
  • Flower bed displays
Medicinal
  • Used in Mediterranean folk medicine but not common today

Caution: Medicinal use not recommended

Culinary

Not suitable for culinary use

Other
  • Craft materials
  • Potpourri ingredient
  • Decorative dried flowers

Toxicity

Symptoms: No particular toxicity reported