May 18

Birth Flower

Yellow cosmos
Orange cosmos

Scientific Name: Cosmos sulphureus
Family: Asteraceae

Flower Language

  • wild beauty
  • natural beauty

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Lower in height than regular cosmos, it blooms yellow, orange, and red semi-double flowers from early summer to autumn. It's an unpretentious flower that creates a lively display when planted in large numbers in flower beds. Its wild beauty is attractive and it's a hardy plant resistant to heat.

Trivia

  • Lower height than regular cosmos
  • Heat-resistant and blooms vigorously in summer
  • Self-seeds for next year's germination
  • Characteristic semi-double flowers

Uses

Ornamental
  • Bedding plants
  • Cut flowers
  • Container gardens
  • Wildflower gardens
Medicinal

Caution: No recorded medicinal use

Culinary
  • Petals
Other
  • Nectar source for bees
  • Landscape plant
  • Beginner-friendly for seed sowing

Toxicity

Symptoms: No toxicity reported

Mock orange
Philadelphia

Scientific Name: Philadelphus coronarius
Family: Hydrangeaceae

Flower Language

  • memories
  • reminiscence

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

A deciduous shrub from Europe that blooms fragrant white flowers resembling plum blossoms in early summer, hence named 'plum blossom mock orange'. The flowers have a strong sweet fragrance and it's popular as a garden tree. Hardy and easy to grow, you can enjoy beautiful flowers every year.

Trivia

  • Named for white flowers resembling plum blossoms
  • Characterized by strong sweet fragrance
  • Long cultivated in European gardens
  • Hardy and easy-to-grow garden tree

Uses

Ornamental
  • Garden trees
  • Hedges
  • Cut flowers
  • Fragrance gardens
Medicinal

Caution: No recorded medicinal use

Culinary

Not edible

Other
  • Perfume ingredient
  • Nectar source for bees
  • Landscaping material

Toxicity

Symptoms: No toxicity reported