August 25

Birth Flower

Lisianthus
Eustoma Texas Bluebell Prairie Gentian

Scientific Name: Eustoma grandiflorum
Family: Gentianaceae

Flower Language

  • elegance
  • refreshing beauty
  • gratitude
  • good conversation

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

A plant from the Gentianaceae family native to southwestern United States and Mexico, with thin petals overlapping to create beautiful rose-like flower forms. Available in rich colors including white, pink, purple, yellow, and green, with single and double-flowered varieties. Though petals appear thin and delicate, flowers actually have good longevity, enjoyable as cut flowers for 1-2 weeks. Former scientific name Lisianthus derives from Greek meaning 'smooth flower,' while current name Eustoma means 'beautiful mouth.'

Trivia

  • Good cost performance as 2-4 flowers bloom per stem
  • Good longevity despite thin petals due to strong cell walls
  • Valued as Buddhist offering flower due to absence of thorns
  • Now available year-round through breeding, becoming a year-round flower

Uses

Ornamental
  • Cut flowers
  • Bouquets
  • Flower arrangements
Medicinal
  • No traditional medicinal uses reported

Caution:

Culinary

Not suitable for consumption

Other
  • Dried flowers
  • Pressed flowers
  • Horticultural education material

Toxicity

Symptoms: No toxicity reported

Sunflower
Common Sunflower Italian White Sunflower

Scientific Name: Helianthus annuus
Family: Asteraceae

Flower Language

  • I will keep thinking of you
  • admiration
  • adoration

Characteristics

Colors: lemon yellow

Description

An annual plant from the Asteraceae family native to North America, a small-flowered, multi-flowering variety compared to common sunflowers. Blooms for a long period from July to November, characterized by beautiful contrast between lemon yellow petals and chocolate-colored center. Due to branching nature, multiple flowers bloom from one plant, and absence of pollen makes it suitable for indoor decoration. This variety is known for having edible buds that can be enjoyed when sautéed in butter. Like common sunflowers, it has heliotropism, growing toward the sun.

Trivia

  • Optimal for cut flowers with good longevity due to no pollen production
  • Can be enjoyed long-term from one plant due to branching system
  • Rare sunflower variety with edible buds
  • Variety bred in Italy with excellent heat tolerance

Uses

Ornamental
  • Flower beds
  • Cut flowers
  • Container gardens
Medicinal
  • Oil extracted from seeds has antioxidant effects
  • Rich in vitamin E

Caution: Consult experts for medical use

Culinary
  • Buds
  • Seeds
Other
  • Source of seed oil
  • Bird feed
  • Educational material

Toxicity

Symptoms: No toxicity reported (buds are edible)

Blackberry Lily
Leopard Flower Belamcanda

Scientific Name: Iris domestica
Family: Iridaceae

Flower Language

  • sincerity
  • individual beauty

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

A perennial plant from the Iridaceae family native to Japan, China, and Korean Peninsula, named for its thick fan-shaped leaves resembling a hinoki cypress fan. Blooms in summer with 3-6cm diameter orange flowers with red spots in 6 petals, day flowers that open successively. After flowering, produces black seeds called 'Nubatama (arrow-shaft seeds),' used since ancient times as a makurakotoba (pillow word) representing black color in waka poetry. In Kyoto's Gion Festival, there's a tradition of displaying it as a flower for warding off evil.

Trivia

  • Former scientific name was Belamcanda chinensis, now integrated into Iris genus
  • Seeds 'Nubatama' appear 42 times as makurakotoba in Man'yōshū
  • Typical day flower that opens in morning and closes in evening
  • Tradition of displaying with bellflowers during Gion Festival

Uses

Ornamental
  • Garden planting
  • Potted plants
  • Cut flowers
Medicinal
  • Rhizome used in traditional Chinese medicine
  • Fever reduction
  • Anti-inflammatory effects

Caution: Consult experts for medical use

Culinary

Not suitable for consumption

Other
  • Dye (black color from seeds)
  • Craft materials
  • Literary subject matter

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Mild

Toxic Parts: Seeds, Rhizome

Symptoms: Seeds and rhizome have mild toxicity, avoid ingestion

Hibiscus
Rose of Sharon Chinese Hibiscus Shoe Flower

Scientific Name: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Family: Malvaceae

Flower Language

  • bravery
  • new love
  • constantly new beauty
  • delicate beauty

Characteristics

Colors: red

Description

An evergreen shrub from the Malvaceae family native to tropical Asia, world-famous as Hawaii's state flower. Large 5-petaled flowers can reach 10-15cm in diameter, characterized by long stamens protruding from the center. Flowers are day flowers that open in morning and close by evening, but continuously produce new blooms. Over 7000 varieties exist in colors including red, pink, yellow, white, and orange. Blooms year-round in suitable temperatures, also beloved as material for leis (flower necklaces).

Trivia

  • Flower life is one day but may last two days under suitable temperature conditions
  • Also called 'Shoe Flower' because rubbing petals produces soap-like foam
  • Grows over 3 meters when planted in ground in Okinawa
  • Commercial plants kept to about 30cm through growth retardant treatment

Uses

Ornamental
  • Potted plants
  • Garden trees
  • Leis (flower necklaces)
Medicinal
  • Used in traditional Indian medicine
  • Antioxidant effects
  • Blood pressure lowering effects

Caution: Consult experts for medical use

Culinary
  • Flowers
  • Leaves
Other
  • Natural dye
  • Soap lathering
  • Shampoo

Toxicity

Symptoms: No toxicity reported (flowers are edible)

Anthurium
Painted Tongue Flamingo Flower Laceleaf

Scientific Name: Anthurium andreanum
Family: Araceae

Flower Language

  • heart tormented by love
  • passion
  • impressive
  • heart is burning

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

An evergreen perennial from the Araceae family native to tropical America and West Indies, popular worldwide as a foliage plant. The glossy heart-shaped part is a bract (spathe), with the central protrusion being the actual flower (spadix). Available in rich colors including red, pink, white, and green, beloved as 'Heart of Hawaii' in Hawaii. Full-scale cultivation began in Japan in the 1970s, now popular as cut flowers, and considered a luck-bringing plant in feng shui.

Trivia

  • Heart-shaped part is not flower but bract formed from modified leaf
  • Active breeding by University of Hawaii researchers
  • Can be enjoyed as cut flowers for about 1-2 weeks
  • Considered plant that enhances love luck and financial fortune in feng shui

Uses

Ornamental
  • Foliage plants
  • Cut flowers
  • Bouquets
Medicinal
  • Traditional medicinal use is limited

Caution: Handle with care due to irritating sap

Culinary

Not suitable for consumption

Other
  • Interior decoration
  • Flower arrangements
  • Feng shui items

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Mild

Toxic Parts: Entire plant, Sap

Symptoms: May cause skin irritation from sap, oral inflammation if ingested