August 28

Birth Flower

Garden Phlox
Phlox Summer Phlox Perennial Phlox Fall Phlox

Scientific Name: Phlox paniculata
Family: Polemoniaceae

Flower Language

  • agreement
  • consensus
  • mildness
  • harmony

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Garden Phlox is a perennial plant native to North America belonging to the Polemoniaceae family, blooming beautiful flowers from mid-June to mid-August. Its Japanese name derives from the similarity between the flower's fragrance and the white powder used by courtesans. Small flowers cluster together to form flower heads in various colors including pink, white, purple, and red, providing long-lasting enjoyment. The plant grows 40-120 cm tall with upright stems that typically don't branch. It has the characteristic of continuing to bloom even in midsummer despite high temperatures.

Trivia

  • Named 'Oiran-so' because its fragrance resembles the white powder used by Edo period courtesans
  • The flower language of 'cooperation' comes from flowers blooming together on one stem
  • Known as 'Garden Phlox' in America and a staple of cottage gardens
  • Over 100 varieties now exist through breeding

Uses

Ornamental
  • Used as cut flowers in bouquets and arrangements
  • Garden planting to color summer flower beds
  • Potted plants for balcony and entrance decoration
Medicinal
  • Sometimes used in folk medicine for cough relief and fever reduction
  • Leaf extracts believed to soothe skin inflammation

Caution: Medical effects are not scientifically proven; consultation with experts required for use

Culinary

Not suitable for culinary use

Other
  • Used as raw material for perfumes and potpourri utilizing flower fragrance
  • Used as dried flowers for decoration

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Mild

Toxic Parts: leaves, stems

Symptoms: May cause mild gastrointestinal upset if consumed in large quantities

Black Lily
Kamchatka Fritillary Chocolate Lily Ezo Black Lily

Scientific Name: Fritillaria camschatcensis
Family: Liliaceae

Flower Language

  • curse of love
  • love
  • curse
  • revenge

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Black Lily is a perennial plant growing 10-20 cm tall in alpine grasslands, blooming black flowers about 3 cm in diameter from June to August. Its scientific name is Fritillaria camschatcensis, classified in the Liliaceae family, genus Fritillaria. The flowers have a distinctive strong fragrance that attracts insects (mainly flies) for pollination. In Ainu legend, if you place a Black Lily near someone you like and they notice and pick the flower, the two will be united, leading to many flower language meanings related to love. However, it's also considered a symbol of revenge in the Black Lily legend of Sassa Narimasa from the Sengoku period.

Trivia

  • Beloved as the prefectural flower of Toyama and symbol of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
  • The flower's fragrance is so strong that some people find it offensive
  • Called 'hurepp' in Ainu language, meaning red flower (though actually black)
  • Known as the 'flower of revenge' due to Sassa Narimasa's legend, but as 'flower of love' in Ainu culture

Uses

Ornamental
  • Display in alpine botanical gardens
  • Collection by wild plant enthusiasts
  • Special cut flowers for tea ceremony arrangements
Medicinal
  • Used for cough relief in Ainu traditional medicine
  • Sometimes used as a fever reducer in folk medicine

Caution: Contains toxic components; self-medication is dangerous

Culinary

Inappropriate for culinary use

Other
  • Used as Ainu love charms
  • Research material for alpine plant studies

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Moderate

Toxic Parts: bulb, entire plant

Symptoms: Contains alkaloids that may cause poisoning symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea when consumed

Gooseberry
Currant Ribes European Gooseberry

Scientific Name: Ribes uva-crispa
Family: Grossulariaceae

Flower Language

  • I will please you
  • your displeasure torments me
  • I would die if you disliked me

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Gooseberry is a deciduous shrub distributed mainly in temperate to subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with about 150 species in the genus Ribes. The branches have sharp thorns, and after blooming small flowers in spring, they produce small, tart berries in summer. The fruit colors vary by variety including red, yellow-green, and black, and are commonly processed into jams and fruit wines rather than eaten fresh. Rich in polyphenols and anthocyanins, they are expected to have health benefits. However, cultivation is restricted in some areas as they serve as intermediate hosts for rust diseases affecting pine trees.

Trivia

  • Scientific name Ribes derives from Arabic meaning 'having sourness'
  • The traditional dessert 'Gooseberry Fool' is famous in Britain
  • Cassis (blackcurrant) is a species of Ribes popular as cocktail ingredient
  • Cultivation prohibited in some areas as intermediate host for pine rust disease

Uses

Ornamental
  • Garden trees for enjoying spring flowers
  • High ornamental value of fruits
  • Used as hedges (security effect from thorns)
Medicinal
  • Skin beauty effects from vitamin C in fruits
  • Eye fatigue reduction from anthocyanins
  • Antioxidant effects from polyphenols

Caution: Excessive consumption of fruits may cause gastrointestinal disorders

Culinary
  • berries
Other
  • Used as natural dye
  • Raw material for fruit wines and liqueurs
  • Used as health food

Toxicity

Symptoms: Fruits are safe for consumption, but excessive intake may cause gastrointestinal upset

Queen of the Night
Night-blooming Cereus Dutchman's Pipe Cactus Epiphyllum

Scientific Name: Epiphyllum oxypetalum
Family: Cactaceae

Flower Language

  • wanting to meet just once
  • ephemeral beauty
  • fleeting love
  • glamorous beauty
  • hidden passion

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Queen of the Night is an evergreen succulent from the Cactaceae family, native to the tropical rainforests of Mexico, and is a one-night flowering plant that blooms only at night from June to November. The large white flowers, 20-25 cm in diameter, begin to emit fragrance in the evening, start blooming around 8 PM, and wither by 3-4 AM the next morning. Characterized by an elegant, sweet fragrance similar to jasmine, this fantastical blooming pattern earned it the beautiful name 'Queen of the Night.' It has kelp-like flattened leaf-stems and grows to about 1-2 meters.

Trivia

  • Blooms only 1-2 times per year, and seeing it bloom is considered very fortunate
  • The flower's fragrance is said to reach over 100 meters
  • Origin of the Taiwanese idiom 'tan hua yi xian' (momentary beauty)
  • NASA has conducted cultivation experiments on space stations

Uses

Ornamental
  • Popular as indoor houseplants
  • Display cultivation in greenhouses
  • One-night blooming viewing events
Medicinal
  • Used in traditional Chinese medicine for cough relief and lung symptom improvement
  • Flowers dried and used as medicinal tea

Caution: Medical effects are not scientifically proven; consultation with experts required before use

Culinary
  • flowers
Other
  • Raw material for perfumes and aroma oils
  • Collection plant for gardening enthusiasts
  • Popular subject for photography

Toxicity

Symptoms: No particular toxicity reported, but caution with sap as a cactaceae plant

Sea Holly
Eryngium Blue Thistle Eryngo

Scientific Name: Eryngium planum
Family: Apiaceae

Flower Language

  • secret love
  • hidden love
  • seeking light
  • independence
  • strictness

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Eryngium is a plant in the Apiaceae family, genus Eryngium, which includes about 230 species. It is characterized by its unique appearance where blue small flowers cluster in spherical form about 10 cm in diameter, surrounded by sharp spiny bracts. Blooming from May to July, it has thistle-like deeply cut leaves with complex incisions. Widely distributed globally in Central Asia, Mediterranean regions, and North and South America, most are annual, biennial, or perennial plants growing from 30 cm to about 4 meters tall. It's also popular as dried flowers with high demand for cut flowers.

Trivia

  • Scientific name Eryngium derives from Greek 'eringion' meaning 'thorny'
  • Year-round demand for cut flowers with peak season from June to August
  • Valuable flower material that retains beautiful color and form when dried
  • About 230 diverse species exist with various forms and colors

Uses

Ornamental
  • Used as cut flowers in bouquets and arrangements
  • Enjoyable as dried flowers for long periods
  • Ornamental plants in flower beds and gardens
Medicinal
  • Used in European folk medicine for cough relief and bronchitis treatment
  • Root parts decocted and used as diuretics

Caution: Medical effects are not scientifically proven; consultation with experts required before use

Culinary

Generally not suitable for culinary use

Other
  • Material for dried flower crafts
  • Used as natural dye for blue-based coloring
  • Contributes to ecosystem as nectar source for insects

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Mild

Toxic Parts: entire plant

Symptoms: May cause mild gastrointestinal upset if consumed in large quantities, but generally low toxicity