September 13

Birth Flower

Lantana
West Indian Lantana Shrub Verbena Yellow Sage

Scientific Name: Lantana camara
Family: Verbenaceae

Flower Language

  • Cooperation
  • Fickleness
  • Rigorous
  • Agreement

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Lantana is a tropical American evergreen shrub, also known as 'seven changes' in Japanese. Small flowers cluster together in a hemispherical shape, characterized by color changes from initial yellow to orange and then red over time. It blooms for an extended period from May to October and is popular as a very heat-resistant and easy-to-grow plant. However, care should be taken when handling as the stems and leaves have fine thorns.

Trivia

  • Listed as one of the 'World's Most Invasive Alien Species' by IUCN
  • Color changes are believed to signal pollination status to insects
  • One of the flowers brought to Europe with Columbus's discovery of the New World
  • Has the unique feature of displaying different colored flowers simultaneously in one cluster

Uses

Ornamental
  • Garden planting
  • Potted plants
  • Ground cover
Medicinal
  • Leaves used in folk medicine for skin conditions
  • Believed to have anti-inflammatory properties

Caution: Fruits are toxic and not edible. Avoid medicinal use without proper guidance

Culinary

Not suitable for culinary use

Other
  • Attracts butterflies and bees
  • Research subject for biofuel

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Moderate

Toxic Parts: Fruits, Leaves

Symptoms: Ingestion of fruits may cause vomiting, diarrhea, and difficulty breathing

Canna
Canna Lily Indian Shot

Scientific Name: Canna indica
Family: Cannaceae

Flower Language

  • Passion
  • Permanence
  • Cheerfulness
  • Respect

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Canna is a tropical American perennial (bulbous plant) that extends stems between large leaves and produces colorful large flowers in red, yellow, orange, pink, and white from summer to autumn for extended periods. Plant height varies from dwarf varieties of 40-50cm to large varieties exceeding 2m. It is extremely heat-resistant and continues to bloom vigorously even under scorching summer sun, adapting well to Japan's climate and commonly seen in roadside flower beds. The scientific name 'Canna' derives from Latin meaning reed, named for its hollow stem.

Trivia

  • Seeds are extremely hard and once used as shotgun pellets, hence called 'Indian Shot'
  • Hollow stems are an adaptation for water storage
  • What appears to be petals are actually modified stamens
  • About 50 species exist naturally worldwide with many horticultural varieties developed

Uses

Ornamental
  • Flower bed planting
  • Potted plants
  • Cut flowers
  • Landscape plants for parks and streets
Medicinal
  • Rhizomes believed to have diuretic effects in folk medicine
  • Leaves sometimes used for treating external wounds

Caution: Medical evidence is limited, avoid medicinal use without proper guidance

Culinary
  • Rhizomes (starchy)
  • Young leaves
Other
  • Seeds used as beads and decorative materials
  • Fibers used as textile raw materials
  • Research subject for biomass fuel

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Mild

Toxic Parts: Seeds, Raw rhizomes

Symptoms: Seeds are hard and indigestible, potentially causing gastrointestinal problems if consumed in large quantities

Kudzu
Japanese Arrowroot Kuzu

Scientific Name: Pueraria lobata
Family: Fabaceae

Flower Language

  • Perseverance
  • Effort
  • Inner strength
  • Healing

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Kudzu is a climbing perennial vine of the legume family, counted among the seven autumn grasses. It has been beloved as a plant representing Japanese autumn since being featured in poems by Nara period poet Yamanoue no Okura. It produces purple butterfly-shaped flowers in racemes from July to September. The roots are thick and long, and when dried become the herbal medicine 'kakkon' (kudzu root), used as the main ingredient in cold medicine kakkon-to. High-quality starch can also be extracted from the roots and used as kudzu powder in Japanese confections. It grows very vigorously, with vines extending over 10 meters and covering other plants.

Trivia

  • Called 'the vine that ate the South' in southeastern United States due to its proliferation
  • Kakkon-to is one of Japan's most famous herbal medicines
  • Honey can be collected from kudzu flowers, making it a good nectar source plant
  • Has amazing growth power, sometimes growing over 30cm per day

Uses

Ornamental
  • Use in naturalistic gardens
  • Greening of hedges and walls
  • Appreciation as one of seven autumn grasses
Medicinal
  • Main ingredient in kakkon-to for early cold symptoms
  • Sweating, fever reduction, and pain relief effects
  • Relief for stiff shoulders and headaches

Caution: Important to receive professional guidance when using as herbal medicine

Culinary
  • Roots (starch)
  • Young leaves
  • Flowers
Other
  • Weaving kudzu cloth from fibers
  • Soil erosion prevention
  • Research as bioethanol raw material

Toxicity

Symptoms: Generally non-toxic and safe for food and medicinal use when properly processed

Willow
Weeping Willow Pussy Willow

Scientific Name: Salix babylonica
Family: Salicaceae

Flower Language

  • Obedience
  • Freedom
  • Honesty

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Willow is a deciduous tree of the Salicaceae family that grows near water, with nearly 400 species distributed worldwide, mainly native to the Northern Hemisphere. Characterized by flexible, long branches, it has contrasting flower meanings of 'obedience' and 'freedom' from the way it sways in the wind. It blooms from March to April, being dioecious with catkin inflorescences. Species with drooping branches like weeping willow use the character '柳', while those with upright branches like pussy willow use '楊'. Long used medicinally, the bark contains salicin, the precursor to aspirin.

Trivia

  • The discovery of aspirin began with research on willow bark
  • A poetic tree that appears frequently in Shakespeare's works
  • Baskets made from willow branches are light and durable, valued since ancient times
  • The saying 'willow in the wind' comes from its flexible way of letting wind pass through

Uses

Ornamental
  • Landscape trees in parks and gardens
  • Waterside planting
  • Bonsai
Medicinal
  • Bark used to extract raw materials for fever and pain relief medicines
  • Used in folk medicine for joint pain treatment
  • Contains salicin, natural precursor to aspirin

Caution: Those with aspirin allergies should avoid use

Culinary

Generally not suitable for culinary use

Other
  • Basket weaving material
  • Charcoal raw material
  • Musical instrument material
  • Riverbank protection plant

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Mild

Toxic Parts: Bark, Leaves

Symptoms: Large quantities may cause gastrointestinal problems due to salicin