September 26

Birth Flower

Red Spider Lily
Lycoris Hurricane Lily Resurrection Lily

Scientific Name: Lycoris radiata
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Flower Language

  • Passion
  • Gratitude
  • Reunion
  • Sad memories

Characteristics

Colors: red

Description

Lycoris radiata is a perennial bulb plant of the Amaryllidaceae family native to mainland China. The name means 'flower blooming in heaven' in Sanskrit, and it produces vivid red flowers with strongly recurved petals at the tip of flower stems around the autumn equinox. It has a unique ecology called 'leaves invisible, flowers invisible' - no leaves are present during flowering, and leaves emerge in late autumn after flowering and wither in early summer the following year. While the entire plant is toxic and requires caution, it has been cherished since ancient times for its beauty.

Trivia

  • Said to have over 1000 alternative names with various regional appellations
  • In Japan, no seeds are produced and reproduction occurs only through bulb division
  • Said to take 7 years from flowering to fruiting
  • Became famous through Korean fairy tale 'Legend of the Spider Lily'

Uses

Ornamental
  • Used as landscape plant in autumn gardens and parks
  • Creates magnificent scenery through mass planting
  • Used as tea flowers in tea ceremony
Medicinal
  • Used as painkiller in traditional Chinese medicine
  • History of use as external medicine in folk remedies

Caution: Current medicinal use is dangerous and should be avoided due to strong toxicity throughout the plant

Culinary

Not edible due to toxicity

Other
  • Technology existed to extract starch from bulbs but detoxification was necessary
  • Planted on rice field ridges for pest repelling effects

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Severe

Toxic Parts: Entire plant, Especially bulbs

Symptoms: Severe symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, and central nervous system paralysis due to alkaloids like lycorine

Lavatera
Tree Mallow Annual Mallow

Scientific Name: Lavatera trimestris
Family: Malvaceae

Flower Language

  • Spirit of service
  • Acceptance
  • I will undertake

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Lavatera is a plant of the Malvaceae family, genus Lavatera, native to the Mediterranean coast, also known as 'Flower Hollyhock'. Growing 50-120cm tall, it vigorously produces trumpet-shaped flowers resembling hibiscus even under direct summer sunlight. It blooms for long periods from June to October in red, pink, and white colors. With extremely strong heat tolerance and drought resistance, it's popular among beginners as a low-maintenance flower.

Trivia

  • Genus name was named after the Lavater brothers, 18th century Swiss botanists
  • Sometimes called 'lover of summer sun' because it blooms vigorously even in midsummer
  • Fast growing, about 3 months from sowing to flowering
  • Also called Trumpet Mallow in English due to trumpet-like flower shape

Uses

Ornamental
  • Used as main feature in summer to autumn flower beds
  • Used in summer arrangements as cut flowers
  • Decoration in potted form
Medicinal
  • Used for cough suppression in European folk medicine
  • Believed to have anti-inflammatory effects

Caution: Insufficient modern medical evidence; medicinal use requires expert guidance

Culinary
  • Young leaves
  • Flowers
Other
  • Attracts butterflies and bees as nectar source
  • Light pink color can be extracted for use as dye

Toxicity

Symptoms: Non-toxic; young leaves and flowers are edible

Portulaca
Moss Rose Sun Plant

Scientific Name: Portulaca grandiflora
Family: Portulacaceae

Flower Language

  • Always energetic
  • Innocence
  • Love of nature

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Portulaca is an annual of the Portulacaceae family native to North and South America. It has succulent leaves and stems, growing by spreading in a creeping manner. With a height of 10-20cm, it comes in diverse flower colors including red, pink, orange, yellow, white, and purple. It's day-blooming, responding to sunlight, with the characteristic of opening in the morning and closing in the evening. With extreme resistance to heat and drought, it's popular as an ideal plant for summer gardening.

Trivia

  • Flowers open only when the sun is out, remaining closed on cloudy or rainy days
  • Stores water in succulent leaves, so won't die even if watering is forgotten for several days
  • Seeds are extremely small, with about 3000 seeds per gram
  • Often germinates from dropped seeds, frequently appearing in the same location the following year

Uses

Ornamental
  • Used as ground cover in summer flower beds
  • Trailing decoration in hanging baskets
  • Color accent in rock gardens
Medicinal
  • Used to treat burns in South American folk medicine
  • Believed to have anti-inflammatory effects

Caution: Modern medical evidence is limited; self-medication should be avoided

Culinary
  • Young leaves
  • Stems
Other
  • Used in rooftop greening due to high water retention capacity
  • Attracts small insects as nectar source

Toxicity

Symptoms: Non-toxic; young leaves and stems are edible

Japanese Yew
Spreading Yew Japanese Plum Yew

Scientific Name: Taxus cuspidata
Family: Taxaceae

Flower Language

  • Nobility
  • Comfort
  • Death and rebirth

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Taxus cuspidata is an evergreen conifer native to Japan and the Korean Peninsula, growing up to about 20m tall when mature. It's dioecious, with female trees producing beautiful red berries in autumn. The name origin is said to come from imperial scepters being made from yew wood, and Emperor Nintoku granting this tree the highest court rank of 'shoichii'. Also called Araragi or Onko (Ainu language), it grows slowly but lives very long, and due to its excellent wood quality, it's used for luxury furniture and crafts.

Trivia

  • Ancient trees over 1000 years old exist throughout Japan
  • Scepters made from yew wood are used in emperor enthronement ceremonies
  • Ainu word 'Onko' means 'aged', representing longevity
  • Valued as aircraft material during World War II

Uses

Ornamental
  • Used as garden tree to create dignified spaces
  • Used as hedges for privacy screens and boundaries
  • Appreciated as bonsai in small forms
Medicinal
  • Considered to have anticancer effects in traditional Chinese medicine
  • Used for arthritis treatment in folk medicine

Caution: Medicinal use is extremely dangerous due to strong toxicity in seeds and foliage

Culinary
  • Red aril only
Other
  • Premium material for luxury furniture and crafts
  • Long valued for bows and carving materials
  • Used as architectural material for shrine and temple decoration

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Severe

Toxic Parts: Seeds, Foliage, Bark

Symptoms: Cardiac toxicity from taxines, breathing difficulties, convulsions, potentially fatal

Persimmon
Japanese Persimmon Oriental Persimmon

Scientific Name: Diospyros kaki
Family: Ebenaceae

Flower Language

  • Natural beauty
  • Kindness
  • Blessing

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Diospyros kaki is a deciduous small tree of the Ebenaceae family native to the Yangtze River basin in China. The scientific name 'Diospyros' means 'food of the gods' in Greek, and it has been treasured as a precious fruit since ancient times. It's either dioecious or monoecious, producing small white flowers in early summer and sweet orange fruits in autumn. Classified into sweet and astringent varieties, it has been cultivated in Japan since ancient times and is cherished as an autumn tradition.

Trivia

  • Japanese proverb says 'When persimmons turn red, doctors turn blue'
  • Considered one of the world's oldest cultivated fruit trees
  • Records show dried persimmons were made during Heian period
  • Persimmon trees continue bearing fruit even after 100 years

Uses

Ornamental
  • Enjoyed as garden tree for autumn foliage and fruits
  • Popular as home fruit tree combining utility and ornamental value
  • Appreciated as bonsai in small forms
Medicinal
  • Used as Shitei (persimmon calyx) in Chinese herbal medicine
  • Used for improving diarrhea and hypertension in folk medicine
  • Rich in vitamin C, effective for cold prevention

Caution: Large consumption on empty stomach may cause gastric stones due to high tannin content

Culinary
  • Fruits
  • Young leaves
Other
  • Persimmon tannins used as preservatives and dyes
  • Wood used for furniture and construction materials
  • Leaves important as wrapping material for persimmon leaf sushi

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Mild

Toxic Parts: Unripe fruits (astringent persimmons), Large amounts of seeds

Symptoms: Large consumption of astringent persimmons may cause mouth astringency, gastrointestinal discomfort, and gastric stone formation