Balloon Vine
Heart Seed
Heart Pea
Love in a Puff
Scientific Name:
Cardiospermum halicacabum
Family:
Sapindaceae
Flower Language
-
Want to fly together
-
Free spirit
-
Forever with you
Characteristics
Colors:
white
Description
Cardiospermum halicacabum is a climbing annual of the Sapindaceae family native to tropical America, Africa, and India. It has tendrils and grows 50cm to 3m by twining around fences and other supports. It produces small white flowers 3-5mm in diameter from July to September, followed by balloon-like sac-shaped fruits. Its most distinctive feature is the seeds, which have white heart-shaped patterns on a black background, earning it the name 'Heart Seed'.
Trivia
- Heart patterns on seeds are traces of placenta, botanically interesting structure
- Balloon-like fruits float on water, suitable for seed dispersal by water currents
- Has amazing growth capacity, growing up to 3m in one year
- Records show it was cherished under the name 'Aitamago' during the Edo period
Uses
Ornamental
- Used as green curtain for summer shade
- Cultivated as ornamental plant to enjoy balloon-like fruits
- Heart-patterned seeds used as craft materials
Medicinal
- Used for arthritis treatment in traditional Indian medicine
- Used for skin disease treatment in folk medicine
Caution:
Modern medical evidence is insufficient; self-medication should be avoided
Culinary
Not suitable for consumption
Other
- Creation of accessories and decorative items using seeds
- Used as material for children's nature observation and science education
Toxicity
Symptoms:
Non-toxic and safe for children to touch
Colchicum
Autumn Crocus
Naked Ladies
Meadow Saffron
Scientific Name:
Colchicum autumnale
Family:
Colchicaceae
Flower Language
-
Youth without regrets
-
Dangerous beauty
-
Permanence
Characteristics
Colors:
pale purple
Description
Colchicum is a bulb plant of the Colchicaceae family native to the Mediterranean region and central-southern Europe. Its greatest feature is blooming without being planted in soil - simply placing the fist-sized bulb indoors allows you to enjoy beautiful flowers. It produces transparent pink, white, and purple flowers in autumn, and the flower name derives from the Black Sea coastal city of Colchis. However, the entire plant contains the strong poison colchicine, requiring careful handling.
Trivia
- Can continue blooming for several years using only nutrients stored in bulb
- Colchicine is used in cancer treatment drug research as cell division inhibitor
- Accidents from mistaking it for saffron and ingesting occur worldwide
- Called 'devil's flower' and feared in medieval Europe
Uses
Ornamental
- Used as interior flowers without soil
- Cultivated as bulb plants in autumn gardens
- Enjoyed as cut flowers for short periods
Medicinal
- Used as gout treatment since ancient times
- Still important as pharmaceutical raw material today
Caution:
Medicinal use by general public absolutely prohibited due to extremely strong toxicity
Culinary
Absolutely not edible due to deadly toxicity
Other
- Used in plant cell culture for research
- Important material for chromosome research
Toxicity
Toxicity Level:
Severe
Toxic Parts:
Entire plant, Especially bulbs and seeds
Symptoms:
Abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, breathing difficulties, and potentially death from colchicine
Toad Lily
Japanese Toad Lily
Spotted Toad Lily
Scientific Name:
Tricyrtis hirta
Family:
Liliaceae
Flower Language
-
Forever yours
-
Eternal youth
-
Hidden will
Characteristics
Colors:
white with purple spots
Description
Tricyrtis hirta is a perennial of the Liliaceae family native to Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and China. The stem grows 40-80cm tall and produces funnel-shaped bell flowers from August to October. The interior of the flowers has purple spots, which resemble the spots on the chest of the cuckoo bird (hototogisu), giving it its name. It's also called 'oil spot grass' because the spots look like scattered oil droplets. It prefers semi-shaded, somewhat moist environments and grows wild in Japan's mountains and fields.
Trivia
- Genus name Tricyrtis means 'three curves' in Greek, derived from flower shape
- Flower associated with Japanese literature, also featured in Masaoka Shiki's haiku
- Recently developed garden varieties have increased variations in flower color and form
- Suitable for rock garden cultivation as it grows wild on cliffs and rocky areas
Uses
Ornamental
- Used as main feature in shade gardens and wild plant gardens
- Used as tea flowers in tea ceremony settings
- Indoor decoration in potted form
Medicinal
- Believed to have fever-reducing effects in folk medicine
- Considered to have heat-clearing and detoxifying effects in Chinese medicine
Caution:
Modern medical evidence is limited; self-medication should be avoided
Culinary
Generally not considered edible
Other
- Light purple color can be extracted for use as dye
- Used as material for nature observation and botanical study
Toxicity
Symptoms:
Non-toxic
Torenia
Wishbone Flower
Summer Pansy
Bluewing
Scientific Name:
Torenia fournieri
Family:
Linderniaceae
Flower Language
-
Inspiration
-
Charm
-
Loveliness
Description
Torenia is an annual of the Linderniaceae family native to Southeast Asia and South Africa. The 2-3cm diameter flowers have a characteristic Y-shaped pattern in the center, and because this shape resembles a turkey's wishbone, it's also called 'Wishbone Flower'. With a height of 20-30cm, it comes in diverse flower colors including white, pink, and purple. Heat-resistant and blooming continuously from spring to autumn, it grows even in semi-shade, making it popular among beginners.
Trivia
- Flower name was named after 18th century Swedish pastor Toren
- Y-shaped pattern is ingenious mechanism for attracting insects
- Alternative name Summer Violet comes from resemblance to violets
- Seeds are extremely small, with about 10,000 seeds per gram
Uses
Ornamental
- Used as main feature in summer flower beds and planters
- Trailing decoration in hanging baskets
- Used as ground cover
Medicinal
- Used for fever reduction in Southeast Asian folk medicine
- Believed to have anti-inflammatory effects
Caution:
Modern medical evidence is limited; self-medication should be avoided
Culinary
Not suitable for consumption
Other
- Attracts small insects as nectar source
- Used as educational material for children's plant cultivation learning
Toxicity
Symptoms:
Non-toxic and safe for children to touch