October 13

Birth Flower

Vanda
Jade Orchid Blue Orchid

Scientific Name: Vanda spp.
Family: Orchidaceae

Flower Language

  • Elegant beauty
  • Elegant
  • Glamorous love
  • Lightness
  • Unique

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Vanda is an epiphytic plant in the Orchidaceae family, with about 60 species distributed mainly in Southeast Asia. They attach to tall trees 5-10m high and produce numerous aerial roots. They have a thick single stem with alternately arranged leaves, and bloom several 5-10cm reticulated flowers during February-April and August-October. In Thailand, it is treated as such a noble flower that it's called the 'royal flower'.

Trivia

  • Selected as Singapore's national flower in 1981
  • Called the 'royal flower' in Thailand and regarded as a flower representing the highest respect
  • Has been used in cultivation experiments on NASA space stations
  • Boasts amazing longevity with individual flowers lasting over two weeks

Uses

Ornamental
  • Used in luxury floral arrangements as cut flowers
  • Ornamental plants in greenhouse cultivation
  • Hanging decorations through epiphytic cultivation
Medicinal
  • No particular medicinal effects reported

Caution: Not recommended for medicinal use

Culinary

Not suitable for culinary use

Other
  • Some varieties used as perfume ingredients
  • Used as material for decorative items and crafts

Toxicity

Symptoms: No toxicity reported

Gentian
Autumn Gentian Japanese Gentian

Scientific Name: Gentiana scabra var. buergeri
Family: Gentianaceae

Flower Language

  • Victory
  • Sincerity
  • Chastity
  • I love you in your sorrow
  • Justice

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Gentian is a perennial plant of the Gentianaceae family that grows wild in mountains and fields throughout Japan. In autumn, it produces beautiful deep blue-purple flowers, and was named 'dragon's bile' due to its intense bitterness. It has long been used as a stomach medicine and remains popular as a gift for Respect for the Aged Day. The flowers open when exposed to sunlight and close on cloudy or rainy days.

Trivia

  • Flowers bloom from around 10 AM to 4 PM on sunny days
  • Root bitterness is said to be more bitter than bile, giving origin to the name 'dragon bile'
  • About 3 million potted plants are shipped annually as Respect for the Aged Day gifts
  • Blue gentians in the European Alps are called 'mountain jewels'

Uses

Ornamental
  • Valued as autumn tea flowers in tea ceremony
  • Ornamental cultivation in gardens and potted plants
  • Used in autumn floral arrangements as cut flowers
Medicinal
  • Effective as stomach medicine for indigestion and loss of appetite
  • Promotes secretion of pancreatic juice and bile as bitter stomachic
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, believed to have anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effects

Caution: Caution needed as large quantities may cause digestive system disorders

Culinary

Not suitable for culinary use due to extreme bitterness

Other
  • Dried roots used as herbal medicine
  • Horticultural breeding programs ongoing

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Mild

Toxic Parts: Roots, Leaves

Symptoms: May cause digestive system disorders if consumed in large quantities

Nerine
Diamond Lily Guernsey Lily

Scientific Name: Nerine sarniensis
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Flower Language

  • Glamorous
  • Looking forward to meeting again
  • Sheltered daughter
  • Brilliance

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Nerine is a bulbous plant of the Amaryllidaceae family, native to South Africa. It was introduced to Japan in the early Taisho period. The petals have a glossy surface and sparkle like jewels when exposed to bright light, earning the name 'Diamond Lily'. It blooms from November to December and has excellent longevity, lasting about two weeks as cut flowers.

Trivia

  • Commonly used flower material in floral designer certification exams
  • Excellent longevity, lasting over two weeks as cut flowers
  • Initially avoided for cultivation due to resemblance to spider lilies
  • Requires about three years from bulb to flowering

Uses

Ornamental
  • Used as luxury cut flowers for ceremonial occasions
  • Popular material for wedding bouquets
  • Star performer in floral arrangements
Medicinal
  • No particular medicinal effects reported

Caution: Caution needed against accidental ingestion as it belongs to Amaryllidaceae family

Culinary

Not suitable for culinary use

Other
  • Many hybrid varieties developed as horticultural plants
  • Commercially produced through bulb propagation

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Mild

Toxic Parts: Bulbs, Leaves

Symptoms: As an Amaryllidaceae member, has mild toxicity and may cause digestive disorders if accidentally consumed

Acanthus
Bear's Breeches Oyster Plant

Scientific Name: Acanthus mollis
Family: Acanthaceae

Flower Language

  • Art
  • Fine arts
  • Skill
  • Inseparable bond
  • Incredible vitality

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Acanthus is an evergreen perennial of the Acanthaceae family, native to the Mediterranean coast. It's a large perennial plant that grows to about 1.5m in both height and spread, producing beautiful flowers with contrasting purple sepals and white petals from June to August. It was used as a decorative motif for Corinthian columns in ancient Greece, giving it flower meanings of 'art' and 'fine arts'. It's a hardy plant with strong drought tolerance and high cold resistance.

Trivia

  • Has over 2500 years of history as symbol of ancient Greek Corinthian architecture
  • Acanthus leaves are designed on Greek 1 euro coins
  • Amazing longevity plant that continues growing for over 50 years once planted
  • Leaves are very complex in shape and were used by sculptors for skill practice

Uses

Ornamental
  • Planted as large garden plants for background landscaping
  • Used as dried flowers for decoration
  • Still used as motif in architectural decoration
Medicinal
  • No particular modern medicinal effects reported

Caution: Not recommended for medicinal use

Culinary

Not suitable for culinary use

Other
  • Used in crafts as architectural decorative motif
  • Utilized as structural plant in garden design

Toxicity

Symptoms: No particular toxicity reported

Japanese Spiraea
Japanese Meadowsweet Spiraea

Scientific Name: Spiraea japonica
Family: Rosaceae

Flower Language

  • Orderly love
  • Transience
  • Ephemeral
  • Futility

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Spiraea is a deciduous shrub of the Rosaceae family, distributed from Japan and the Korean Peninsula to northwestern China. The name derives from being first discovered in Shimotsuke Province (present-day Tochigi Prefecture). From May to June, small flowers cluster together at branch tips to bloom in soft, round formations, with colors including red, purple, pink, and white. It's recommended for beginners as it's easy to grow, doesn't get too large, and has a long ornamental period.

Trivia

  • Cherished as the prefectural flower of Tochigi Prefecture
  • Long blooming period, enjoyable for about two months
  • Strong reproductive plant that can be easily propagated through cuttings
  • Introduced to Europe in the Meiji era and remains a popular garden plant

Uses

Ornamental
  • Used as shrub border plants in gardens
  • Ornamental cultivation in potted plants
  • Used in spring floral arrangements as cut flowers
Medicinal
  • No particular modern medicinal effects reported

Caution: Not recommended for medicinal use

Culinary

Not suitable for culinary use

Other
  • Many improved varieties developed as horticultural plants
  • Used as hedges and border plants

Toxicity

Symptoms: No particular toxicity reported