Crown of Thorns
Christ Plant
Kiss Me Quick
Christ's Thorn
Scientific Name:
Euphorbia milii
Family:
Euphorbiaceae
Flower Language
-
Independence
-
Pure Love
-
Kiss Me Quick
-
Bear Up Under Adversity
Description
Crown of Thorns is an evergreen shrub from the Euphorbiaceae family, native to Madagascar. The stems have sharp thorns and grow 20-100cm tall. The flowers are small and charming, available in various colors including red, pink, white, and yellow. It's popular as an easy-to-grow plant that is drought-resistant and blooms year-round.
Trivia
- Discovered in 1821 by French Navy Admiral Pierre Bernard Milius on Bourbon Island, with the species name honoring the baron
- The genus name Euphorbia derives from ancient Greek physician Euphorbos, different from Osmanthus meaning 'fragrant flower'
- Japanese Crown of Thorns are all male plants that don't produce fruit, propagated through cuttings
- Sold as 'Crown of Thorns' in Western garden centers with strong religious connotations
Uses
Ornamental
- Cultivation in pots both indoors and outdoors
- Ground planting in gardens
- Use as cut flowers
Medicinal
- In ancient Greece, physician Euphorbos used the latex medicinally
Caution:
Modern medicinal use is not recommended due to toxicity. The latex contains toxic components requiring careful handling.
Culinary
Not suitable for consumption
Other
- Feng shui evil spirit repelling
- Religious decorative purposes
Toxicity
Toxicity Level:
Moderate
Toxic Parts:
Latex (milky sap), Stems, Leaves
Symptoms:
Contact with latex may cause dermatitis, rashes, and blisters. Ingestion may cause gastrointestinal disorders.
Euryops Daisy
Gray-leaved Euryops
Bush Daisy
Scientific Name:
Euryops pectinatus
Family:
Asteraceae
Flower Language
-
Marital Harmony
-
Harmonious Relationship
-
Bright Love
-
Purity
Description
Euryops daisy is an evergreen shrub from the Asteraceae family, native to South Africa. It has silvery-white fine hairs covering the leaves and stems, producing charming yellow flowers resembling marguerites. It blooms for an extended period from October to May, brightening gardens with vibrant yellow flowers even during the flower-scarce winter season. It's popular as an easy-to-grow plant resistant to pests and diseases.
Trivia
- The Euryops genus is large with about 95 species distributed mainly in South Africa
- The species commonly cultivated in Japan is mainly Euryops pectinatus
- Has a distinctive appearance with fine hairs on leaves and stems giving an overall silvery-white look
- After several years, the main stem becomes woody, forming a shrub structure
Uses
Ornamental
- Cultivation in pots both indoors and outdoors
- Ground planting in gardens
- As accent plants in mixed plantings
Medicinal
Caution:
No recorded medicinal uses have been found.
Culinary
No information confirmed regarding edibility
Other
- Use as cut flowers
- Processing into dried flowers
Toxicity
Symptoms:
No toxicity has been reported.
Lupin
Lupine
Russell Lupin
Wild Lupin
Scientific Name:
Lupinus polyphyllus
Family:
Fabaceae
Flower Language
-
Imagination
-
Voraciousness
-
Fantasy
-
Maternal Love
-
Many Companions
-
Rare and Curious
Description
Lupin is a leguminous plant native to the Americas and Mediterranean coast. It has beautiful flower spikes resembling inverted wisteria flowers, also called 'Nobori-fuji' (ascending wisteria) in Japanese. Flower colors are diverse including red, pink, purple, yellow, and white, with some varieties forming tall flower spikes of 60-70cm. Due to nitrogen fixation through symbiosis with root nodule bacteria, it has also been used as a green manure crop.
Trivia
- Human cultivation began 6000 years ago, being an important crop since ancient Greek and Roman times
- Russell Lupin is a horticultural variety bred in Britain in the 20th century, now mainstream for ornamental lupins
- Has the property of fixing atmospheric nitrogen through symbiosis with root nodule bacteria, enriching soil
- The tradition of eating salt-boiled beans as beer snacks continues in Mediterranean coastal areas
Uses
Ornamental
- Ground planting in gardens
- Landscape plants in parks and flower beds
- Use as cut flowers
Medicinal
- Used as medicinal herbs to enhance imagination in ancient Europe
- Believed to have mood-brightening effects
Caution:
Ornamental lupins contain toxins and should not be used for food or medicine.
Other
- Soil improvement as green manure crops
- Soil fertilization through nitrogen fixation
- Soap manufacturing material (ancient times)
Toxicity
Toxicity Level:
Moderate
Toxic Parts:
Seeds (beans), Leaves, Stems
Symptoms:
Ornamental lupins contain bitter alkaloids that cause bitter taste when consumed and may cause poisoning symptoms if consumed in large quantities.
Fragrant Olive
Sweet Osmanthus
Golden Sweet Osmanthus
Fragrant Orange-colored Olive
Scientific Name:
Osmanthus fragrans var. aurantiacus
Family:
Oleaceae
Flower Language
-
Modesty
-
Truth
-
First Love
-
Intoxication
Description
Fragrant Olive is an evergreen small tree from the Oleaceae family, native to China. From late September to mid-October, it produces densely clustered small orange-yellow flowers with strong fragrance on branches. Though flowers are small at 4-5mm diameter, their fragrance is very strong and travels far, especially at night. It's counted among Japan's three great fragrant trees along with Daphne and Gardenia.
Trivia
- All Fragrant Olives in Japan are clones of male plants, genetically identical through cutting propagation
- There are actually two types called 'kinmokusei' - the current common orange-flowered variety and the original yellow-flowered thin-leafed osmanthus
- Guilin City in China, as indicated by the character '桂', is a famous production area for osmanthus, producing raw materials for keika tea
- Flowers have a short lifespan, lasting only 2-3 days, or at most about a week after blooming
Uses
Ornamental
- Planting as garden trees
- Use in parks and as street trees
- Use as hedges
Medicinal
- Dried flowers used for treating gastritis, low blood pressure, and insomnia
- Soaked in shochu to make medicinal liqueur
Caution:
Consult with a physician before using in folk medicine.
Other
- Use as fragrance in cosmetics and soaps
- Essential oil for aromatherapy
Toxicity
Symptoms:
No toxicity reported and used for culinary purposes.