November 09

Birth Flower

Japanese Beautyberry
East Asian Beautyberry Purple Beautyberry

Scientific Name: Callicarpa japonica
Family: Lamiaceae

Flower Language

  • intelligence
  • talented woman
  • charming
  • elegance

Characteristics

Colors: purple

Description

Japanese Beautyberry is a deciduous shrub native to Japan that grows to 2-3 meters in height. It produces small light purple flowers in early summer and clusters of beautiful purple berries in autumn. Named after Murasaki Shikibu, the author of The Tale of Genji, for its beautiful purple berries. It's popular as an ornamental plant in Japanese gardens and serves as an important food source for birds.

Trivia

  • Named after Murasaki Shikibu, author of 'The Tale of Genji', considered the world's first novel
  • Birds eating the berries help seed dispersal, playing a vital role in forest ecosystem maintenance
  • Was also called 'Mimurasaki' (fruit purple) during the Edo period
  • Often confused with the closely related Callicarpa dichotoma, which is more common in horticulture

Uses

Ornamental
  • Garden ornamental for autumn berry display
  • Cut flowers and tea ceremony arrangements
  • Bonsai cultivation
Medicinal
  • Leaves and roots used in folk medicine for antibacterial properties
  • Berries believed to have fever-reducing properties

Caution: Medical effects are not scientifically confirmed; avoid self-medication.

Culinary

Not suitable for consumption; avoid ingestion.

Other
  • Provides food for wild birds, contributing to ecosystem
  • Historically used as purple dye

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Mild

Toxic Parts: berries

Symptoms: Large consumption of berries may cause mild digestive symptoms.

Climbing Rose
Rambling Rose

Scientific Name: Rosa multiflora
Family: Rosaceae

Flower Language

  • love
  • innocence
  • freshness
  • always beautiful

Characteristics

Colors: pink

Description

Climbing roses are roses with long, vine-like branches that require support structures like arches, fences, or trellises. They come in both once-blooming and repeat-blooming varieties, with flowers in white, pink, red, yellow, and other colors. Essential for three-dimensional garden design, they create stunning flower walls and canopies, especially during the blooming season from spring to early summer. Many varieties are fragrant and are indispensable in rose gardens.

Trivia

  • The world's oldest cultivated roses are believed to have originated in China about 5000 years ago
  • Napoleon's wife Josephine was famous as a rose collector, gathering over 250 varieties
  • The 'War of the Roses' in 15th century England was named after rose emblems
  • The oldest surviving climbing rose in Japan is estimated to have been planted during the Meiji period

Uses

Ornamental
  • Three-dimensional decoration on arches and pergolas
  • Greening of fences and walls
  • Cut flowers for bouquets and arrangements
Medicinal
  • Rose oil from petals used in perfumes and cosmetics
  • Rose hips rich in vitamin C, used as health food

Caution: Flowers treated with pesticides are not suitable for culinary or medicinal use.

Culinary
  • petals
  • rose hips
Other
  • Raw material for perfumes and cosmetics
  • Essential oils and aromatherapy products

Toxicity

Symptoms: Generally non-toxic, but caution needed for thorn injuries.

Lupine
Lupin Bluebonnet

Scientific Name: Lupinus polyphyllus
Family: Fabaceae

Flower Language

  • imagination
  • always happy
  • voracity
  • you are my peace

Characteristics

Colors: blue-purple

Description

Lupine is a leguminous perennial native to North America, growing 1-2 meters tall with beautiful spike-like flower clusters resembling inverted wisteria flowers. Flowers come in various colors including blue, purple, pink, white, and yellow, with distinctive palmate leaves that are also ornamental. As a legume, it enriches soil through symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, making it environmentally beneficial. It prefers cool climates and is commonly seen in highland areas of Japan.

Trivia

  • Name derives from Latin 'lupus' (wolf), representing its voracity to grow even in poor soil
  • Large flower fields are created as summer tourist attractions in Furano, Hokkaido
  • As a legume, symbiotic bacteria in roots fix atmospheric nitrogen, enriching the soil
  • Beloved as Texas state flower, affectionately called 'Bluebonnet'

Uses

Ornamental
  • Background planting in gardens
  • Cut flowers for bouquets and arrangements
  • Mass planting for highland landscapes
Medicinal
  • Historical use as medicinal herb since ancient times
  • Seeds contain bitter compounds used in folk medicine

Caution: Seeds contain alkaloids; medicinal use without expert knowledge is dangerous.

Culinary
  • seeds (after processing)
Other
  • Used as green manure for soil improvement
  • Contributes to beekeeping as nectar source

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Moderate

Toxic Parts: seeds, leaves

Symptoms: Seeds and leaves contain alkaloids that may cause digestive and neurological symptoms if ingested.

Myrrh
Commiphora

Scientific Name: Commiphora myrrha
Family: Burseraceae

Flower Language

  • truth
  • confession of truth

Characteristics

Colors: white

Description

Myrrh is an evergreen shrub about 3 meters tall that grows wild in very dry desert areas. The trunk is succulent with a white to light green surface and numerous sharp thorns. It produces small white flowers in panicles, and the resin obtained from this tree has been used since ancient Egyptian times for mummy preservation, religious ceremonies, and medicine. It appears in the Bible as one of the gifts brought by the three wise men at Christ's birth. It is still used today in perfumes, cosmetics, and aromatherapy.

Trivia

  • The word 'mummy' originates from Arabic 'mumiya', said to derive from myrrh
  • In ancient times, it was so precious it was traded at the same value as gold
  • The myrrh in the biblical 'frankincense and myrrh' refers to this plant's resin
  • Still one of the essential ingredients as a fixative in luxury perfumes today

Uses

Ornamental
  • Cultivated as ornamental succulent
  • Trained as bonsai
  • Decorative plant for dry gardens
Medicinal
  • Traditionally used for wound healing and anti-inflammatory effects
  • Folk medicine for gingivitis and mouth ulcers
  • Used in aromatherapy for relaxation effects

Caution: Avoid use during pregnancy and be cautious of possible allergic reactions.

Culinary

Not suitable for consumption; only the resin is used for fragrance and medicine.

Other
  • Raw material for perfumes and cosmetics
  • Material for incense and joss sticks
  • Fragrance for religious ceremonies

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Mild

Toxic Parts: resin

Symptoms: Large amounts may cause gastrointestinal disorders; pregnant women should avoid use due to uterine stimulant effects.