November 16

Birth Flower

Christmas Rose
Hellebore Winter Rose Black Hellebore

Scientific Name: Helleborus niger
Family: Ranunculaceae

Flower Language

  • relieve my anxiety
  • comfort
  • remembrance
  • don't forget me

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Trivia

  • Scientific name Helleborus derives from Greek meaning 'deadly to eat'
  • Used as world's first poison weapon in Greek war in 595 BC
  • Contrasts with four-leaf clover's lucky history - this has poisonous history
  • White parts that look like petals are actually sepals, maintaining beauty longer

Uses

Ornamental
  • Garden planting (shade garden)
  • Potted plants
  • Tea ceremony flowers
  • Cut flowers
Medicinal
  • Used as mental stabilizer since ancient times
  • Roots used as cardiac stimulant
  • Flower fragrance calms mental agitation

Caution: All parts are highly toxic; medicinal use should be avoided nowadays

Culinary

Not suitable for consumption (toxic)

Other
  • Used as poison weapon in ancient times
  • Insect repellent properties
  • Important as research plant

Toxicity

Toxicity Level: Severe

Toxic Parts: All parts, Especially roots and stems

Symptoms: May cause heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea, abdominal pain, and dermatitis

White Clover
Dutch Clover Shamrock Trefoil

Scientific Name: Trifolium repens
Family: Fabaceae

Flower Language

  • promise
  • happiness
  • good luck
  • think of me

Characteristics

Colors:

Description

Trivia

  • Probability of finding four-leaf clover is about 1 in 10,000
  • Record for most leaves is 56-leaf clover
  • Introduced to Japan as packing material from Holland in Edo period
  • As legume, fixes nitrogen and enriches soil

Uses

Ornamental
  • Lawn substitute
  • Ground cover
  • Greening plant
  • Pressed flower material
Medicinal
  • Used in folk medicine for wound treatment
  • Anti-inflammatory properties
  • Cough suppressant effects

Caution: No particular cautions, but avoid excessive consumption

Culinary
  • Young leaves
  • Flowers
Other
  • Pasture grass (livestock feed)
  • Nectar source plant
  • Soil improvement (root nodule bacteria)
  • Green manure crop

Toxicity

Symptoms:

Sasanqua Camellia
Sasanqua Mountain Camellia

Scientific Name: Camellia sasanqua
Family: Theaceae

Flower Language

  • reason
  • modesty
  • devotion
  • overcoming difficulties

Characteristics

Colors: red

Description

Trivia

  • Known by all Japanese through children's song 'Takibi' lyrics
  • Example of linguistic change from 'Sansaka' to 'Sazanka'
  • Distinguished from camellia by petals falling one by one
  • Young shoots traditionally made into tea in Kagoshima and Miyazaki

Uses

Ornamental
  • Garden tree
  • Hedge
  • Tea ceremony flower
  • Bonsai
Medicinal
  • Camellia oil from seeds for hair care
  • Flowers used in folk medicine
  • Leaves processed into tea for drinking

Caution: No particular cautions

Culinary
  • Young leaves
  • Petals
Other
  • Seed oil (sasanqua oil)
  • Ointment base
  • Fragrant sachet material
  • Timber use

Toxicity

Symptoms: