Cockscomb

鸡冠花（学名：Celosia cristata），别称鸡冠、鸡冠头花、鸡冠苋鸡花、鸡冠头、鸡髻花、鸡公花、鸡米花、鸡骨子花、鸡角枪、白鸡冠花、红鸡冠花、 红鸡冠、大鸡公苋、海冠花、家鸡冠花、塔黑彦-色其格-其其格、老来少，为苋科青葙属一年生草本植物，原产印度，中国国内分布大部分地区，广布于温暖地区，多生长于炎热而干燥土壤。

鸡冠花是一种一年生草本植物，全株无毛，高约20－90厘米。茎直立，粗壮，有纵棱，通常呈红色，不分枝或有分枝。叶卵形、卵状长圆形或披针形，单叶互生，先端长尖或渐尖，基部狭楔形，全缘，基生叶多为紫红色或红色，长约5－13厘米，宽约1.5－6厘米；叶柄长约3－5厘米。花为穗状花序，顶生，扁平肉质而肥厚，呈鸡冠状、卷冠状或羽毛状，上缘宽具纵折，密披绒毛状鳞片，下端渐狭，常残留扁平的茎，花序中部以下多花，极密生，花序上部的花多为不育花，花序下部的花仅一部分为发育花，花色多样，有紫、红、淡红、黄、橙或杂色，花序轴扁形，长约6－12厘米；大花序之下有数个较小的分枝，呈圆锥状矩圆形，表面羽毛状；小花苞片3枚，干膜质；花被片5枚，披针形或长圆状披针形，先端芒尖或渐尖， 干膜质而有光泽，宿存，长约5毫米；雄蕊5枚，花丝下部合生成杯状；子房上位，1室；花柱细长，长约2－3毫米；柱头2浅裂。果为胞果，卵形，成熟时盖裂，有2至数颗种子，包于宿存的花被内，长约3毫米。种子扁球形，黑色有光泽。

Celosia cristata [Celosia in Greek means burning] is a member of the genus Celosia, and is commonly known as cockscomb, since the flower looks like the head on a rooster (cock). It is called Chi Kuan in China. The plants are hardy and resistant to most diseases, and grow equally well indoors or out, though the perfect place is one with no shade and a well drained soil, as the plant is susceptible to fungal diseases. The plant is used frequently as an ornamental plant indoors. Their leaves and flowers can be used as vegetables. They are often grown as foods in India, Western Africa, and South America.

They are annual plants of tropical origin and are herbaceous meaning they lack a woody stem. They grow well in both humid and arid conditions, and their flowers can last for up to 8 weeks. A high number of seeds can be produced by each flower, up to 43,000 per ounce. The plant often grows up to 1 foot in height, though many are smaller. The leaves are either green or bronze/maroon, depending upon the cultivar. The flower can be broken into three parts: their spikes, plumes and crests vary from one another but have standard commonalities - they are usually brightly colored, usually red, yellow, pink, or orange, though other colors can be present. In some instances, a variety of colors are present in hybrids.

The plants are hardy and can be grown easily from the seeds. Since the plants are of tropic origin, they thrive in areas with tropical climate. However, they can also be grown in summer months in the colder climate. The plants being annual plants, grow for only about one fourth of a year. A soil temperature of about 60 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for growth. The plants are relatively easy to grow and care for having few insects that feed on them. Mites though are known to feed on the plants. The plants are also susceptible to leaf spotting, root rot and root strangulation. However the former two can be prevented by avoiding a damp soil and the latter by frequent weeding. Also wetting the leaf and flowers should be avoided as they can lead to fungal diseases.

Cultivars include 'Jewel box', 'Century mix', 'New Look', and 'Pink Castle'.

I didn't quite remember how I got to know this flower with its unique name and shape. There must be these in our neighborhood.

Scarlet sage

一串红（学名：Salvia splendens）是唇形科鼠尾草属的一种植物。也称爆竹红等，原生于巴西。用作观赏花卉，全草可药用。

多年生草本植物，株高80～100厘米。叶子对生，卵形，有长柄，边缘锯齿状。夏秋顶生总状花序，边被红色茸毛，2～6朵小花轮生，唇形花冠，伸出花萼外；花色以红色居多，也有开白色花（一串白）；花萼萼状，与花瓣同色。花谢后，花冠脱落，花萼宿存；花期7～11月。

适合温度20℃－25℃，15℃以下叶色发黄，30℃以上花、叶变小。播种容易，而且所需关注不多。开花期由秋末至翌年早春，最适宜全年日照，但在烈日下有一定程度的荫顶会较佳。在潮湿环境下其最大的害虫为蛞蝓。

Salvia splendens (scarlet sage, tropical sage) is a tender herbaceous perennial native to Brazil, growing at 2,000 to 3,000 m (6,600 to 9,800 ft) elevation where it is warm year-round and with high humidity. The native plant, rarely seen in cultivation, reaches 1.3 m (4.3 ft) tall. Smaller selections are very popular as bedding plants, seen in shopping malls and public gardens all over the world.

The native type is rarely used or described, though it grew from 1.5 to 8 m (4.9 to 26 ft) in height. The most common selections are the dwarf sizes that go by names such as 'Sizzler' and 'Salsa', and planted en masse in gardens and malls. 'Van Houttei' reaches 1 to 1.3 m (3.3 to 4.3 ft) in height. The various types typically have red flowers.

Named cultivars include S. splendens 'Alba', with white flowers; 'Atropurpurea', with dark violet to purple flowers; 'Atrosanguinea', flowers dark red; 'Bicolor', flowers white and red; 'Bruantii', small, with red flowers; 'Compacta', small, flowers in dense racemes, white or red; 'Grandiflora', large, with large red flowers; 'Issanchon', small, with white flowers striped pink to red; 'Nana', an early-flowering cultivar, with red blossoms; 'Scarlet Pygmy', a very dwarf, early flowering seed race with intense scarlet blossoms; 'Semperflorens', continuous flowering; 'Souchetii', small, with white or red flowers; 'St. John's Fire', dwarf plants with dense, abundant, bright red, early-flowering, long-lasting blossoms; and 'Violacea', flowers dark violet to purple. The cultivar 'Van-Houttei' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

This is another flower from my childhood and its Chinese name is very descriptive and I like its English name. We used to pick up its flowers and suck honey from the long stick thing. Forgive me but we had so little to eat then.

Chrysanthemum flowers

菊属（学名：Chrysanthemum）俗称菊花，别名寿客、金英、黄华、秋菊、陶菊等，是菊目菊科多年生草本植物的一个属。以品种间之自然开花期来分类，依开花期之不同将菊花区分为夏菊、夏秋菊、秋菊及寒菊。菊花是由很多小花 (florets，俗称花瓣) 组成一头状花序 (通称为花)，小花有两种，一为单具有雌蕊能授精之舌状花 (ray florets)，另一常具有雌雄蕊之管状花 (disk florets)。由这两种小花组成之比例、形状、大小及颜色，产生各种花型及花色，可分为单瓣菊、托盘菊、蓬蓬菊、装饰菊、标准菊等多种。依花型大小可分大、中、小轮系，依花色主要为黄、白、粉红、橙红及赤红。

Chrysanthemums, often called mums or chrysanths, are flowering plants of the genus Chrysanthemum in the family Asteraceae. They are native to Asia and northeastern Europe. Most species originate from East Asia and the center of diversity is in China. There are about 40 valid species. There are countless horticultural varieties and cultivars.

The name "chrysanthemum" is derived from the Greek words chrysos (gold) and anthemon (flower).
 
The plant is renowned as one of the Four Gentlemen in Chinese and East Asian art. The plant is particularly significant during the Double Ninth Festival.

Chrysanthemums are divided into two basic groups, garden hardy and exhibition. Garden hardy mums are new perennials capable of wintering in most northern latitudes. Exhibition varieties are not usually as sturdy. Garden hardies are defined by their ability to produce an abundance of small blooms with little if any mechanical assistance, such as staking, and withstanding wind and rain. Exhibition varieties, though, require staking, overwintering in a relatively dry, cool environment, and sometimes the addition of night lights.

Chrysanthemums or ‘Mums’ are a stalwart of the autumn garden. With varieties hardy in most climates and their ability to be pinched and forced to bloom at the end of the season, these jewel toned beauties make a welcome splash in the garden when most summer bloomers have begun to fade. Bloom times vary with variety and climate, from Early September through mid-October.

Latin Name: Chrysanthemum
Common Name(s): Mums, Garden Mums, Hardy Mums
Bloom Period: Late Summer / Fall

Another kind of flower I've known since my childhood. There used to be several behind the bathroom of our neighbor and we used to pick up their petals to play "Love me, Love me not". Couldn't remember the crush then did I have a crush back then. But the mums remain in my memory.

Four-o'clock

紫茉莉（学名：Mirabilis jalapa）别名草茉莉、夜娇娇、夜晚花、胭脂花、洗澡花、煮饭花、地雷花、白粉花、潮来花等，属紫茉莉科植物。

紫茉莉为多年生草本植物，主枝直立，侧枝散生伏地，节部膨大，节部并显粉红色，株高可达1米左右。叶形为卵状三角形，对生，翠绿，内有浅色叶脉；花朵状似喇 叭，花瓣五裂，花径2至3厘米，长4至5厘米，大多为大红或紫色，亦有白、粉、黄及复色等；果实坚硬，呈黑色，外形酷似地雷，故亦称“地雷花"。

紫茉莉开花时间段是下午4时至次日上午10时，因此在英语中被称为“四时花”(Four o'clock flower)；因其常在人们晚上沐浴和做饭的时间段开花，因此又有“洗澡花”和“煮饭花”的别名；花于翌日早晨凋萎。由于紫茉莉花筒细长，大型的夜行性鳞翅目很难吸蜜，而其传粉与授粉一般由天蛾（Sphingidae）完成。

Mirabilis jalapa (The four o'clock flower or marvel of Peru) is the most commonly grown ornamental species of Mirabilis, and is available in a range of colours. Mirabilis in Latin means wonderful and Jalapa is a not uncommon placename in Central and North America. Mirabilis jalapa is said to have been exported from the Peruvian Andes in 1540.

A curious aspect of this plant is that flowers of different colors can be found simultaneously on the same plant.

Additionally, an individual flower can be splashed with different colors. Another interesting point is a color-changing phenomenon. For example, in the yellow variety, as the plant matures, it can display flowers that gradually change to a dark pink color. Similarly white flowers can change to light violet.

The flowers usually open from late afternoon onwards, then producing a strong, sweet-smelling fragrance, hence the first of its common names.

This is a common flower from my childhood and I didn't quite remember what we call it then. The four o'clock flower indicates its unusual opening time - late afternoon onwards and I still remember its strong fragrance and black seeds. Originally I had only seen white and pink flowers from our neighborhood. And a journey with my parents to a nearby town revealed the purple flowers to me. I haven't seen this flower for years and it always reminds me of that period of childhood memory.

Job's Tears

薏仁（学名：Coix lacryma-jobi），别名：草黍子（东北）、川谷，六谷子（四川），菩提珠（江苏），草珠子（山东），苡米（福建），薏仁米，沟子米。属禾本科薏苡属。中国分布较广，日本亦产。

 薏仁为一年生或多年生草本。根系强大，宿根。秆直立粗壮，有分枝；叶线状披针形，中脉粗厚；单性花，雌雄同株，总状花序腋生或顶生，雌小穗位于花序基部，外包以念珠状总苞，雄小穗无柄或具柄，数丛，排列在花序上部，呈穗状；颖果椭圆形淡褐色，有光泽。性喜温暖湿润气候，耐涝。

薏仁种仁又称米仁，含淀粉，供食用或酿酒，雖為穀類，但其脂肪和蛋白質含量很高，且容易代謝，因此吃多了也不會有變胖的擔憂。中医学上用根和种仁入药，种仁性微寒、味甘，功能清热利湿、健脾，主治水肿脚气、风湿、泄泻、肠痈、肺痈等，炒用补益肺脾，多用治关节炎、扁平疣；根具有清热、利尿等功效，近用治肝炎、肾炎等症。並含有維生素A.C.D.E與B群，若每天食用60公克，可有效降低膽固醇與血脂肪，可預防高血壓、中風及心血管疾病。薏仁是亦可使皮膚光滑，減少皺紋，有消除色素斑點的功效，還能促進體內血液和水分的新陳代謝，有利尿和利水的作用，長期食用可達到減肥與美白的效果。

Job's Tears (Coix lacryma-jobi), Coixseed, Tear Grass, Hato Mugi, adlay, or adlai, is a tall grain-bearing tropical plant of the family Poaceae (grass family) native to Southeast Asia but elsewhere cultivated in gardens as an annual. It has been naturalized in the southern United States and the New World tropics. In its native environment it is grown in higher areas where rice and corn do not grow well. Job's Tears are also commonly sold as Chinese pearl barley in Asian supermarkets, although C. lacryma-jobi is not closely related to barley (Hordeum vulgare).

There are two main varieties of the species.

Wild type Coix lacryma-jobi var. stenocarpa and var. monilifer has hard shelled pseudocarps which are very hard, pearly white, oval structures used as beads for making rosaries, necklaces, and other objects.

Cultivated type Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen is harvested as a cereal crop, has soft shell, and is used medicinally in parts of Asia.

Another thing from my childhood when we used to have so few things to play with. I didn't know its formal name yet then and now I often eat this seed. We used to pick up its seed and make bracelets for fun.

Orange Daylily

萱草（学名：Hemerocallis fulva）是萱草科萱草属植物，旧的克朗奎斯特分类法中属于百合科（Liliaceae）。别名众多，有“金针”、“黄花菜”、“忘忧草”、“宜男草”、“疗愁”、“鹿箭”等名。当食用时，多被称为“金针”（golden needle）。原产于中国、西伯利亚、日本和东南亚。其叶形为扁平状的长线型，与地下茎有微量的毒，不可直接食用。花形则是于开花期会长出细长绿色的开花枝，花色橙黄、花柄很长、呈为像百合花一样的筒状。结出来的果子有翅。

别名：忘优草、紫萱、黄花菜、金针菜
原产地：我国长江流域，欧洲南部及日本均有分布
类型：观花植物
花期：6-8月。
日照：喜光，也耐半阴。
温度：耐寒，在北方可露地越冬。
土壤：根系发达，适应性强，在肥沃土中生长良好，但也能耐贫瘠干燥环境，在深厚肥沃、富含腐殖质、排水良好的土壤中生长最好。
水分：耐干早。

Hemerocallis fulva, the Orange Daylily, Tawny Daylily, Tiger Daylily or Ditch Lily, is a species of daylily native to Asia. It is very widely grown as an ornamental plant in temperate climates for its showy flowers and ease of cultivation. It is not related to true lilies, but gets its name from the similarity of the flowers and from the fact that each flower lasts only one day.

They always have so many names and in my memory, the orange ones were from my childhood and my neighbor used to have the orange daylily in the front of the house and I used to pick them for food and used the stick as a weapon in our games. So much for my childhood memory.

Gardenia

栀子（学名：Gardenia jasminoides），又名木丹、鲜支、卮子、越桃、水横枝、支子花、枝子花、山栀花、黄鸡子、黄荑子、黄栀子、黄栀、山黄栀、玉荷花、白蟾花，属茜草科栀子属植物。

常绿灌木；广披针形至倒卵形的叶子对生或3叶轮生，叶片革质全缘，先端和基部钝形，表面翠绿有光泽；春夏开白色花，顶生或腋生，有短梗，极芳香；浆果卵形，黄色或橙色。

通常说的栀子花指观赏用重瓣的变种大花栀子。栀子花枝叶繁茂，叶色四季常绿，为重要的庭院观赏植物。除观赏外，其(花、果实、叶和根可入药)应该是用小叶栀子，具有泻火除烦，清热利尿，凉血解毒之功效。

喜湿润、温暖、光照充足且通风良好的环境，但忌强光暴晒。宜用疏松肥沃、排水良好的酸性土壤种植。可用扦插、压条、分株或播种繁殖。花可做茶之香料，果实可消炎祛热。是优良的芳香花卉。

 Gardenia jasminoides, (common gardenia, cape jasmine or cape jessamine) is an evergreen flowering plant of the family Rubiaceae. It originated in Asia and is most commonly found growing wild in Vietnam, Southern China, Taiwan, Japan, Myanmar and India. With its shiny green leaves and heavily fragrant white summer flowers, it is widely used in gardens in warm temperate and subtropical climates, and as a houseplant in temperate regions. It has been in cultivation in China for at least a thousand years, and was introduced to English gardens in the mid 18th century. Many varieties have been bred for horticulture, with low growing, and large- and long-flowering forms.

别名：栀子、黄栀子、山栀子、薝卜花、野桂花、白蟾花、雀舌花、玉瓯花、玉荷花
原产地：中国长江流域
类型：观花植物
花期：6-8月。
日照：喜光照，但也耐半阴，怕强光暴晒，要求阴蔽度为50%左右。
温度：性喜温暖，不耐寒，在长江以南地区可在露地越冬，北方地区只宜作盆栽，冬季移入室内。
土壤：宜排水良好、硫松、肥沃的酸性土壤，忌碱性土。
水分：喜湿润，除平时价经常保持盆土湿润外，还必须经常注意增加空气湿度。

This might be the first scented flower I've ever seen and smelled. When I was a little girl, our neighbor used to have a gardenia shrub and when the hot summer came, lots of people came to pick up gardenia from afar. You just never got tired of this fragrant!