Aibika

August 24th's Birthday Flower is Aibika(Abelmoschus manihot)

Drop Poem"s Aibika: “The Gentleness of Morning Dew”

When the morning light is still soft,
a pale yellow sways gently in a corner of the garden.
The Aibika blooms,
as if morning dew itself had turned into a flower,
enveloped in a quiet, gentle aura.

The petals are so thin,
they seem as if they might melt the moment our fingertips touch them.
That transience is like
the gentle whisper of water saying,
“There’s no need to rush.”

If we grind its roots,
a thick, viscous paste is produced.
That paste, used since ancient times to make washi paper,
is a quiet force that has sustained traditional craftsmanship.
Though it lacks flashiness,
it is a gentle presence that fulfills a reliable role.

The Aibika says,
“It’s okay not to stand out.
The power to quietly support others is beautiful, too.”
Its voice dissolves smoothly into the morning breeze.

Aibika (scientific name: Abelmoschus manihot) is a shrub or perennial herb and vegetable in the family Malvaceae native to China.
It is also known as Abelmoschus moschatus or Hana okura.
The flower is an ephemeral flower.
The petals are yellow and arranged in a spiral pattern with a purplish-red centre.
The yellow petals are edible.
The roots are used in herbal medicines such as antitussives and stomachic remedies.
The mucilage is used to make washi paper, and there is a genus of buckwheat noodles with the young pods as a vegetable called Okra.

Common names: Aibika,
scientific name: Abelmoschus manihot,
Living type: shrubs or perennials, vegetables,
Origin: China,
Height: 100-150 cm,
Flowering season: August to September, Flowering season: September to October, Flower color: Yellow, Flower diameter: 20 cm Use:
Fruiting season: September to October,
Edible, Chinese medicine.

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Aibika(Abelmoschus manihot)