One person, one flower
When my son came home from school, he immediately asked for soil and flowerpots. It turned out that his school was participating in the "One Person, One Flower" program and he needed to prepare to bring home a flower seedling.
Since 2001, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department has organized the "One Person, One Flower" program annually to promote greening awareness among students, cultivate their interest in planting, and foster a sense of community care. This year's "One Person, One Flower" theme is the Dianthus.
Dianthus is a common flower seen in parks. Its appearance is similar to that of a carnation, as they belong to the same family.
Dianthus grows to about 10 to 20 cm tall, with 5 petals, and its colors are mostly red, pink, crimson, and white. Dianthus has a long flowering period, from October to April of the following year. It is also cold-resistant and prefers dry conditions, making it very suitable for autumn and winter planting. Simply place it by a window to receive sunlight, avoid direct exposure, and keep the soil moist. With proper cultivation, it generally takes only 45 days from transplanting the seedling into a pot to flowering.
There are many varieties of Dianthus, among which the variety commonly used in tea is called "Qumai" (Dianthus superbus). Qumai can invigorate blood circulation and promote menstruation, and is often used for blood stasis causing amenorrhea or to relieve urinary system problems. To prepare, steep 8 grams of Qumai in hot water for 10 minutes, then drink one cup a day.
Qumai has a bitter taste and cold properties. It acts on the heart, small intestine, and bladder meridians. It can promote diuresis and relieve strangury, and invigorate blood and promote menstruation. It is used for hot strangury, bloody strangury, stone strangury, difficulty in urination, and painful, dribbling urination. This includes abnormal urination and urinary system problems, such as reddish, burning urine, or urine containing blood or even stones. Pregnant women should avoid it.