Birth flower for January 5
Wintersweet
Meaning: kindness and a noble heart
Despite its Chinese name meaning “wax plum”, wintersweet isn’t related to plums at all. Its translucent, waxy-looking petals open in the depths of winter on bare branches, releasing a rich, honeyed scent that carries across a cold garden. Blooming in the twelfth lunar month, it has long been celebrated by Chinese poets as a symbol of grace under hardship.