Canna Lily, a birthday flower of August 2nd and 3rd

Canna Lilies, which aren't actually botanically a true lily at all, are a birthday flower of August 2nd and 3rd annually. They are also a birthday flower of August 13th and August 19th. In Japanese they are known simply as Kanna カンナ. 

Their bold red, orange, or yellow blooms rise above broad tropical leaves, creating a striking contrast against the soft greens of Japanese gardens and neighborhood paths. In Japan, canna lilies begin blooming around June and typically continue all the way through to October. But I took the photo in this post in November! They thrive in the long, warm season, normally reaching their peak in July. However, individual flowers only last a few days, but the plant produces new blooms continuously giving it an impressively long presence. 

In the Japanese language of flowers, Canna Lilies represent a mix of intensity and brightness with flower meanins such as "passion", "cheerfulness", "eternity" and "fantasy". Meanwhile in English floriography they carry more sinister meanings such as "paranoia" and "suspicion".