Blue Dawn Flower ノアサガオ（野朝顔）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Blue dawn flowers or blue morning glories (Ipomoea indica) are native to subtropical and tropical areas (including southern Japan) and can now be found across the country including the mainland. Unlike other morning glories (e.g., Ipomoea nil), this morning glory produces flowers for nearly half a year in Japan from June to November, suggesting its hardiness.

Blue morning glories are larger, about 10 cm in diameter. They're hardy or in other words invasive and for that, they're designated as an invasive plant in Japan and other countries. 

I thought the bee in the center of the blue dawn flower in the first two photos was dead because it didn't move at all even if I touched the flower gently. So, I touched it less gently and less and less... Then the bee woke up and flew away. OMG! It must have been in a dream where it's having a sumptuous feast after such a feast. Sorry... 

2026/6/16

2026/6/16

Hydrangea Serrata Var. Yesoensis F. Cuspidata Cv. 四季咲き姫紫陽花（シキザキヒメアジサイ）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are Hydrangea serrata var. yesoensis f. cuspidata cv., a type of mountain hydrangea. Their Japanese name is "shikizaki hime ajisai," which translates into "hydrangea blooming all year round." As the name suggests, the hydrangeas bloom for a longer period, i.e., the six months from June to December (not throughout the year though). Another feature is that the blooms change color at different pace one by one, resulting in various shades of pink, blue and purple. 

Their blue and purple color is beautiful but their bluish, pinkish, and purplish sepia gradients evoke a sense of nostalgic beauty. (Scroll down!)

Below are the shots of various hydrangeas. Hope you enjoy them, too!

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Ayesha' (Popcorn hydrangea)

Hydrangea changing from pale green to white then to pale blue
Hydrangea blooming all year round (Hydrangea serrata var. yesoensis f. cuspidata cv.)

Purple and pink lacecap hydrangeas

Various lacecap hydrangeas

Pink mophead hydrangea

Kurenai lacecap hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata var. 'Kurenai')

Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)

Tea of heaven 'Mikata-yae' (blue Hydrangea serrata)

Nettle-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea hirta)

White and whitish hydrangea

Annabelle hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle')

2023/5/28

2023/5/28

Carolina Horsenettle (Solanum Carolinense) ワルナスビ（悪茄子）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

The Carolina horsenettle (Solanum carolinense) is (as you can guess from its name) native to North America, was introduced to Japan during the Meiji era (1868-1912), and can now be found across the country. The plant produces white and pale purple flowers from June to October and fruits from July to October in Tokyo. 

The Carolina horsenettle is named by a pioneer Japanese botanist Dr. Tomitaro Makino "waru nasubi" in 1906, which translates into "rogue eggplant." This is justifiable. The plant is poisonous in its entirety with thorns that would prick you if you try to remove it. So, although it's in the same family as the eggplant (i.e., Solanaceae), nobody would disagree the Carolina horsenettle is ROGUE as you can see in its other English names "radical weed," "apple of Sodom," and "devil's tomato." 

Despite such a bad perception, however, Carolina horsenettle flowers are beautiful and its fruits are pretty, which look like kumquats (scroll down) although again they're toxic. We shouldn't be fooled by appearances.

2026/6/16

Lily of the Nile (Agapanthus) アガパンサス（紫君子蘭）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

The Lily of the Nile or the African lily is native to Southern Africa, was introduced to Japan during the Meiji era (1868-1912) and can now be found across the country, producing pale purple and white (sometimes pink, which I've never seen) flowers from May to August in Tokyo. The lily is popular for its flowers blooming during the muggy rainy season in Japan (usually from June to mid-July).   

2025/6/20

Lithocarpus Edulis (Japanese Stone Oak) 馬刀葉椎（マテバシイ）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

The Japanese stone oak (Lithocarpus edulis) is native to Japan and can be found across the country. The nuts are edible, tasting like chestnuts when baked (according to a website).  

In Japan, the nuts of Fagaceae trees, one of which is the Japanese stone oak, are collectively called "donguri" and there's a famous song for children about an acorn falling into a pond "Donguri korokoro (i.e., Rolling acorn)."    

The tree's Japanese name is "mateba shii," which translates into "a tree becoming a chinquapin tree soon," because people prefer(ed) chinquapin nuts to the Japanese stone oak nuts.

2026/6/14

Common Myrtle (Myrtus Communis) ギンバイカ（銀梅花）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

The common myrtle (Myrtus communis) is native to regions spanning the Mediterranean basin, North Africa, Western Asia, and the Indian subcontinent, came to Japan during the Meiji period (1868-1912), and can now be found across the country. The myrtle produces white flowers from May to July in Japan. The common myrtle tree is considered in Feng Shui to bring luck if planted in the kimon (devil's gate) direction (i.e., north east).

2026/6/15

Chinese Trumpet Vine (Campsis Grandiflora) ノウゼンカズラ（凌霄花）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are Chinese trumpet vines (Campsis grandiflora). They're native to China, coming to Japan in as early as the Heian period (794 to 1185) and used as kigo for summer. (A kigo is a word or phrase associated with a particular season in haiku or Japanese poetry.)  

Flowers of Chinese trumpet vine (Campsis grandiflora) resemble those of American trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) very much. Both are orange and shaped like trumpets, but are still distinctly different in the length of the flower tube. Chinese ones have shorter and thicker flower tubes than the American counterparts. 

The phrase contained in the Japanese name "nouzen kazura" means "vine blooming towards the sky." The bright orange flowers were literally blooming towards the sky!! 

2026/6/14

2025/6/22

Japanese Ternstroemia (Ternstroemia Gymnanthera) 木斛（モッコク）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Japanese ternstroemia trees are said to be the king of garden trees in Japan and there's a reason for that. They produce tiny buds in early June, which look like cat's paws, and then beautiful male and hermaphroditic flowers from late June to July. And in autumn, they bear fruits, which turn from green to red, and some of them stick out bright red seeds like tongues after cracking. Japanese ternstroemia trees bring us happiness throughout the year. 

2026/6/14

Plantain Lily (Hosta) ギボウシ（擬宝珠）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Plantain lilies are native to eastern Asia and about 20 types of Hosta can be found across Japan, producing pale pink flowers from June to August. Their young leaves and petioles are edible, used in various Japanese dishes such as salads, pickles, and miso soup.  

The lily's Japanese name is "giboshi" or "giboshu," a type of ornamental finial used on Japanese railings (no English translation), after the shape of the lily's bud looking like the finial.

2026/6/14

Coppertips (Crocosmia x Crocosmiiflora) 姫檜扇水仙（ヒメヒオウギスイセン）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

The Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora is a cross breed of Crocosmia aurea and Crocosmia pottsii, both of which are native to South Africa. The Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora was introduced to Japan at the end of the 19th century for ornamental purposes but because of its invasiveness, the plant has been designated as an invasive alien species by some prefectures.

Its Japanese name is "hime hiogi suisen," which translates into "princess blackberry lily narcissus," because of the resemblance of its leaves to those of blackberry lilies and the bulbs to those of narcissus. The term "hime," which means princess, is used to describe its smallness.  

2026/6/14

Apple Mint (Mentha Suaveolens) アップルミント

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

A weevil was resting on, and a bee was gathering pollen from, flowers of apple mints in my neighborhood. They're growing on the sidewalk. I have no idea about how they got there. 

2026/6/13

2026/6/13