英語の後に日本語が続きます。
Annabelle hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle') is a cultivar of Hydrangea arborescens. The hydrangea is a late bloomer, producing flowers from May to July, which are lime green at first, turning white. Below are the shots of various hydrangeas. Hope you enjoy them!
Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) ザクロ（柘榴）
英語の後に日本語が続きます。
The pomegranate (Punica granatum) originated in the region spanning from the west to south Asia to the Middle East. It produces bright orange flowers in June and fruits that contain ruby-like edible seeds and pulp from September to October in Japan.
The flowers always cheer me up with their bright orange while making me chuckle with their unique shape after petals fall off, which looks like an octopus sausage, i.e., a sausage cut to look like an octopus, often seen in children’s Bento lunches in Japan. BTW, octopuses have no legs but only arms.
The pomegranate (Punica granatum) originated in the region spanning from the west to south Asia to the Middle East. It produces bright orange flowers in June and fruits that contain ruby-like edible seeds and pulp from September to October in Japan.
The flowers always cheer me up with their bright orange while making me chuckle with their unique shape after petals fall off, which looks like an octopus sausage, i.e., a sausage cut to look like an octopus, often seen in children’s Bento lunches in Japan. BTW, octopuses have no legs but only arms.
If you've never seen a sculpture of a pomegranate fruit made of agate and ruby, read this post! You should be surprised by how real it looks!
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| 2025/6/8 |
Double "Sepaled" Lacecap Hydrangeas 八重額紫陽花（ヤエガクアジサイ）
英語の後に日本語が続きます。
Double-sepaled lacecap hydrangeas are different from usual (single-petaled) ones. They're more gorgeous. If you love hydrangeas, read the posts below!
Double-sepaled lacecap hydrangeas are different from usual (single-petaled) ones. They're more gorgeous. If you love hydrangeas, read the posts below!
Apple Mint (Mentha Suaveolens) アップルミント
英語の後に日本語が続きます。
I always felt something was wrong when passing by them and I get it today. They're apple mint growing on the sidewalk. Did someone plant them there? Or did they come from somewhere and are they now growing wild? I've just started to grow lemon balm and chocolate mint myself, so I couldn't imagine herbs growing wildly. But I was wrong. The apple mint was so invasive that many websites advise against planting in the ground.
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| 2026/6/5 |
White/Whitish Hydrangea 白い紫陽花
英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are white hydrangeas in my neighborhood. Many of them are pale/lime green before turning white.
These are white hydrangeas in my neighborhood. Many of them are pale/lime green before turning white.
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| 2026/6/5 |
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| 2026/6/5 A fertile flower |
Double Flowered Fish Mint 八重咲きのドクダミ
英語の後に日本語が続きます。
Fish mints (Houttuynia cordata) are native to Asia and can be found across Japan. Those in the post are specifically double-flowered fish mints (Houttuynia cordata var. Plenus), one of my favorite plants! Fish mints produce beautiful white flowers from May to August in Japan although what look like petals are actually bracts as those of Cornus kousa are.
Fish mints (Houttuynia cordata) are native to Asia and can be found across Japan. Those in the post are specifically double-flowered fish mints (Houttuynia cordata var. Plenus), one of my favorite plants! Fish mints produce beautiful white flowers from May to August in Japan although what look like petals are actually bracts as those of Cornus kousa are.
Fish mints are used in Chinese medicine and in Japan, fish mint tea is said to be effective for skin problems. I suffered from severe acne in my teenage years so my late maternal granny sometimes sent me fish mint tea bags. I don't know if they were effective but I believe that thanks to the tea, I have no acne or any serious skin problems now.
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| 2026/5/29 Triplets |
Popcorn Hydrangea (Hydrangea Macrophylla Ayesha) ウズアジサイ（渦紫陽花）
英語の後に日本語が続きます。
They're one of my favorite hydrangeas, popcorn hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla Ayesha). Needless to say, the hydrangea is named after the shape of its sepals, which resembles that of popcorns.
They're one of my favorite hydrangeas, popcorn hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla Ayesha). Needless to say, the hydrangea is named after the shape of its sepals, which resembles that of popcorns.
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| 2022/6/16 |
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| 2022/6/16 |
Hydrangea 'Magical Revolution' マジカルレボリューション
英語の後に日本語が続きます。
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Magical Revolution' is really magical from two perspectives. Firstly, its spectacular, color-shifting transformation. The hydrangea changes from pale pink, blue, and green in early summer to red toward autumn. (Scroll down!) Secondly, its long life! The hydrangea's sepals (not petals!) are so sturdy that they can bloom for two to three months while changing color.
It changes color to red in autumn due to increasing anthocyanin resulting from a change in the temperature and/or the amount of ultraviolet radiation. For whatever the reason, the hydrangea is just magically amazing.
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| 2026/5/29 |
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| 2026/6/4 |
Purple Hydrangea 紫の紫陽花
英語の後に日本語が続きます。
A hydrangea changing from pink to purple and other purple hyerangeas. Below are the shots of hydrangeas I've seen so far.
A hydrangea changing from pink to purple and other purple hyerangeas. Below are the shots of hydrangeas I've seen so far.
Japanese Wax (Toxicodendron Succedaneum) ハゼノキ（櫨の木）
英語の後に日本語が続きます。
The red color in early June caught my eye. They're leaves of the Japanese wax tree (Toxicodendron succedaneum). According to the internet, they can turn red in June due to sun protection, which makes sense to me. Despite being still June, the weather was like real summer, which must have resulted in them suddenly exposed to intense, direct summer sun, producing high levels of anthocyanin. |
| 2026/6/2 |
Chinese Fringetree (Chionanthus Retusus) ヒトツバタゴ（一つ葉タゴ）/ナンジャモンジャ
英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are flowers of a Chinese fringetree (Chionanthus retusus). The Chinese fringetree is native to China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan and can be found across Japan. The tree produces beautiful white flowers from April to May (which, before fully open, look to me like aliens floating in the air) and black fruits (scroll down) from September to October, which are inedible and avoided even by birds.
These are flowers of a Chinese fringetree (Chionanthus retusus). The Chinese fringetree is native to China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan and can be found across Japan. The tree produces beautiful white flowers from April to May (which, before fully open, look to me like aliens floating in the air) and black fruits (scroll down) from September to October, which are inedible and avoided even by birds.
The Chinese fringetree has male and hermaphrodite trees, the same as the Japanese ternstroemia (Ternstroemia gymnanthera). I did research to find out the sex of the tree but in vain.
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| 2026/4/26 |
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Annabelle Hydrangea (Hydrangea Arborescens 'Annabelle') アナベル
英語の後に日本語が続きます。 Annabelle hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle') is a cultivar of Hydrangea arborescens. The hydrangea is a la...
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