Woodland Elaeocarpus (Elaeocarpus Sylvestris) 胆八樹（ホルトノキ）

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The woodland elaeocarpus (Elaeocarpus sylvestris) is native to eastern Asia and can be found across Japan. What I like best about the tree is its spin mop-like flowers, which bloom from June to August in Japan. (Scroll down!)

The tree is named "horuto no ki" in Japanese, which translates into "Portugal tree," after an innocent mistake made by Gennai Hiraga (1728 - 1780), a famous Japanese pharmacologist, student of Rangaku (i.e., western learning), physician, author, painter, and inventor (in short, a genius!) in the Edo period (1603-1858). He mistook this tree for an olive tree, which was then called "Portugal tree." Even Homer sometimes nods. Gennai isn't an exception😉!

2026/6/22

Chinese Privet (Ligustrum Lucidum) トウネズミモチ（唐鼠黐）

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The Chinese privet (Ligustrum lucidum) is native to China, came to Japan during the Meiji period (1868-1912), and can now be found across the country. It produces flowers from June to July in Japan and fruits (scroll down) in October, which are green at first and turn purplish black toward winter. The tree's Japanese name is "tou nezumi mochi," which translates into "Chinese mouse mochi," after the fruits looking like mouse droppings and the leaves resembling those of the mochi tree or the elegance female holly (Ilex integra). The fruits of Chinese privet are used in herbal medicine despite their mouse dropping like appearances. 

The Chinese privet is widely planted in urban areas (e.g., Tokyo) because it's highly tolerant against air pollution, heavy urban smog, and poor soil conditions. 

2026/6/22

Platanus × Acerifolia (London Plane) 紅葉葉鈴懸の木（モミジハスズカケノキ）

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The London plane (Platanus x acerifolia) is a hybrid of the oriental plane and the American sycamore, coming to Japan during the Meiji period (1868-1912), and can now be found across the country. The tree produces male and female flowers from April to May in Japan, often seen scattered on the ground after the rain. The tree's Japanese name is "momiji ha suzukake no ki," which translates into "maple leaf platanus," after its leaf shape.

The London plane is aesthetically pleasing throughout the year with their flowers, fruits, and autumn leaves (scroll down). The trees in my neighborhood are too large (10 meter high), so I've seen its fruits and male flowers fallen on the ground but not those still on the trees.  

2026/6/21

Oriental Lady's Thumb (Persicaria Longiseta) イヌタデ（犬蓼）

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The Oriental lady's thumb (Persicaria longiseta) is native to China and south eastern Asia and can be found across Japan. The plant produces generally pink (and sometimes white) flowers from April to November. The flowers, however, have no petals, and what look like petals are calyxes, which are so cute.  

     

2026/6/21

Platycodon Grandiflorus (Balloon Flower) 桔梗（キキョウ）

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The balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) is native to eastern Asia and can be found across Japan, producing beautiful white and purple flowers from June to September in Japan. The Japanese name of the clasping Venus' looking-glass (Triodanis perfoliata) is "balloon flower plant" after their similar flower shapes and colors (but not the size).  

Surprisingly, the balloon flower was called "morning glory" during the Manyo period (from the mid-7th to the mid-8th century) in Japan because then beautiful flowers blooming in the morning were all called morning glory. Do you find it inclusive or sloppy?

This reminded me of another inclusiveness or sloppiness issue about the colors of Japan, specifically, blue and green. If you are interested, read "Goryeo Celadon and Colors of Japan."

2026/6/22

2026/6/22

Duranta Erecta (Golden Dewdrop) デュランタ

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The golden dewdrop (Duranta erecta) is native to the American tropics but can be found across Japan, producing white, blue, and purple flowers from June to October across the country. After that, the plant produces tiny orange fruits, which, despite their cute appearance, are toxic as well as leaves. 

2020/9/6

2020/9/6

Bamboo-Leaf Oak (Quercus Myrsinifolia) シラカシ（白樫）

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The bamboo-leaf oak (Quercus myrsinifolia) is native to eastern Asia and can be found across Japan. The tree produces flowers from April to May and then fruits, i.e., acorns. What I find most fun is to observe their growth. They're tiny and pale green at first, then getting chubbier while turning matcha green then brown toward autumn. The baby acorns still have styles, which are part of the pistils.  

2026/6/19

Lily (Lilium) ユリ（百合）

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Lilies are native to Asia, Europe, and North America. There are more than 100 wild species around the world and 15 in Japan, producing flowers in various colors from May to August in Japan, of which I've seen pale pink, yellow (scroll down), red (Blackout red), and orange (Thunberg orange). The lily bulb (mainly the Maximowicz's lily's [Lilium leichtlinii]) is edible, often steamed, sauteed or deep-fried (i.e., tempura), as a seasonal delicacy in Japan. So, if you have a chance to come to Japan in winter, don't miss eating lily bulb or "yurine" TEMPURA to enjoy its soft and fluffy texture.  

The lily's Japanese name is "yuri" after the term "yusuri," which means shaking or trembling, because lilies shake and/or tremble in the wind as their stems are thin but the flowers are big.

2026/6/19

Oriental Beetle (Anomala Orientalis) セマダラコガネ（背斑金亀子）

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The oriental beetle (Anomala orientalis) is native to the Philippines and/or Japan and can be found across Japan. Its Japanese name is "semadara kogane," which translates into "Japanese beetle with spots on the back," well describing its features, doesn't it? 

The beetle wasn't a major pest in Japan but it's been known as a garden pest in other countries. A byproduct of globalization. 

2026/6/19

2026/6/19

Cabbage White Butterfly モンシロチョウ（紋白蝶）

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The cabbage white butterfly (Pieris rapae) is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, believed to come to Japan before the Edo period (1603-1868). 

Although its English name and Japanese name (which translates into "spot white butterfly") both include the term "white," the male cabbage white butterflies are yellowish. Also, according to Kubota Corporation's website (in Japanese only), the butterflies can tell the male from the female by the wing color because they can see ultraviolet light. The female's wing, which reflects ultraviolet light, looks brighter than the male's wing, which absorbs the light. 

2026/6/19 Likely a female

Cape Jasmine (Gardenia Jasminoides) クチナシ（梔子）

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The cape jasmine (Gardenia jasminoides) is native to eastern Asia and can be found across Japan, producing single and double flowered blooms from June to July in Tokyo. When its buds start to open, their green bases are still visible, which gives the blooms a beautiful color accent.

Cape jasmine's Japanese name is "kuchi nashi," which translates into "no mouth," because the fruits (scroll down) don't crack even after ripening. The fruits are used to give a yellow color (unexpected from the flower's white) to food, such as kuri kinton or mashed sweet potato with chestnuts, one of the traditional Japanese New Year foods. 

Double flowered cape jasmine rarely produces fruits because most of their stamens have transformed into petals like some species of the Japanese camellia. 

2026/6/17