Green Tomato Cactus (Parodia Crassigibba) シャクヤクマル（芍薬丸）

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This is a green tomato cactus (Parodia crassigibba). The cactus is native to southern Brazil and known for having variable flower colors, ranging from pink and vivid purple to yellow and white. It produces flowers in spring and summer. 

The green tomato cactus is called in Japanese "shakuyaku maru" and "sumire maru," which translate into "Chinese peony ball" and "violet ball" respectively after its shape and flower color.

2026/5/10

Creeping Woodsorrel (Oxalis Corniculata) 酢漿草（カタバミ）

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Creeping woodsorrel (Oxalis corniculata) can be found across the globe, including Japan. The plant produces yellow flowers from April to October and fruits almost at the same time. The bright yellow flower is just 1 cm in diameter, so tiny that it may have been unnoticed. The leaves and stems are edible although they taste sour as suggested by the name Oxalis (and sour grass) and as well as its Japanese name "katabami," which translates into "sour grass."

Despite its unnoticeable presence, the plant is used as a family crest in Japan due to its strong vitality and hardiness to represent life force.  

2026/5/10

Mountain Laurel (Kalmia Latifolia) カルミア（亜米利加石楠花、アメリカシャクナゲ）

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Mountain laurels (Kalmia latifolia) are native to the eastern United States but can now be found across Japan, producing flowers varying from white to pink in May and June in Japan. The flowers look like parasols when open and the buds konpeito, i.e., tiny star-shaped Japanese sugar candies, which are Pokémon Nebby's favorite food.

Konpeito was imported from Portugal to Japan in the 16th century together with the name "confeito" in Portuguese, meaning sugar candy. If you haven't seen the candy, click here (Wikipedia). See? The buds of mountain laurel look exactly like konpeito, don't they?

Despite such lovely appearance, however, all the parts of Kalmia are poisonous especially for sheep as suggested by its other common names "lamb-kill," "calf-kill," "kill-kid," and "sheep-poison."

2025/5/24

2026/5/9

Mulberry (Morus) クワ（桑）

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Mulberry (Morus) is native to China and Korea, coming to Japan in at the latest 12 century. The tree produces flowers in April and fruits from May to June, which are first green, turning to yellow, red and then deep purple. Mulberries are eaten raw or processed into jam and alcoholic drinks, which I've never tried.  

The fact the trees now have berries means that they had flowers in April but I missed them. In general, mulberries are dioecious, which means they have male and female flowers. Now I know where they are, I already look forward to seeing both male and female flowers next spring.    

2026/5/8

2026/5/7

False Daphne (Daphniphyllum Macropodum) ユズリハ（楪）

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False daphne (Daphniphyllum macropodum) is native to Japan, Southern Korea, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The tree produces clusters of tiny flowers from April to June and fruits from June to December, which turn black in October and November.  

Daphniphyllum macropodum's Japanese name is "yuzuriha," which translates into "giving/offering leaf," after the fact that older leaves drop in spring after the shrub starts to grow new leaves, which looks like older leaves offering their places to younger ones. Survivors of 2011 Japan Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami were reported to have helped each other by giving and offering food and water to each other. Some may find it naïve and I'm not sure I can be so generous in similar circumstances but such a spirit of caring, sharing, and helping each other may be needed most now. 

2026/5/7

Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia Axyridis) ナミテントウ（並天道）

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Asian lady beetles (Harmonia axyridis) are native to Asia, so can be found across Japan. As one of the most variable species, you can't identify the beetle just based on the number or color of spots. The beetle is generally beneficial, eating aphids but also known as one of the most invasive insects or voracious predators, eating other ladybugs😱. Despite such aggressiveness, Asian lady beetles with two orange spots are generally viewed as symbols of good luck, happiness, and prosperity in Japan. Yippee! 

The beetle is cute but the larva of the Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis) looks a little creepy, but it's also a beneficial insect voraciously eating aphids. Like father, like son, isn't it?

2026/4/28

Blue Hydrangea Serrata (Tea of Heaven "Mikata-Yae") 美方八重（ミカタヤエ）

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Mikata-yae hydrangeas (Hydrangea serrata (Thunb. ex Murr.) Ser. "Mikata-yae"), early bloomers, are now in full bloom. The buds looked like green stars at the beginning of May, then have turned blue, and are still hanging to pink or purple. Mikata-yae hydrangeas are said to be one of the most beautiful blue hydrangeas. 

2026/5/8

Smoke Tree (Cotinus Coggygria) ハグマノキ（白熊の木）

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This is a smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria). The tree is native to southern Europe, east across central Asia, and the Himalayas to northern China, producing cream flowers from June to July and after their falling, creating "smoke appearance" by elongating its hairy pedicels and peduncles (flower stalks). The tree's autumn leaves are also gorgeous according to the internet.

2026/5/2

Cleavers (Galium Aparine) ヤエムグラ（八重葎）

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Cleavers (Galium aparine) are native to East Asia, Europe, and North Africa and can now be found across Japan, producing tiny pale green yellow flowers from late April to June and also tiny fruits from May to June. I've never seen the flowers. 

2026/5/5

Broomrape (Orobanche) ハマウツボ（浜靫）

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Broomrape (Orobanche) is native to Europe and Asia and can be found across Japan, producing flowers from May to July in Japan. Despite its usual-plant-like appearance, it's a parasitic herbaceous plant with no chlorophyll. Its host is wormwood (Artemisia), so there must be wormwood nearby. Before knowing it's parasitic, I looked forward to seeing its flowers, which I expected to be purple, but now with that knowledge, I found it a bit eerie.

P.S.

I went there a week later, finding it open and not that eerie but quite pretty. 

2026/5/5

Japanese Snowball (Viburnum Plicatum Var. Tomentosum) ヤブデマリ（藪手毬）

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They look like white lacecap hydrangeas but are not. They are Japanese snowball (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum). The Japanese snowball is native to Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan, so can be found across Japan, producing white flowers (which actually are sterile flowers) in May and June. 

There are mainly two types of Japanese snowball, Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum and Viburnum plicatum var. plicatum f. plicatum, and they're closely related but it's easy to tell which is which because of their different flower shape. 

2026/5/2