Plants and Flowers in Tokyo & Japanese Culture by Kei Narujima　東京の草花＆つぶやき

Pale Speedwell (Veronica Cymbalaria)　コゴメイヌノフグリ（小米犬の陰嚢）

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Pale speedwells (Veronica cymbalaria) are native to Europe. Speedwells can be found across Japan, but this type isn't so prevalent as other speedwells and can be found in and around Tokyo. (I took these pictures in Tokyo.)

Pale speedwell's Japanese name is "kogome inu no fuguri," translating into "small rice dog balls." The name contains "small rice" because of its size and color and "dog balls" for a terrible reason, which you can read here. If you're interested in other speedwells, read the following posts!

Grey field-speedwell (Veronica polita) ➡ イヌノフグリ or "dog balls"
Persian speedwell (Veronica persica) ➡ オオイヌノフグリ or "large dog balls"
Corn speedwell (Veronica arvensis) ➡ タチイヌノフグリ or "standing dog balls"
Ivy-leaved speedwell (Veronica hederifolia) ➡ ツタバイヌノフグリ（フラサバソウ） or "ivy-leaved dog balls"

2026/3/16

Variegated Japanese Camellia (Camellia Japonica)　斑入り椿

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There are more than 250 types of Japanese camellias and more than a thousand for camellias, i.e., Japanese camellias and sasanqua camellias. This variegated one is one of them. Variegated camellias are caused by viral infections, genetic mutations, or other reasons and have been appreciated and improved in Japan as an "oddity" since the Edo period (1603-1867).

2026/3/21

Flowering Peach (Prunus Persica Hanamomo)　ハナモモ（花桃）

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Flowering peach trees are native to China, cultivated for ornamental purposes, and have been improved in Japan to produce more flowers since the Edo period (1603 to 1868). The trees generally bloom from March to April. The flower color ranges from white to red and red and white marble. The Japanese name "hanamomo" translates to "flower peach." Unusually, the English and Japanese names coincide.

2026/3/20

2025/3/27

"Thousand-Flowered" Pink, Red, and White Japanese Camellias　千重咲きのピンク、赤、白の椿

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Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica) has many cultivars and this is one of them, "thousand flowered" Japanese camellias. You don't see stamens because their stamens (and pistils) have disappeared or degenerated, or changed into petals.

The fact that these camellias have no stamens gave rise to one question for me, i.e. how a thousand flowered camellia dies. Will it fall off in its entirety like other usual Japanese camellias even though it has no stamens? The question occurred to me because the stamens of Japanese camellias (more specifically, the filament part) connect with petals, which allows their unique way of dying as opposed to sasanqua camellias, which die with petals falling off one by one without such connection. The answer is in the 7th photo. Even without stamens, a thousand flowered Japanese camellia falls off in its entirety. A Japanese camellia is a Japanese camellia whether it has stamens or not.

2026/3/21

2026/3/8

2026/1/17

2026/3/8

Somei Yoshino Cherry Blossoms (Prunus x Yedoensis)　染井吉野（ソメイヨシノ）

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This is the second time writing about Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms (Prunus x yedoensis or Cerasus x yedoensis) this year. I usually write about one plant a year, but who can resist such delicate, gorgeous, and transient beauty?

There are a variety of cherry trees but Somei Yoshino is so special in Japan that the term "cherry blossoms" often means Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms. Cherry blossoms are all gorgeous but differently from other flowers, i.e., always associated with death or ephemerality because of their short life span of one to two weeks.

The beauty reminds me of "The Makioka Sisters" by Junichiro Tanizaki, which ends with cherry blossoms viewing in Kyoto. The novel has no plot but is so intriguingly beautiful, based on the real life of the sisters of Tanizaki's wife, with a writing style which currently may not be necessarily popular due to long sentences. Its original title "sasame yuki" translates to "light snow," a metaphor of the Makioka family, which is declining and therefore showing the ephemeral beauty as cherry blossoms. The novel was translated into English by Edward G. Seidensticker. It's pretty long but worthwhile reading if you're interested in Japanese culture.

Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms are pinkish white as opposed to Oshima cherry blossoms, which at first are whitish pink, then turn to baby pink. If you're interested in other types of cherry blossoms, read the posts below!!

2025/4/6

Springstar (Ipheion Uniflorum)　ハナニラ（花韮）

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Springstars or spring startflowers (Ipheion uniflorum) are native to Argentina, coming to Japan during the Meiji era (1868-1912). The plant produces flowers ranging from white to purple in spring. Its Japanese name is "hananira," translating into "flower Chinese chives" due to its smell. No worries though. It doesn't smell unless the leaves are ripped or torn. The plant is toxic however.

2026/3/20

Japan Has Two Star-of-Bethlehem Flowers　大甘菜とハナニラ、英語はどちらも星！

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Japan has two types of star-of-Bethlehem flowers and their Japanese names differ depending on whether they are smelly or not. The non-smelly one (the first and second photos), or "grass lily" or "nap-at-noon," is called in Japanese "large sweet vegetable" while the other smelly one (in the third photo) "flower Chinese chive."

2020/4/27

Carolina Cranesbill (Geranium Carolinianum)　アメリカフウロ（亜米利加風露）

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Carolina cranesbill (Geranium carolinianum) is native to North America but now can be found across Japan. The plant was discovered in Kyoto in 1932. Carolina cranesbill produces tiny flowers (1 cm in diameter) from late April to June in Japan but its fruits look like devils🤣 (see the last two photos)!

2026/3/15

Crimson Clover　ベニバナツメクサ（紅花詰草）

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Crimson clovers (Trifolium incarnatum) are native to Europe and West Asia, coming to Japan during the Meiji era (1868-1912) as forage crops. The clovers flower from April to June in Japan but die due to heat in summer.

2026/3/15

Kawazu Cherry (Cerasus x Kanzakura 'Kawazu-Zakura')　カワヅサクラ（河津桜）

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Kawazu cherry is a crossbreed of Oshima cherry (Prunus speciosa) and Taiwan cherry (Prunus campanulata) and named in 1972 after the Kawazu town, Shizuoka prefecture (Source: Kawazu town tourist association). Kawazu cherry trees bloom from early February to March, a little earlier than other cherry trees. A Kawazu cherry blossoms festival is held in the town every February.

Below is a list I've enjoyed viewing for the last couple of years. Hope you'll enjoy them, too!

2026/2/28

Weeping Willow (Salix Babylonica)　シダレヤナギ（枝垂柳）

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Weeping willow trees are native to China, coming to Japan during the Nara period (710 to 794). The trees are known for their highly flexible, long, and pendulous twigs, under which ghosts are said to appear in Japan. The flowers, however, are unexpectedly pretty. The willows are dioecious and I think those in these pictures are male.

2026/3/15