Double Flowered Fish Mint 八重咲きのドクダミ

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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. 

2026/5/12

2026/5/12

Maple Samara 楓（カエデ）の翼果

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Maple trees are known for autumn leaves but reddish and green (and translucent) samaras surrounded by fresh green leaves are so beautiful. Maple samaras always remind me of Doraemon bamboo copter.  

2026/5/12

2026/4/22

Herbal Tea using Lemon Balm and Chocolate Mint Leaves レモンバームとチョコレートミントのハーブティー

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I have taken baby steps to grow herbs. I've made herbal tea using fresh leaves of lemon balm and chocolate mint, which the herbalist I've learned about herbs from, gave me. So far, I just brought back two pots home and put them on the balcony. I don't know if they can grow (survive) there but I learned that the leaves should be removed, so I picked leaves from the two herbs, put the fresh leaves in a teapot, poured hot water on them, and waited while looking at such a beautiful green color. The tea was just refreshing!

2026/5/11

Glaucous Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus Glaucescens) 王冠竜（おうかんりゅう）

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This is a glaucous barrel cactus (Ferocactus glaucescens), just starting to bud. The cactus should open soon to produce pale yellow flowers. While writing this post, I realized that I didn't know about cacti almost at all, so I did research, finding one of the main differences between succulent plants (one of which is cacti) and other plants being is their specialized ability to store water in thick, fleshy leaves, stems, or roots, which made me think about how to identify, describe, classify, and name plants to create a structured hierarchy of plants. Wow, I feel dizzy😵.

2026/5/11

Mammillaria マミラリア

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This is a Mammillaria cactus, which is native to mainly Mexico. Its Japanese names include "nyuto saboten" and "ibo saboten," which translates into "nipple cactus" and "wart cactus" respectively. I hadn't known until I saw this cactus flowering that cacti produce such pretty flowers. 

2024/2/6

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