Homemade Candied Pomelo Peels パール柑のピール

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

They're candied pomelo peels. I made them! Covid-19 has changed my life in several ways. I've started to take a morning walk and take photos of plants I find during the walk. I've also started to cook something I didn't before because of a long time to cook, like jam or peels. 

The peels are brownish orange because I always use brown sugar to sweeten food. I also eat brown rice and brown bread much more than white ones. Some say that brown food is healthier than white food, but that's not the reason I prefer brown food. I just like them. The thing is that it's difficult to find good rye bread at a reasonable price in Japan. I love a slice of rye bread with such peels and a black coffee!   

Candied pomelo peels パール柑のピール

Oshima and Yoshino Cherry Blossoms - Which is Which? 大島桜と染井吉野の見分け方

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

People say that Oshima cherry (Prunus speciosa) blossoms are white while Yoshino cherry (Prunus x yedoensis) blossoms are whitish pink, but these two resemble each other very much when Oshima cherry blossoms turn whitish pink just before falling. I didn't know this last year, so I thought Oshima cherry had white and whitish pink cultivars, but I was wrong. Another difference between the two is that Oshima cherry trees start to produce fresh green leaves at the same time when starting to bloom (while Yoshino produces leaves after the blossoms fall).   

This post includes pictures of Oshima and Yoshino cherry blossoms. Can you tell which is which? 

If you want to see pure white Oshima cherry blossoms, read this post!

If you're interested in bright pink cherry blossoms, such as Yoko, Okame, Kawazu, and Taiwan cherry blossoms, click the link(s)!

Oshima cherry 大島桜

Yoshino cherry 染井吉野

Oshima cherry 大島桜

Yoshino cherry 染井吉野

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

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are Prunus x yedoensis or Yoshino cherry blossoms. Yoshino cherry is one of the most popular cherry cultivars in Japan. I was so lucky to be able to take these close-up photos of such beautiful Yoshino cherry blossoms this season.

Most of the Yoshino cherry trees in my neighborhood are tall and have blossoms high on the trees, but on March 27 when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom in Tokyo this year, I found several Yoshino cherry trees, which were tall but had blossoms lower, like 2 meters from the ground.

Now I'm looking forward to seeing my another favorite cherry blossoms, i.e., Gyoiko. They're green/yellow, starting to bloom in mid to late April.    

If you're interested in other cherry blossoms, Yoko, Okame, Kawazu, and Taiwan cherry blossoms, which are all pink, and Oshima cherry blossoms, which are mostly white, click the link(s)!

Prunus x yedoensis blossoms 染井吉野

Yoshino cherry 染井吉野

The most popular cherry blossoms in Japan
桜といえばやっぱり染井吉野かな 

Prunus Speciosa (Oshima Cherry) Blossoms 大島桜（オオシマザクラ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are Oshima cherry (Prunus speciosa) blossoms. Usually, they're not pink but white or whitish pink as opposed to pink cherry blossoms, such as Yoko, Okame, Kawazu, and Taiwan cherry blossoms.

Oshima cherry blossoms are unique in another way. They bloom at the same time fresh green leaves come out.

 Oshima cherry blossoms 大島桜

 Prunus speciosa 大島桜

Oshima cherry blossoms bloom at the same time leaves come out
大島桜は花と葉が同時期

Trifolium Dubium (Lesser Trefoil) 米粒詰草（コメツブツメクサ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

They're Trifolium dubium or more commonly known as lesser trefoil. As suggested by its Japanese name "rice grain clover," the plant is so tiny as a rice grain and so lovely.

Spring is the season of cherry blossoms in Japan especially from late March to early April, but don't forget that these tiny plants are also growing, not high up but on the ground. I admire cherry blossoms while relating more to these tiny plants.  

Trifolium dubium 米粒詰草

Lesser trefoil コメツブツメクサ

Cerasus ‘Yoko’ (Yoko Cherry) 陽光桜（ヨウコウザクラ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I first thought they were Kawazu cherry blossoms, but I found a tree tag saying that they were Yoko cherry. Kawazu cherry blossoms bloom a little earlier than Yoko cherry, but they resemble each other very much. 

Cherry blossoms blooming relatively earlier tend to be pink, such as Yoko, Kawazu, Okame and Taiwan cherry blossoms. I'm now looking forward to seeing more whitish pink cherry blossoms. 

Cerasus ‘Yoko’ 陽光桜

Yoko cherry ヨウコウザクラ

Vicia Sativa (Common Vetch) 烏野豌豆（カラスノエンドウ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Vicia sativa or more commonly known as common vetch. The stark contrast between the purple flowers and the deep green leaves stopped me. 

People in Japan call common vetch "crow vetch" as opposed to calling tiny vetch (i.e., Vicia hirsuta) "sparrow vetch" just because the former is larger than the latter like crows being bigger than sparrows. They also call Vicia tetrasperm, which is in size between crow and sparrow vetches, "vetch between crow and sparrow." 

Sparrow vetch produces tiny flowers later than crow vetch. I'm already looking forward to seeing them in April.   

Vicia sativa 烏野豌豆

Corylopsis Pauciflora (Buttercup Witch Hazel) 日向水木（ヒュウガミズキ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Corylopsis pauciflora or more commonly known as buttercup witch hazel. I saw spike winter hazel (Corylopsis spicata) two weeks ago. The flowers of the two types of winter hazel look like each other, but they have one clear difference. Buttercup witch hazel has yellow stamens and pistils while spike winter hazel has red ones.

 

Corylopsis pauciflora 日向水木

Buttercup witch hazel ヒュウガミズキ

Edgeworthia Chrysantha (Oriental Paperbush) 三椏（ミツマタ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Edgeworthia chrysantha or more commonly known as Oriental paperbush. I've seen the flower buds several times but such open flowers for the first time.  

The flowers are yellow, but they have no petals. What look like the yellow petals are actually the inside of the calyx tubes. 

Edgeworthia chrysantha 三椏

Prunus Incamp Cv. Okame or Okame Cherry お亀桜（オカメザクラ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Prunus incamp cv. Okame or Okame cherry, one of the cherry trees that blossom earlier than other cherry trees. They look like Kawazu cherry blossoms, but their petals are thinner than Kawazu's. Okame cherry is created by Collingwood Ingram, a British authority on Japanese cherry trees. 

P.S. This year, for the first time in my life, I can't fully enjoy such beautiful cherry blossoms. I can't help but think again and again but in vain about why such atrocity crimes in Ukraine were allowed to happen in the first place. 

Okame cherry オカメザクラ

Cornus Officinalis (Japanese Cornel) 山茱萸（サンシュユ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Cornus officinalis or more commonly Japanese cornel. I wanted to see Japanese cornel flowers in person for more than a year, so I was glad to have finally been able to see them. Umbels of very tiny bright yellow flowers are 2 to 3 cm in diameter, looking like sparklers to me. 

Cornus officinalis 山茱萸

Look like sparklers 線香花火みたい

Prunus Cerasifera Var. Atropurpurea (Purple Leaf Plum) 紅葉李（ベニバスモモ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are the blossoms of Prunus cerasifera var. atropurpurea or more commonly known as purple leaf plum. Two years ago, I took them for Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms, but it's understandable. Both are in the Prunus genus. (So, many Japanese make the same mistake.) One clear difference is that purple leaf trees have purple leaves as suggested by both its English and Japanese names.   

Prunus cerasifera var. atropurpurea 紅葉李

Purple leaf plum ベニバスモモ

Camellia Japonica (Japanese Camellia) 椿（ツバキ）

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This is Camellia japonica or Japanese camellia. I thought that Japanese camellia produces flowers in winter, but it actually flowers from February to April.

One of the flowers has a lot of pollen on the petals (3rd photo). Japanese camellia is not entomophilous, i.e., pollinated by insects, but ornithophilous, i.e., pollinated by birds, and mostly by warbling white eyes.

  

Camellia Japonica 椿

Japanese camellia ツバキ

End of Kawazu Cherry Blossoms 河津桜も終わりかな

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

About a month ago, Kawazu cherry trees in my neighborhood started to bloom and about two weeks ago, they were nearly in full bloom, and now they have many fresh leaves, meaning their blossom season will be soon over despite still having such gorgeous pink blossoms. 

I said goodbye to these Kawazu cherry blossoms but you don't have to worry. Many other cherry trees will start blooming soon in Japan. And every time I see beautiful flowers like these, I can't help but think about people in Ukraine and hope a real spring will come to them soon.   

Kawazu cherry 河津桜

Their season will be over soon そろそろ終わりです

Magnolia Denudata (Yulan Magnolia) 白木蓮（ハクモクレン）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are Magnolia denudata or more commonly known as lilytree or Yulan magnolia. The flowers were so white and so big (about 20 cm in diameter) that I was able to see them from far away. 

I was lucky this year to be able to take photos of such beautiful flowers. Last year, because of such big white petals, brown spots on the petals were so conspicuous that I gave up taking pictures of them.  

Magnolia denudata 白木蓮

Prunus Campanulata (Taiwan Cherry) 寒緋桜（カンヒザクラ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

They're Taiwan cherry (Prunus campanulata) blossoms. The deep pink blossoms are so gorgeous. Prunus campanulata blooms earlier than other cherry blossom trees and is unique because the flowers are droopy as suggested by the term "campanulata," which means bell-like. Spring has come to Japan. I hope spring will come to Ukraine soon, too. 

Prunus campanulata 寒緋桜

Bergenia (Elephant-Eared Saxifrage) ヒマラヤ雪の下（ヒマラヤユキノシタ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Bergenia or more commonly known as elephant-eared saxifrage or elephant's ears. Clusters of the pink flowers among literally elephant ear-shaped leaves were gracefully gorgeous.   

Bergenia is evergreen, and the leaves turn red in autumn according to the internet. I want to see them in person.   

Bergenia ヒマラヤ雪の下

Daphne Odora F. Alba (White Winter Daphne) 白花沈丁花（シロバナジンチョウゲ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I stopped there because of the strong, sweet fragrance, and found two types of winter Daphne, i.e., Daphne odora f. albas, which produces lime green buds and white flowers, and Daphne odora, which has deep pink buds and white flowers. The contrast between the lime green and the deep pink buds, the white flowers, and the deep green leaves was so beautiful. 

 

Daphne odora f. alba 白花沈丁花

White winter Daphne and usual winter Daphne side by side
シロバナジンチョウゲと普通のジンチョウゲ

Silene Gallica (French Catchfly) マンテマ

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Silene gallicas known by several common names such as windmill pink and French catchfly. The flower is tiny, less than 1 cm in diameter.

Spring is the season of rebirth when nature comes back to life, so I'm busy taking pictures of these small plants, and for that, I need to crouch down to take low shots. Most people are busy, just passing by me but dogs, some of which come to me, telling me to get out of their way to do their business...  

Silene gallica マンテマ

French catchfly マンテマ

Shepherd's Purse (Capsella Bursa-Pastoris) ナズナ（ペンペングサ）

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This is Capsella bursa-pastoris or more commonly known as shepherd's purse. I love this plant because of its tininess and hardiness, so I was surprised that this tiny plant was protocarnivorous. According to Brooklyn Botanic Garden, '... When moistened in the soil, its (shepherd's purse') seed exudes a sweet, mucilaginous substance that entraps and then digests small insects and microorganisms. As the seed germinates, the nutrients from the insects feed the seedling....' So, this plant, which is so tiny and looks so fragile, eats bugs...

P.S. I've started to watch not only Japanese news programs but also BBC news everyday to monitor any developments in Ukraine. The firm I work for also has been working to help the victims of Russian aggression against Ukraine for the last couple of weeks. I really hope the economic sanctions will work as soon as possible and also the majority of Russian people, who, I (want to) believe, hope for peace, will change their own country themselves. 

Shepherd's purse ナズナ

Capsella bursa-pastoris ペンペングサ

Veronica Polita (Grey Field-Speedwell) 犬の殖栗（イヌノフグリ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Veronica polita or grey field-speedwell. I've been wanting to see it since I saw Veronica persica or commonly Persian speedwell last year.   

I've been longing to see grey field-speedwell because of the tininess of the flower, which is 3-4 mm in diameter, smaller than Persian speedwell's, and its terrible Japanese name of "Dog balls." Grey field-speedwell was named as such by Tomitaro Makino (1862 - 1957) because the fruits look like the balls of a dog. Now that I've seen the flowers, I want to see the fruits!

Tomitaro Makino is a Japanese botanist. He dropped out of elementary school after two years, but studied botany on his own and eventually received a Doctor of Science degree from the Tokyo University.

Veronica polita 犬の殖栗

Grey field-speedwell イヌノフグリ

Corylopsis Spicata (Spike Winter Hazel) 土佐水木（トサミズキ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Corylopsis spicata or spike winter hazel. I first thought that it was wintersweet, but unlike wintersweet, a spike winter hazel flower has red stamens and pistils protruding from the flower and its yellow color is brighter than wintersweet's.

I saw a different type of winter hazel last year, i.e., buttercup winter hazel (Corylopsis pauciflora). The two types of winter hazel resemble each other but a buttercup winter hazel flower has yellow stamens and pistils.

Corylopsis spicata 土佐水木

Cardamine Hirsuta (Hairy Bittercress) 道種漬花（ミチタネツケバナ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Cardamine hirsuta or more commonly called hairy bittercress. I couldn't find the name last year, so now I'm happy to have been able to find what this is. The plant is about 10 cm tall and the flower is less than 1 cm in diameter. 

I've never seen the flowers open, so I've been wondering if and when the flower opens.

Cardamine hirsuta 道種漬花

Hairy bittercress ミチタネツケバナ

Trigonotis Peduncularis (Cucumber Herb) 胡瓜草（キュウリグサ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

They're Trigonotis peduncularis or cucumber herb. The flowers are so tiny, 0.2 - 0.3 cm in diameter. 

Since about two weeks ago, I've kept an eye on the ground while taking a morning walk because I don't want to miss any tiny signs of spring like cucumber herb. Its English and Japanese names both suggest that the plant smells like cucumber, and I want to try to smell it, but won't! Who can pick such lovely flowers?          

Cucumber herb キュウリグサ

The flower is about 0.2 - 0.3 cm in diameter 花は2～3ミリぐらい

Daphne Odora (Winter Daphne) 沈丁花（ジンチョウゲ）

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

They're the buds and flowers of Daphne odora or more commonly known as winter daphne. When the Covid-19 alpha variant was prevalent last year I used the flowers to check if I was infected with the virus and was relieved when I was able to smell their fragrance. 

Things have changed since then, however, i.e., not only the coronavirus and its symptoms but also the situation in Ukraine. I live in Japan, far from Ukraine, but pray for the safety of Ukrainian people and for peace. 

Daphne odora 沈丁花

Winter daphne ジンチョウゲ

Kawazu Cherry 河津桜

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

The dog that trots about finds a bone and I, who trot about every morning, found not a bone but Kawazu cherry!! I've taken a morning walk almost everyday for the last more than two years, so I must have passed by these cherry trees many times, but I hadn't noticed them at all.

This year's cherry blossom season will be in full swing soon in Japan. Last year, I enjoyed viewing the blossoms of more than ten types of cherry trees. What I most look forward to this year is the yellow blossoms of Gyoiko cherry!   

And last but not least, I really hope the Ukraine-Russia conflict will be over as soon as possible so that we can enjoy spring together.  

Kawazu Cherry 河津桜

Kawazu Cherry 河津桜