Japanese Snowball Changes to White 真っ白な大手鞠（オオデマリ）

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

This is Viburnum plicatum f. plicatum 'Popcorn' or more commonly known as Japanese snowball. I love the flowers because of their pretty shape and beautiful color change from lime green to pure white in just ten days. 

When the Japanese snowball season is over, the rainy season will start in Japan, which is notorious for humidity but at the same time famous for various colors and shapes of hydrangeas. Japanese snowballs resemble hydrangeas very much, but they belong to completely different genera, i.e., Japanese snowball to the Viburnum genus while hydrangea to the Hydrangea genus. 

To see beautiful lime green Japanese snowball flowers, read this post!!

 

 Viburnum plicatum f. plicatum 'Popcorn' 大手鞠

Photinia x Fraseri (Red Tip Photinia) 紅要黐（ベニカナメモチ）

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

They're the flowers of Photinia x fraseri or more commonly known as red tip photinia or Red Robin. I enjoyed its bright red young leaves in early April but didn't expect to be able to enjoy such tiny flowers, too. The red color of the leaves has faded a little (click here to see the leaves before changing the color!), which made me feel a bit sad... 

If you’re interested in why the young leaves and buds of some plants are bright red, read this post!

Red tip photinia ベニカナメモチ

Photinia x fraseri 紅要黐

Oenothera Rosea (Rosy Evening-Primrose) 赤花夕化粧（アカバナユウゲショウ）

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

This is Oenothera rosea, also known as rosy evening-primrose. Despite the smallness, it's so hardy that you can see such pretty pink flowers anywhere (e.g., on roadsides) in Tokyo around this time of year. I was engrossed in photographing them, so I didn't notice white azalea in full bloom behind at all (2nd photo).  

Oenothera rosea 赤花夕化粧

White azalea in full bloom behind rosy evening-primrose
アカバナユウゲショウの後ろには満開のツツジ

Cornus Florida (Flowering Dogwood) 花水木（ハナミズキ）の花

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They're Cornus florida or more commonly known as flowering dogwood. They're beautiful but what you may think are petals are actually bracts. The flowers are in the center, i.e., the green part surrounded by these red, white or pale green bracts. 

Cornus florida with pale green bracts 花水木

Flowering dogwood with cream white bracts 花水木

Flowering dogwood with red bracts 赤いハナミズキ

Polygonatum Odoratum (Solomon's Seal) 甘野老（アマドコロ）

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They're Polygonatum odoratum or more commonly Solomon's seal. The bell shaped white flowers with a green tinge look so innocent. The young shoots are eaten in Japan as a spring delicacy although I've never tried.  

Polygonatum odoratum 甘野老

Solomon's seal アマドコロ

Why So Many Caterpillars? あおむしがいっぱい

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

It was a fine day after rain, and I couldn't believe my eyes. Little green caterpillars were all over the tree. You would be okay with one, maybe a few of them, but how about that many? The surrounding trees had no caterpillars at all. I don't know why they love the tree so much...

It would be okay with a few but... 2,3匹ならいいけど｡｡｡ 

Apple Blossoms リンゴの花

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They're Fuji apple blossoms. The pink tinged white blossoms are so beautiful. For me, apples were something to eat, but the flower has changed that perception.

Apple flowers リンゴの花

Viburnum Plicatum F. Plicatum 'Popcorn' (Japanese Snowball) 大手鞠（オオデマリ）

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

They're Viburnum plicatum f. plicatum 'Popcorn' or more commonly known as Japanese snowball. I knew about the flower but didn't expect to see them that early, i.e., in mid-April.

I didn't plan to post these photos that early either because Japanese snowball changes the color from lime green to white, so I planned to post the pictures of these beautiful snowball flowers both before and after the color change, but I couldn't resist the urge to write about the small caterpillar on it (in the second photo). It (and maybe its family) must have had a strong appetite. The leaves of the bush next to the one in the photo had many holes... 

Viburnum plicatum f. plicatum 'Popcorn' 大手鞠

Japanese snowball with a hungry caterpillar
オオデマリと腹ペコ毛虫

Blueberry ブルーベリーの花

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They're blueberry flowers. I've eaten the berries many times, but seen the flowers for the first time. I need to keep watching their growth until they produce berries though I can't eat them (i.e., they're neighbors')....

 

Blueberry　ブルーベリー

Nuttallanthus Canadensis (Blue Toadflax) 松葉雲蘭（マツバウンラン）

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

They're nuttallanthus canadensis or blue toadflax. You wouldn't usually notice them because they're too thin, but I love that thinness as well as their beautiful color and cute shape. I have an issue with them, however. They're too thin to be photographed especially when it's windy. Photographing has made me more care about the weather.  

Nuttallanthus canadensis 松葉海蘭

Blue toadflax マツバウンラン

Ajuga Decumbens & Ajuga Reptans 金瘡小草（キランソウ）と西洋金瘡小草（セイヨウキランソウ）

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

They're Ajuga, so I was surprised at those in the second photo because I thought Ajuga was a groundcover. I googled the plant again and learned that Ajuga decumbens is grown as a groundcover but Ajuga repetans or bugleherb isn't. The flowers resemble each other very much but otherwise they're totally different. 

I love these tiny flowers because of the beautiful color and cute shape. What do they look like to you? To me, they look like people floating with open arms!

Ajuga decumbens 金瘡小草

Bugleherb 西洋金瘡小草

Yellow Cherry Blossoms "Gioiko" 御衣黄（ギョイコウ）

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Oshima cherry (Prunus speciosa) blossoms are white while Yoshino cherry (Prunus x yedoensis) blossoms are whitish pink, but do you know that there are yellow cherry blossoms? 

These are one such blossoms, Gioiko (Cerasus sato-zakura group ‘Gioiko’ Koidz.)!! I first knew about Gioiko blossoms last year, so this year I've been observing their growth from pale green buds opening to pale yellow blossoms, turning reddish, and these fully blooming Gioiko cherry blossoms conclude the cherry blossom season this year in my neighborhood (i.e., Tokyo).

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

To see bright pink cherry blossoms, such as Yoko, Okame, Kawazu, and Taiwan cherry blossoms, click the link(s)!

4/17 Yellow cherry blossoms "Gioiko" 御衣黄

4/10 Yellow cherry blossoms "Gioiko" ギョイコウ

4/8 With the background of pink cherry blossoms 後ろに大島桜

Aucuba Japonica (Japanese Laurel) 青木（アオキ）

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These tiny flowers caught my eye. They're cross-shaped about 1 cm in size and so cute that I felt I wanted to make stud earrings from them! I first thought that they were the flowers of Osmanthus heterophyllus or holly olive according to the leaf shape, but they're Aucuba japonica or more commonly known as Japanese Laurel. (A friend of mine, rieo_pomegranate23 told me that. Thank you, rieo_pomegranate23!!)

Aucuba japonica 青木

Japanese laurel アオキ

Magnolia Liliiflora (Purple Magnolia) 紫木蓮（シモクレン）

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This is Magnolia liliiflora or more commonly known as purple magnolia. Flowers are usually prettier when they're open than closed, but that's not necessarily true of purple magnolia, is it? The magnolia in the third photo misses a petal, showing its inside. I felt that I was seeing something I shouldn't have.

Magnolia liliiflora 紫木蓮

Purple magnolia シモレクン

Jasminum Polyanthum (Pink Jasmine) 羽衣素馨（ハゴロモジャスミン）

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They're Jasminum polyanthum or more commonly known as pink jasmine. The buds were first deep red, changing to pink, then opening to beautiful pure white flowers with a baby spider on it!  

Jasminum polyanthum 羽衣素馨

Pink jasmine ハゴロモジャスミン

Veronica Persica (Persian Speedwell) オオイヌノフグリ

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They're Veronica persica or more commonly known as Persian speedwell. I've looked forward to seeing them since I saw Veronica polita or grey field-speedwell last month. Persian speedwell is called "greater" grey field-speedwell in Japan and both speedwells have terrible but funny Japanese names. To find out how terrible and funny, read this post!

Veronica Persica (Persian Speedwell)　オオイヌノフグリ

Quercus Glauca (Ring-Cupped Oak) アラカシの花と若葉 - あら、アラカシだったのね

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

The leaves that look like the head of Pteranodon first caught my eye, then something hanging from the tree like chains. And I recalled that the trees had my favorite acorns last winter. They're Quercus glauca or more commonly called ring-cupped oak or Japanese blue oak*.

I loved dinosaurs when I was a kid (although technically Pteranodon isn't a dinosaur). I'm not that into them anymore but still intrigued by reptiles. I don't know why... 

* Last winter, I mistook Quercus myrsinifolia (bamboo-leaf oak) for Japanese blue oak. They resemble each other very much. 

Quercus glauca leaves 粗樫の若葉

Flowers and leaves of ring-cupped oak アラカシの葉と花

Amelanchier Canadensis (Juneberry) 亜米利加采振木（ジューンベリー）

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

This is Amelanchier canadensis or more commonly known as juneberry. I didn't notice the flowers until recently because it was still dark when I was walking by the tree, but now the sun is rising earlier, revealing things I couldn't see then. There must be many other things that are in front of me but I can't see. The pretty tiny white flowers against the background of cherry blossoms are beautiful. 

 Amelanchier canadensis ジューンベリー

With the background of cherry blossoms 桜を背景に

Lamium Purpureum (Red Deadnettle) 姫踊子草（ヒメオドリコソウ）

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I first thought it was Lamium amplexicaule or henbit deadnettle but I was wrong. This is Lamium purpureum or more commonly known as red deadnettle. They look like each other except for the leaf color, which made me wonder about that difference and google. Without googling, I still wouldn't know about red deadnettle. 

Lamium purpureum or red deadnettle 姫踊子草

Lamium amplexicaule or henbit deadnettle 仏の座 

Late Blooming Double-Flowered Prunus Serrulata Blossoms 遅咲きの八重咲き里桜

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Yoshino and Oshima cherry blossoms have fallen in Tokyo, but if you think that the cherry blossom season in Tokyo this year is over, you’re wrong. Late blooming Prunus serrulata blossoms are currently in full bloom. They're gorgeous, i.e., double flowered, and cute because of the pink color. 

Prunus serrulata blossoms 里桜 

Photinia x Fraseri (Red Tip Photinia) 紅要黐（ベニカナメモチ）

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

They're the young leaves of Photinia x fraseri or more commonly known as red tip photinia or Red Robin. I first ignored the leaves because they were too bloody red (scary!) but became unable to do so because they're too red to ignore!

Young leaves and buds are red for a reason. According to Professor Kunijiro Yoshitama at Kumamoto University, the fresh shoots and young leaves of some plants are red because of the following reasons:

1. The temperature of red leaves is higher than that of green leaves.
2. The red pigment in leaves (i.e., anthocyanin) is antibacterial and prevents larvae.
3. The red pigment in leaves (i.e., anthocyanin) promotes the development of chloroplast while protecting the plastid from ultraviolet rays.

Photinia x Fraseri 紅要黐

Akebia Quinata (Chocolate Vine) 木通（アケビ）

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Look at these pretty Akebia quinata or more commonly chocolate vine flowers! They're interesting in that its female flowers are far bigger and more colorful than the male ones! The female flowers are mauve and 2 cm in diameter (1st photo) while the male ones are white and less than 1 cm in diameter (2nd photo). It was my first time to see that many male and female flowers growing at the same time. This year must be a good year for the plant. 

Female flowers of Akebia quinata 木通の雌花

Male flowers of chocolate vine アケビの雄花

Cherry Blossoms Onto A Tree Trunk 胴吹き桜

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

Cherry blossoms usually bloom on the branches, and in Tokyo they've already started to fall, but the blossoms in these photos are not. They're still clinging onto the tree trunk. This often occurs to old trees and there's a reason for that.

Old trees are less energetic, so try to make energy with less cost, i.e., producing leaves for photosynthesis as close to the trunk, which is the main body of the tree, as possible. The thing is however that cherry trees generally produce flowers before leaves and producing flowers costs more energy...

Cherry trees are wise and silly, aren't they? Thanks to this, however, people can still enjoy viewing beautiful cherry blossoms after those on the branches have fallen, and I've come to love cherry trees more than I did before😊.

Yoshino cherry blossoms on the tree trunk 胴吹き桜

Oshima cherry blossoms 大島桜

Vinca Minor (Lesser Periwinkle) 姫蔓日日草（ヒメツルニチニチソウ）

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

This is Vinca minor or more commonly known as lesser periwinkle or dwarf periwinkle. I wrote about Vinca major (or greater periwinkle) more than a month ago, but I saw the two types of Vinca blooming side by side for the first time (2nd photo). The deep (i.e., Vinca minor) and pale (i.e., Vinca major) purple flowers among the green leaves were so beautiful.  

  

Vinca minor 姫蔓日日草

Deep purple lesser periwinkle and pale purple greater periwinkle
ヒメツルニチニチソウ（濃紫）とツルニチニチソウ（薄紫）

Malus Halliana (Hall Crabapple) 花海棠（ハナカイドウ）

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When I first saw them two weeks ago, I thought that they were peach blossoms, but I was wrong. They're Malus halliana or more commonly known as Hall crabapple. The bright pink color of the blossoms and buds was beautiful, but has become paler for the last two weeks.

Malus halliana in mid-March 花海棠（3月半ば）

Cymbalaria Muralis (Kenilworth Ivy) 蔦葉海蘭（ツタバウンラン）

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They're Cymbalaria muralis or more commonly ivy-leaved toadflax or Kenilworth ivy. I've focused too much on cherry blossoms for the last week, so when seeing these pale purple flowers on the ground, I felt a little guilty... 

I love this plant because of not only the color and shape of the flower but its hardiness that enables it to grow in not necessarily perfect places, like in rock crevices (2nd photo). 

Cymbalaria muralis 蔦葉海蘭

Kenilworth ivy ツタバウンラン

Weeping Cherry Blossoms 枝垂れ桜

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The peak bloom of Yoshino cherry blossoms will be over in a day or two, but other types of cultivars are still in bloom. These are the blossoms of two weeping cherry trees in my neighborhood. One has bright pink blossoms (1st photo) while the other (2nd photo) whitish pink blossoms. The trees are literally weeping with small but such beautiful pink blossoms.

Bright pink weeping cherry blossoms 枝垂れ桜（明るいピンク）

Whitish pink weeping cherry blossoms 枝垂れ桜（薄いピンク）