These're baby acorns of quercus myrsinifolia or more commonly known as bamboo-leaf oak. They've grown that much for the last three weeks. The olive color and plumpness always catches my eye😊!
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| 9/30 Quercus myrsinifolia 白樫 |
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| 9/12 Bamboo-leaf oak シラカシ |
Quercus Myrsinifolia (Bamboo-Leaf Oak) 白樫（シラカシ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These're baby acorns of quercus myrsinifolia or more commonly known as bamboo-leaf oak. They've grown that much for the last three weeks. The olive color and plumpness always catches my eye😊!
These're baby acorns of quercus myrsinifolia or more commonly known as bamboo-leaf oak. They've grown that much for the last three weeks. The olive color and plumpness always catches my eye😊!
Tradescantia Pallida (Purple-Heart) 紫御殿（ムラサキゴテン）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
This is Tradescantia pallida or more commonly purple-heart. The pink petals, deep purple leaves, and yellow stamens (look at the 2nd photo!) are so beautiful!
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| Tradescantia pallida 紫御殿 |
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| Purple-heart ムラサキゴテン |
Aulacophora Femoralis (Cucumber Beetle) 瓜葉虫（ウリハムシ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
"What are you staring at?" I turned around and found this, i.e., Aulacophora femoralis or more commonly cucumber beetle😆! It's so tiny, like 5 to 8 mm (or 0.2 to 0.3 inch), but don't be deceived. The bug is notorious as a pest of agricultural crops.
"What are you staring at?" I turned around and found this, i.e., Aulacophora femoralis or more commonly cucumber beetle😆! It's so tiny, like 5 to 8 mm (or 0.2 to 0.3 inch), but don't be deceived. The bug is notorious as a pest of agricultural crops.
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| Aulacophora femoralis 瓜葉虫 |
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| Cucumber beetle ウリハムシ |
Family Reunion😝 Lycoris Traubii (Golden Spider Lily) 家族の再会😝 鐘馗水仙（黄色の彼岸花）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
I saw red and white ones, and said I wanted to see a blue one, but didn't expect to see a golden one or a mother or father of a white one😝! This is Lycoris traubii or more commonly a golden spider lily. There were many red and white spider lilies in bloom nearby but I was able to find only one golden spider lily.
I saw red and white ones, and said I wanted to see a blue one, but didn't expect to see a golden one or a mother or father of a white one😝! This is Lycoris traubii or more commonly a golden spider lily. There were many red and white spider lilies in bloom nearby but I was able to find only one golden spider lily.
As I wrote a week ago, a white spider lily is a child or cross-breed of red and yellow spider lilies. The family has finally reunited!!
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| Lycoris traubii 鐘馗水仙 |
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| Golden spider lily 黄色の彼岸花 |
Liriope Muscari (Lily Turf) 薮蘭（ヤブラン）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are flowers of Liriope muscari or more commonly lily turf. Lily turf buds have been everywhere in my neighborhood but the buds didn't catch my eye. The flowers did! Lily turf roots are used to make Chinese herb medicine for cough. I used to take it.
These are flowers of Liriope muscari or more commonly lily turf. Lily turf buds have been everywhere in my neighborhood but the buds didn't catch my eye. The flowers did! Lily turf roots are used to make Chinese herb medicine for cough. I used to take it.
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| Liriope muscari 薮蘭 |
Zephyranthes Candida (Autumn Zephyrlily) 玉簾（タマスダレ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are flowers of Zephyranthes candida or more commonly autumn zephyrlily. Resting on the flower must have been so comfortable for a common straight swift butterfly (2nd photo) that it stayed still while I was taking photos.
These flowers have suddenly appeared as its another name "rain lily" suggests. The typhoon hit Japan yesterday, bringing heavy rain to Tokyo.
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| Zephyranthes candida 玉簾 |
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| A common straight swift on an autumn zephyrlily タマスダレとイチモンジセセリ |
Salvia Guaranitica (Anise-Scented Sage or Hummingbird Sage) ガラニチカ
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
Arghhhhhhhhhh! Om nom nom..... I ran towards these sounds and found them, i.e., a purple flower devouring a common straight swift butterfly (1st photo) and others shouting (3rd)😆!!!
These are flowers of Salvia guaranitica or more commonly the anise-scented sage or hummingbird sage. Their color is so beautiful but the flower looks like some reptiles opening their months. The hummingbird sage is native to South America, so someone must have planted them there and now they've grown too wild out of control (last photo)!!
Arghhhhhhhhhh! Om nom nom..... I ran towards these sounds and found them, i.e., a purple flower devouring a common straight swift butterfly (1st photo) and others shouting (3rd)😆!!!
These are flowers of Salvia guaranitica or more commonly the anise-scented sage or hummingbird sage. Their color is so beautiful but the flower looks like some reptiles opening their months. The hummingbird sage is native to South America, so someone must have planted them there and now they've grown too wild out of control (last photo)!!
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| Anise-scented sage devouring a common straight swift butterfly イチモンジセセリを貪るガラニチカ |
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| Hummingbird sage 叫ぶガラニチカ |
Lycoris Albiflora (White Spider Lily) 白花曼殊沙華（シロバナマンジュシャゲ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are Lycoris albiflora or more commonly white spider lilies. As I wrote two years ago, the white spider lily is not a sibling of the red spider lily, but a cross-breed of the red and yellow spider lilies. It's strange that a child of red and yellow flowers is white!
In Japan, because of their toxicity, spider lilies were planted around graveyards to keep moles and other animals away from buried bodies but were also used to induce abortion.
These are Lycoris albiflora or more commonly white spider lilies. As I wrote two years ago, the white spider lily is not a sibling of the red spider lily, but a cross-breed of the red and yellow spider lilies. It's strange that a child of red and yellow flowers is white!
In Japan, because of their toxicity, spider lilies were planted around graveyards to keep moles and other animals away from buried bodies but were also used to induce abortion.
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| Lycoris albiflora 白花曼殊沙華 |
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| White spider lily シロバナマンジュシャゲ |
Callicarpa Dichotoma (Early Amethyst) 小紫（コムラサキ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
This is a shrub of Callicarpa dichotoma or more commonly purple beautyberry or early amethyst with beautiful bright purple berries.
There are at least two shrubs of purple beautyberry in my neighborhood. Both are beautiful but they're clearly different in size and vitality because one of them has been there for more than twenty years while the other one was planted a few years ago. Sadly, however, the older bigger one (in these photos) will be gone soon because of the redevelopment of the area. New high rise condos will be built and beautiful trees and flowers planted, but such natural and wild beauty nurtured over a long period of time can't be replaced in one day.
This is a shrub of Callicarpa dichotoma or more commonly purple beautyberry or early amethyst with beautiful bright purple berries.
There are at least two shrubs of purple beautyberry in my neighborhood. Both are beautiful but they're clearly different in size and vitality because one of them has been there for more than twenty years while the other one was planted a few years ago. Sadly, however, the older bigger one (in these photos) will be gone soon because of the redevelopment of the area. New high rise condos will be built and beautiful trees and flowers planted, but such natural and wild beauty nurtured over a long period of time can't be replaced in one day.
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| 9/17 Callicarpa dichotoma 小紫 |
Lycoris Radiata (Red Spider Lily) 曼珠沙華（彼岸花）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are Lycoris radiata, known as the red spider lily. Despite their beauty, however, in Japan, red spider lilies are associated with death for an unfair but understandable reason. In Japan, burial used to be general (currently most are cremated). Red spider lilies were planted to keep moles and other animals away from bodies because the plant's bulbs are poisonous. "Perception precedes reality," doesn't it?
These are Lycoris radiata, known as the red spider lily. Despite their beauty, however, in Japan, red spider lilies are associated with death for an unfair but understandable reason. In Japan, burial used to be general (currently most are cremated). Red spider lilies were planted to keep moles and other animals away from bodies because the plant's bulbs are poisonous. "Perception precedes reality," doesn't it?
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| Lycoris radiata 曼珠沙華 |
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| Red spider lily 彼岸花 |
A Horsefly on a Luffa Aegyptiaca (Sponge Gourd) Flower 糸瓜（ヘチマ）の花にアブ
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
So beautiful! I've seen this many times, but this beautiful color contrast still attracts me. This is a horsefly on a flower of Luffa aegyptiaca or more commonly known as the sponge gourd. It produced a few fruits, but they couldn't grow big and died (last photo)....
So beautiful! I've seen this many times, but this beautiful color contrast still attracts me. This is a horsefly on a flower of Luffa aegyptiaca or more commonly known as the sponge gourd. It produced a few fruits, but they couldn't grow big and died (last photo)....
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| A horsefly on a Luffa aegyptiaca flower 糸瓜の花にアブ |
White Cymbalaria Muralis (White Kenilworth Ivy) 白花蔦葉海蘭（シロバナツタバウンラン）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are flowers of Cymbalaria muralis or more commonly ivy-leaved toadflax or Kenilworth ivy. They're usually pale purple, but occasionally white like these.
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| White Cymbalaria muralis 白花蔦葉海蘭 |
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| White kenilworth ivy シロバナツタバウンラン |
Cornus Florida (Flowering Dogwood) 花水木（ハナミズキ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are fruits (drupes) of Cornus florida or dogwood flowers. It's difficult to distinguish between Cornus florida and Cornus kousa flowers but not the fruits of these two. (Go to this post to see Cornus kousa fruits!) Autumn is coming, and this means the season of harvest and golden leaves is, too!!
These are fruits (drupes) of Cornus florida or dogwood flowers. It's difficult to distinguish between Cornus florida and Cornus kousa flowers but not the fruits of these two. (Go to this post to see Cornus kousa fruits!) Autumn is coming, and this means the season of harvest and golden leaves is, too!!
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| Cornus florida 花水木 |
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| Flowering dogwood ハナミズキ |
Lespedeza (Japanese Bush Clover) 萩（ハギ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are flowers of lespedeza or Japanese bush clovers. They've started to bloom again after going through this summer's intense heat. The lespedeza produce flowers from July to September but is a kigo or a season word associated with autumn, used in traditional forms of Japanese poetry, such as haiku, to indicate the season referred to in the poem. The summer is ending.
These are flowers of lespedeza or Japanese bush clovers. They've started to bloom again after going through this summer's intense heat. The lespedeza produce flowers from July to September but is a kigo or a season word associated with autumn, used in traditional forms of Japanese poetry, such as haiku, to indicate the season referred to in the poem. The summer is ending.
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| Lespedeza 萩 |
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| Japanese bush clover ハギ |
Styrax Japonicus (Japanese Snowbell) 野茉莉（エゴノキ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
I'm not a foodie but I always feel like eating chocolate when I see the fruits because they look like chocolate coated nuts😋!
These are fruits of Styrax japonicus or more commonly known as Japanese snowbell. Its pretty tiny white and pink flowers were so pretty in May and the olive like drupes and green chocolate brown fruits are beautiful, too!
I'm not a foodie but I always feel like eating chocolate when I see the fruits because they look like chocolate coated nuts😋!
These are fruits of Styrax japonicus or more commonly known as Japanese snowbell. Its pretty tiny white and pink flowers were so pretty in May and the olive like drupes and green chocolate brown fruits are beautiful, too!
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| Styrax japonicus 野茉莉の実 |
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| Japanese snowbell エゴノキ |
Pueraria Montana Kudzu (Japanese Arrowroot) 葛（クズ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are flowers of Pueraria montana kudzu or more commonly known as kudzu or Japanese arrowroot. The plant would remind most Japanese people of a delicious Japanese sweet, kudzu kiri or jelly-like noodle made from kudzu starch. Naturally, kudzu is very popular in Japan. So, I was surprised that many other countries have designated kudzu as an invasive plant.
These are flowers of Pueraria montana kudzu or more commonly known as kudzu or Japanese arrowroot. The plant would remind most Japanese people of a delicious Japanese sweet, kudzu kiri or jelly-like noodle made from kudzu starch. Naturally, kudzu is very popular in Japan. So, I was surprised that many other countries have designated kudzu as an invasive plant.
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| Pueraria montana kudzu 葛 |
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| Japanese arrowroot クズ |
Luffa Aegyptiaca (Sponge Gourd) 糸瓜（ヘチマ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
I felt like a family member of a prisoner on death row, so when I found them still alive, I was relieved!
These are a baby and young sponge gourds. I was so excited to see them because I found not one or two but three gourds and relieved because I was able to see again the gourd (4th, 5th and 6th photos), which I didn't expect to be alive due to the garden's policy "Pick fruit before growing." But why have these gourds survived under that policy? The likely answer is that the garden owner thinks people in Tokyo don't know sponge gourds are edible, so isn't worried that the gourds will be stolen! (For the details of the garden's policy, read this post!)
I felt like a family member of a prisoner on death row, so when I found them still alive, I was relieved!
These are a baby and young sponge gourds. I was so excited to see them because I found not one or two but three gourds and relieved because I was able to see again the gourd (4th, 5th and 6th photos), which I didn't expect to be alive due to the garden's policy "Pick fruit before growing." But why have these gourds survived under that policy? The likely answer is that the garden owner thinks people in Tokyo don't know sponge gourds are edible, so isn't worried that the gourds will be stolen! (For the details of the garden's policy, read this post!)
Unlike bitter gourds, one of the most popular summer vegetables in Japan, sponge gourds are not eaten that much in mainland Japan and are known rather as a material of toner or scrubbing brushes. If this guess is correct, I may be able to see them growing big😄😊!!! I'm so happy now with a bit of worry that the guess may be wrong.
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| 9/10 A baby fruit of Luffa aegyptiaca 糸瓜の赤ちゃん |
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| 9/12 |
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| 9/10 A baby sponge gourd ヘチマの赤ちゃん |
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| 9/10 With a beautiful sponge gourd flower ヘチマの花とともに |
Clerodendrum Bungei (Rose Glory Bower) 牡丹臭木（ボタンクサギ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
This is an inflorescence of Clerodendrum bungei or commonly known as rose glory bower. I saw the flower cluster in full bloom in late June. After that it stopped producing flowers, then started to bloom again. I love rose glory bower for the bright pink buds and tiny pale pink flowers.
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| Clerodendrum bungei 牡丹臭木 |
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| Rose glory bower ボタンクサギ |
Luffa Aegyptiaca (Sponge Gourd) 糸瓜（ヘチマ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
This is a young sponge gourd. I was so excited to find this that I said wow😲😄! I see sponge gourd flowers almost everyday but didn't expect to see the fruit because I saw the gardener pick every female flower and fruit of bitter gourd growing next to the sponge gourd under the garden's new rule "Pick fruit before growing and being stolen." But this baby (or teenage?) sponge gourd has been able to survive so far hidden under the leaves. I took many photos of this adorable gourd as I knew it would be gone soon as other gourds were😭.
This is a young sponge gourd. I was so excited to find this that I said wow😲😄! I see sponge gourd flowers almost everyday but didn't expect to see the fruit because I saw the gardener pick every female flower and fruit of bitter gourd growing next to the sponge gourd under the garden's new rule "Pick fruit before growing and being stolen." But this baby (or teenage?) sponge gourd has been able to survive so far hidden under the leaves. I took many photos of this adorable gourd as I knew it would be gone soon as other gourds were😭.
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| Luffa aegyptiaca 糸瓜 |
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| A flower and fruit of sponge gourd ヘチマの花と実 |
Artona Martini (Bamboo Moth) 竹細黒羽（タケノホソクロバ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
A tiny black bug on a bright yellow bitter gourd flower on the background of bright green gourd leaves caught my eye. The bug is Artona martini or more commonly known as bamboo moth. The moth is beautiful and its caterpillars, which are also beautiful, have thin poisonous hairs.
A tiny black bug on a bright yellow bitter gourd flower on the background of bright green gourd leaves caught my eye. The bug is Artona martini or more commonly known as bamboo moth. The moth is beautiful and its caterpillars, which are also beautiful, have thin poisonous hairs.
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| Artona martini 竹細黒羽 |
Eysarcoris annamita 紫白星亀虫（ムラサキシラホシカメムシ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
This is Eysarcoris annamita, a type of stink bug, in a fruit of Asiatic dayflower. I was taking photos of the flower at first, then noticed something glossy black (see the last photo) in a fruit under the flower (3rd photo). The bug was asleep but woke up (or woken up by me).
It's adorable (because it's small) and has a pretty good Japanese name "purple stink bug with white stars," but still stinks terribly according to the internet...😂
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| Eysarcoris annamita 紫白星亀虫 |
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| A stink bug ムラサキシラホシカメムシ |
Ipomoea Coccinea (Red Morning Glory) 丸葉縷紅草（マルバルコウソウ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are flowers of Ipomoea coccinea or more commonly red morning glory. They're tiny but stood out on the background of bright green leaves. In Japan, the red morning glory means "You're always adorable" because its flowers are adorable and "I'm busy" as it's busy producing seeds and flowers at the same time while rapidly growing twining vines.
These are flowers of Ipomoea coccinea or more commonly red morning glory. They're tiny but stood out on the background of bright green leaves. In Japan, the red morning glory means "You're always adorable" because its flowers are adorable and "I'm busy" as it's busy producing seeds and flowers at the same time while rapidly growing twining vines.
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| Ipomoea coccinea 丸葉縷紅草 |
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| Red morning glory マルバルコウソウ |
Allium Tuberosum (Garlic Chives) 韮（ニラ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are flowers of Allium tuberosum or more commonly garlic chives. Bugs seem to like them. I found a tiny black leaf beetle and a common straight swift butterfly on them (2nd photo).
These are flowers of Allium tuberosum or more commonly garlic chives. Bugs seem to like them. I found a tiny black leaf beetle and a common straight swift butterfly on them (2nd photo).
This is my first time seeing garlic chives growing on roadsides. I love the chives for their smell, eating them on a daily basis by boiling and seasoning them with soy sauce or putting them into miso or Chinese soup, but didn't have the guts to try roadside chives.
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| Allium tuberosum flowers with a leaf beetle 韮の花とハムシ |
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| Garlic chives flowers with common straight swift ニラの花とイチモンジセセリ |
Ternstroemia Gymnanthera (Japanese Ternstroemia) 木斛（モッコク）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are fruits of Ternstroemia gymnanthera, or more commonly the Japanese ternstroemia or Japanese cleyera tree. It's enjoyable to see the tree through the year, i.e., tiny fist-shaped buds and fragrant white flowers in early summer and the fruits in early autumn, which look like tiny but very delicious red🍎 and green🍏 apples! And that's why the tree is called "the king of garden trees" in Japan😊!
These are fruits of Ternstroemia gymnanthera, or more commonly the Japanese ternstroemia or Japanese cleyera tree. It's enjoyable to see the tree through the year, i.e., tiny fist-shaped buds and fragrant white flowers in early summer and the fruits in early autumn, which look like tiny but very delicious red🍎 and green🍏 apples! And that's why the tree is called "the king of garden trees" in Japan😊!
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| Ternstroemia gymnanthera 木斛 |
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| The fruits of the next tree are still green 隣の木の実はまだ青い |
Dendropanax Trifidus 隠れ蓑（カクレミノ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are flowers and fruits of Dendropanax trifidus. A mass of tiny, green flowers and whitish green fruits are so beautiful and cute!
The tree is unique in that its leaves change from three-lobed to oval shape, which I didn't know until I looked up the tree on the internet.
In Japan, the tree is called "invisibility cloak" because the leaf looks like Tengu's magic cloak, which makes the wearer invisible like Harry Potter's invisibility cloak. Tengu👺 are mischievous supernatural beings appearing in Japanese folklore.
These are flowers and fruits of Dendropanax trifidus. A mass of tiny, green flowers and whitish green fruits are so beautiful and cute!
The tree is unique in that its leaves change from three-lobed to oval shape, which I didn't know until I looked up the tree on the internet.
In Japan, the tree is called "invisibility cloak" because the leaf looks like Tengu's magic cloak, which makes the wearer invisible like Harry Potter's invisibility cloak. Tengu👺 are mischievous supernatural beings appearing in Japanese folklore.
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| Dendropanax trifidus 隠れ蓑（カクレミノ） |
Star Shaped Morning Glory 星形のアサガオ
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
Ignorance makes your life less colorful. I knew that morning glories produce flowers in various colors but not that the blooms can be of various shapes. But look at the flowers in the first three photos. They're star shaped, which I assumed were still closed...
It's still hot in Tokyo, but you can feel the autumn breeze (though slightly) in the early morning. To mark the beginning of the end of the morning glory season this year, I have included various colors of morning glory blooms, too. I hope you enjoy them!😊
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| Star shaped morning glory 星形のアサガオ |
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A Horsefly on Fish Mint (Houttuynia Cordata) ドクダミとアブ
英語の後に日本語が続きます。 I know fish mint (Houttuynia cordata) is invasive and smelly but the plant's color contrast always attracts me and its po...
