Clematis Terniflora (Sweet Autumn Clematis) 仙人草（センニンソウ）

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

These are flowers of Clematis terniflora or sweet autumn clematis. The plant usually flowers from July to September and I saw its achenes surrounded by feather like white long tails in another place early this month. So, why are these flowers still in full bloom? This should be another proof of global warming.

Clematis terniflora 仙人草

Sweet autumn clematis センニンソウ

Triadica Sebifera (Chinese Tallow) 南京櫨（ナンキンハゼ）

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

What beautiful shades of red, yellow, and green! These are leaves of Triadica sebifera or commonly called Chinese tallow and the white fruits among them. Chinese tallow leaves are beautiful green in early summer, changing like this in autumn.   

Triadica sebifera 南京櫨

And Then There Were None - London Plane そして何もいなくなった - 紅葉葉鈴懸の木

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

It was full of leaves and fruits (and stink bugs😁) in early October (2nd photo), but now it's like this... This is Platanus × acerifolia or more commonly known as a London plane tree, i.e., a hybrid of oriental plane and American sycamore. I've been seeing the tree for the last two months, but the observation is almost over. 

A fruit of Platanus × acerifolia 紅葉葉鈴懸の果実

Osmanthus Fragrans (Sweet Osmanthus) 銀木犀（ギンモクセイ）

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

These are flowers of Osmanthus fragrans, more commonly known as sweet osmanthus. They often produce orange flowers, but white ones are also tiny, fragrant (though less than the orange ones), and hardy!! The tree must have been cut down (see the 2nd photo), but has survived and produced these flowers. 

In Japan, sweet osmanthus with white flowers is called "silver" sweet osmanthus while those with orange flowers "golden" sweet osmanthus.   

Osmanthus fragrans 銀木犀

Solanum Nigrum (Black Nightshade) After the Rain 雨上がりの犬酸漿（イヌホオズキ）

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

These are flowers and fruits of Solanum nigrum or black nightshade. All of them were facing downward because of the rain yesterday!

Flowers and fruits of Solanum nigrum facing downward 犬酸漿の花と実

Cymbalaria Muralis (Kenilworth Ivy) 蔦葉海蘭（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 usually flower from May to September, but according to one Japanese website, the plant flowers twice a year. It first flowers from April to June, then the part above the ground dies during summer, but it starts to sprout again from October to November, producing such beautiful flowers!   

I saw white ivy-leaved toadflax in September. It might be too hot for the toadflax to produce purple flowers. 

Cymbalaria muralis 蔦葉海蘭

Kenilworth ivy ツタバウンラン

Camellia Sasanqua (Sasanqua Camellia) 山茶花（サザンカ）

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

These are Camellia sasanqua or more commonly sasanqua camellia in my neighborhood. A week ago, I wrote about white and pink marble sasanqua. The camellia season has come.

Sasanqua camellia flowers resemble those of Japanese camellia, but their blooming season and fruits are completely different. Sasanqua camellia starts to flower earlier, i.e., from October, and the fruits are hairy while Japanese camellia starting to flower from December and the fruits being bigger with no hair. Read this post to see the different fruits! 

Camellia sasanqua 山茶花

We Love to Bask in the Sun! 日向ぼっこ大好き！

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

Not only humans but also bugs love to bask in the sun, like this ladybug and the dragonfly (2nd photo)! I usually take a walk in the early morning before dawn, but went out at around 9 a.m. today to have a flu shot. I hate shots but was lucky to see them!  

It didn't move an inch 微動だにせず

Unusual to see dragonflies in November in Japan! 11月のトンボは珍しいです

Cerasus Subhirtella (October Cherry) is Still in Bloom 十月桜はまだ咲いている

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

These are October or winter cherry blossoms (and the morning Moon in the 1st photo). They're in bloom modestly. I've been observing the blossoms for the last three years, so I can say that they're actually now in FULL bloom. There are many types of cherry trees and their ways of blooming varies. If you're interested in other cherry blossoms, which are more gorgeous, read the following posts! 

• Yoshino cherry (prunus x yedoensis)
• Taiwan cherry, Formosan cherry or bellflower cherry (prunus campanulata)
• Oshima cherry (prunus speciosa) - white Oshima; pink Oshima
• Ichiyo cherry (prunus lannesiana 'Hisakura') - Oshima cherry's kid
• Yoko cherry (prunus campanulata 'Yoko')
• Nanking cherry (prunus tomentosa)
• Weeping Yoshino cherry (prunus lannesiana Wilson 'Sendai Shidare')
• Fugenzo cherry (cerasus sato-zakura group ‘albo-rosea’ Makino)
• Yellow Cherry (cerasus sato-zakura group 'Gioiko' Koidz)
• Prunus Lannesiana 'Sekiyama' (Kanzan Cherry)
• Cerasus Jamasakura (Mountain Cherry)

Cerasus subhirtella and the morning Moon　十月桜と朝の月

Dendropanax Trifidus 隠れ蓑（カクレミノ）

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These are fruits of Dendropanax trifidus. Small, whitish green, reddish purple and dark purple fruits are so pretty. But there is another reason I like the tree. The shape of its leaves changes from triple lobed to ovate as they grow (3rd photo)! 

Dendropanax trifidus　隠れ蓑

Euscaphis Japonica (Korean Sweetheart Tree) 権萃（ゴンズイ）

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These are fruits of Euscaphis japonica, commonly called Korean sweetheart tree, at the Institute for Nature Study, i.e., a park or forest in the heart of Central Tokyo. The contrast between the bright red fruits and the black seeds against the green leaves and the blue sky was so beautiful. 

The Korean sweetheart tree is said to have been named after "gonzui" in Japanese after another "gonzui," Plotosus japonicus or Japanese eeltail catfish. 

Euscaphis japonica 権萃

Korean sweetheart tree ゴンズイ

Camellia Sasanqua (Sasanqua Camellia) 山茶花（サザンカ）

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

These are Camellia sasanqua or more commonly sasanqua camellia at the South Garden of the Diet Front Park in the Chiyoda ward, Tokyo. Sasanqua camellia's petals are soft, so turn brown quickly, but these are still pure white with pink edges, creating a beautiful contrast with yellow stamens.

Camellia sasanqua 山茶花 

Sasanqua camellia サザンカ

Autumn Maple Leaves - Color, Color, Color! 紅葉 - 色、色、色！

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

Japan has many famous places for beautiful autumn leaves and you can enjoy them even in Tokyo like those in these photos taken in my neighborhood! A tip for enjoying fall leaves is to see them from below!! 

Autumn leaves from below 紅葉を下から

Teeny Weeny Green and Purple Bugs on Yellow Spray Mums 黄色のスプレー菊とちっちゃい虫たち

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Almost all flowers in my neighborhood are gone but these yellow spray chrysanthemums (or spray mums) and teeny weeny green and purple bugs!  

A green bug a spray mum スプレー菊とちっちゃい虫

Spray chrysanthemums (spray mums) スプレーマム（スプレー菊）

Clematis Terniflora (Sweet Autumn Clematis) 仙人草（センニンソウ）

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

These are achenes of Clematis terniflora or sweet autumn clematis surrounded by feather like white long tails at the Institute for Nature Study, i.e., a park or forest in the heart of Central Tokyo. I saw the flowers in October, but didn't realize that these achenes were the fruits of the same plant at first. 

Its Japanese name is "sennin so (meaning hermit plant)," given after such hermit's beard-like long white tails.

Clematis terniflora 仙人草

Sweet autumn clematis センニンソウ

Pseudozizeeria Maha (Pale Grass Blue) is Blue! 大和小灰蝶（ヤマトシジミ）は青かった！

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

This is Pseudozizeeria maha or a pale grass blue butterfly. I took pictures of, and wrote about, the butterfly in late October but at that time I didn't know how beautiful the butterfly is because its wings were closed and the outside of the wings was gray. Look at this! It's (or more specifically, the inside of the wings is) so beautiful! Now I see why they're called pale grass "blue" (though it's more like blue gray!) and regret having left my camera at home....

Pseudozizeeria maha 大和小灰蝶

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

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Following the post about henbit deadnettle yesterday, this post is also about a plant in bloom confused by the recent spring-like weather, Trigonotis peduncularis or cucumber herb. The flowers are so tiny, 0.2 - 0.3 cm in diameter. I was happy to see them, but a bit worried if they would survive this winter...  

Trigonotis peduncularis 胡瓜草

Cucumber herb キュウリグサ

Lamium Amplexicaule (Henbit Deadnettle) 仏の座（ホトケノザ）

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

These are Lamium amplexicaule, commonly known as henbit deadnettle. They should flower in spring, but things change and so does the flower season. Somei Yoshino cherry trees sprouted blossoms last week across Japan because of the recent spring-like weather. No one can blame this henbit deadnettle for being confused😆.

 

Lamium amplexicaule 仏の座

Henbit deadnettle ホトケノザ

Kadsura Japonica (Kadsura Vine) 実葛（サネカズラ）

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These are fruits of Kadsura japonica, commonly known as the kadsura vine at the Institute for Nature Study, i.e., a park or forest in the heart of Central Tokyo. 

They're edible but tasteless and used to make wine and hair oil in Japan. (I've never tried either of them.)

As a used-to-be very familiar plant for Japanese people, Kadsura vine has been one of the most popular subjects in Japanese literature, dating back to Kojiki or the earliest account of Japanese mythology and early history compiled in the 8th century.

Kadsura japonica 実葛

Ripe and unripe fruits 熟した実と青い実

Callicarpa Japonica (Japanese Beautyberry) 紫式部（ムラサキシキブ）

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These are drupes of Callicarpa japonica or more commonly known as Japanese beautyberry at the Institute for Nature Study, i.e., a park or forest in the heart of Central Tokyo. These drupes resemble those of Callicarpa dichotoma or early amethyst very much, but their tree height differs. The tree of Callicarpa japonica can grow as tall as 3 meters while the Callicarpa dichotoma is just 0.3 to 1 meter tall. 

There are many red fruits and berries but such bright purple berries are rare.  

Callicarpa japonica 紫式部

Japanese beautyberry ムラサキシキブ

Trichosanthes Cucumeroides (Japanese Snake Gourd) 烏瓜（カラスウリ）

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These are fruits of Trichosanthes cucumeroides or Japanese snake gourd at the Institute for Nature Study, i.e., a park or forest in the heart of Central Tokyo. I saw flowers of another gourd Trichosanthes kirilowii or Chinese cucumber in my neighborhood in June this year but that cucumber was entirely got rid of several weeks later, so these Japanese snake gourds half satisfied my curiosity about what Chinese cucumbers look like. 

Fruits of the Chinese cucumber and the Japanese snake gourd look like each other except that those of the former are red or orange (like those in these pictures) while those of the latter being yellow.  

I wanted to take a closer look at them, but they were too high up on the tree...

Trichosanthes cucumeroides 烏瓜

Solanum Nigrum (Black Nightshade) 犬酸漿（イヌホオズキ）

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These are flowers of Solanum nigrum or black nightshade. The flower is so tiny, i.e., less than 1 cm in diameter, and pretty from not only the front but the side😊! 

The black nightshade is called in Japanese "stupid eggplant" because it's useless, i.e., poisonous, so inedible. They may be useless tangibly, but are worthwhile for me by making me smile.    

Solanum nigrum 犬酸漿

Black nightshade イヌホオズキ

Stewartia Peudocamellia (Japanese Stewartia) 夏椿（ナツツバキ）

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These are fruits of Stewartia pseudocamellia, also known as Japanese stewartia. The tree is called "summer camellia" because it produces flowers which look like camellia in summer. You can see the resemblance in its English scientific name "Stewartia pseudocamellia," too.

Stewartia peudocamellia 夏椿