Ornamental Kale/Cabbage ハボタン（葉牡丹）

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

This is an ornamental kale/cabbage. The ornamental kale is used for New Year decoration in Japan and because it's called "habotan," which means leaf peony in Japanese, I thought the kale was a type of peony in my childhood. Now I'm aware that this is a cabbage, but still intrigued by the gradient colors. 

Ornamental kale/cabbage　ハボタン（葉牡丹）

Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis) コチョウラン（胡蝶蘭）

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

I've realized that I love things protruding from the center of flowers and that's why the stamens and pistils of Christmas cactus and the callus of moth orchids caught my eye. Their shape is beautiful always intriguing me.   

The callus of a moth orchid　胡蝶蘭の突起

Japanese Laurel (Aucuba Japonica) 青木（アオキ）

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

These are fruits of Japanese laurel (Aucuba japonica). I was looking for its tiny star-shaped flowers at first, but I was mistaken. Japanese laurel flowers from April to May. Instead, however, I found these lovely fruits! 

Japanese laurel (Aucuba japonica)　アオキ（青木）

Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera) シャコバサボテン

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

This is Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera). I didn't like cacti or cyclamens that much for no reason, but when a friend of mine showed me them, my perception of the cactus changed because of such beautifully protruding stamens and pistils!  

Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)　シャコバサボテン

Cyclamens シクラメン

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

I don't know why but I didn't like cyclamens that much. But they're so red and beautiful that I couldn't help but photograph them. Cyclamens are not good for hospital patients in Japan because the flower is called "sikuramen" in Japanese and "si" means death and "ku" suffer.  

Tiny White Flowers 小さくて白い花

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

I googled what they were, but couldn't find out. All the flowers are gone in my neighborhood but sasanqua camellias and these tiny white flowers. 

Pink-Edged White Sasanqua Camellia 紅ぼかしの山茶花

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

These are pink-edged white sasanqua camellias grown by a friend of mine. I saw pink and white ones but pink-edged white ones for the first time this year. Pink wood sorrels I wrote about yesterday were under these sasanquas. 

Pink-edged white sasanqua camellia　紅ぼかしの山茶

Red-Flower Wood Sorrel (Oxalis Bowiei) ハナカタバミ（花酢漿草）

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

These are red-flower wood sorrels (Oxalis bowiei), growing in the pot for sasanqua camellias. A friend of mine loves growing plants and showed her sasanqua camellias but my attention was drawn to these tiny pink flowers.

Red-flower wood sorrel (Oxalis bowiei)　ハナカタバミ（花酢漿草）

Solanum Nigrum (Black Nightshade) 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。

Black nightshade flowers usually from August to September and now it's late December. This black nightshade has been hanging in there as the greater periwinkle I saw a few days ago. I love the black nightshade's white, yellow and green contrast.

Solanum nigrum (black nightshade)　犬酸漿（イヌホオズキ）

Greater Periwinkle (Vinca Major) ツルニチニチソウ（蔓日々草）

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

I found only two flowers and that's understandable. Greater periwinkle (Vinca major) flowers usually from spring to early summer. Though being warm on some days, it's winter in Tokyo. Flowers in such a beautiful color, like these, always make me smile.       

Greater periwinkle (Vinca major)　ツルニチニチソウ（蔓日々草）

Pink Wood Sorrel (Oxalis Debilis) ムラサキカタバミ（紫酢漿草）

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

I went somewhere and found these pink wood sorrels. Wood sorrels are supposed to flower from spring to summer, but as it was too hot this year, they may be confused about when to bloom.

Pink wood sorrel (Oxalis debilis)　ムラサキカタバミ（紫酢漿草）

Autumn Leaves and Blue Sky 紅葉と青空

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

I went somewhere and found them. It was a very sunny day. These autumn leaves were so red against the background of the blue sky.   

Still Hanging In There! まだ頑張ってます！

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

People in Japan call them "October cherry" or "winter cherry" because they flower from autumn to winter. The blossoms are not as gorgeous as spring cherry blossoms, but because October cherry blossoms have no competitors, they stand out and are so pretty! 

Cerasus subhirtella (October cherry)　十月桜（冬桜）

Autumn Leaves - Enkianthus Perulatus (White Enkianthus) 満天星躑躅（ドウダンツツジ）の紅葉

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

The red and yellow contrast caught my eye. They're leaves of Enkianthus perulatus (white enkianthus) and ginkgo. I take a morning walk everyday and one thing I hate about it these days is that the day is getting shorter, but that's why these bright and energetic colors attracted my attention. 

Enkianthus perulatus (white enkianthus)　満天星躑躅（ドウダンツツジ）

Red and Yellow-Fruited Sacred Bamboo (Nandina Domestica) 赤南天・白南天

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They'are sacred bamboo (Nandina domestica) and yellow-fruited sacred bamboo (Nandina domestica var. leucocarpa). The trees are planted side by side. Sacred bamboos are often used for New Year decoration in Japan. Christmas and New Year holidays are coming.

Sacred bamboo (Nandina domestica)　赤南天

Yellow-fruited sacred bamboo　白南天

Autumn Leaves - Crepe Myrtle 百日紅（サルスベリ）の紅葉

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

I didn't go to any places known for beautiful autumn leaves this autumn, but instead, I've been more sensitive to the beauty of autumn leaves around me. These are crepe myrtle leaves in my neighborhood. They flowered more abundantly this summer, still pleasing to the eye with such beautifully colored leaves! 

Crepe myrtle　百日紅（サルスベリ）

Autumn Leaves - Oshima Cherry (Prunus Speciosa) 紅葉 - オオシマザクラ（大島桜）

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They'are autumn leaves of Oshima cherry trees. The cherry trees are planted across Japan, showing very pretty pink and white blossoms in spring, but few may be aware of the beauty of their autumn leaves.

Autumn Leaves - Chinese Tallow 南京櫨（ナンキンハゼ）の紅葉

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You can enjoy autumn leaves anywhere in Japan, but one of my favorites is Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera). Look at these green, yellow, orange, red and purple leaves! 

Creeping Daisy (Leucanthemum Paludosum) カンシロギク（寒白菊）

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There are a variety of chrysanthemums and they flower through the year and creeping daisies (Leucanthemum paludosum) in these photos are one of them. The daisies must have flowered there every year, but maybe because they're too familiar, I noticed their presence yesterday for the first time. 

Creeping daisy　カンシロギク

Leucanthemum paludosum　寒白菊

A Reflection of The Tokyo Tower 東京タワー

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This is a reflection of The Tokyo Tower on a nearby building. The tower itself is beautiful at night (unlike the tower during the day), but I found its reflection more beautiful. Which do you like better? 

The Tokyo Tower　東京タワー

Small Chrysanthemums 小さい菊

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I thought they were gold and silver chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum pacificum) at first, but the leaf shape looks different, so I just call them small chrysanthemums. The yellow of the leopard plants I saw yesterday is so bright while the yellow of these chrysanthemums is deeper and a bit orangish. 

Small chrysanthemums　小さい菊

Leopard Plant (Farfugium Japonicum) ツワブキ（石蕗）

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Almost all flowers are gone but leopard plants (Farfugium japonicum) in my neighborhood. The yellow is so bright especially against the background of the deep green leaves. 

Leopard plant (farfugium japonicum)　ツワブキ（石蕗）

Autumn Leaves - Hibiscus Hamabo (Hardy Yellow Hibiscus) 浜朴（ハマボウ）の紅葉

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Hardy yellow hibiscuses are so lemon yellow in July and the leaves are so orange and red in December!

Something has happened and that devastated me (and still does). But beautiful colors in nature like the leaves in this photo always give me strength. I'm an atheist but currently, the beauty in nature is a kind of God for me.    

Autumn leaves - hardy yellow hibiscus　浜朴（ハマボウ）の紅葉

Hydrangeas in Winter 冬の紫陽花

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

Hydrangeas in June are pretty. Hydrangeas in November season-defy and look at these blooms in December! They're not season-defying but still beautiful in a unique way, aren't they?

Hydrangeas in winter　冬の紫陽花　

Solanum Nigrum (Black Nightshade) 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。

Autumn leaves have shown beautiful red and yellow colors. Then, I found these tiny black nightshade flowers. The black nightshade usually flowers from summer to autumn and now it's December. I was lucky, wasn't I? 

Black nightshade　犬酸漿

Solanum nigrum　イヌホオズキ