Maples are known for their beautiful autumn leaves, but don't you think these tiny flowers are as beautiful as the leaves?😊
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| Maple Flowers 楓の花 |
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| Maple Flowers 楓の花 |
Maple Flowers 楓の花
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
Maples are known for their beautiful autumn leaves, but don't you think these tiny flowers are as beautiful as the leaves?😊
Maples are known for their beautiful autumn leaves, but don't you think these tiny flowers are as beautiful as the leaves?😊
Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis) 勿忘草（ワスレナグサ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These're forget-me-nots (Myosotis). They're tiny but their color contrast between the blue purple petals and the yellow centers against the green leaves after the rain was so beautiful.
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| Forget-me-not 勿忘草 |
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| Myosotis ワスレナグサ |
Somei Cherry Blossoms (Prunus x Yedoensis) 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。
They're Somei cherry blossoms (Prunus x yedoensis or Cerasus x yedoensis). Most Somei cherry trees in my neighborhood produce flowers too high to reach, but luckily I've found a tree by which there're stairs and I was able to take some close-up photos.
They're Somei cherry blossoms (Prunus x yedoensis or Cerasus x yedoensis). Most Somei cherry trees in my neighborhood produce flowers too high to reach, but luckily I've found a tree by which there're stairs and I was able to take some close-up photos.
Somei cherry blossoms are slightly pink but almost white, different from other cherry tree blossoms like those below. If you want to compare them, read these posts, too!!
- Taiwan cherry (Prunus campanulata)
- Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
- Kawazu cherry (Cerasus lannesiana)
- Pink & white Oshima cherry (Prunus speciosa)
- Weeping cherry blossoms
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| Somei cherry blossoms 染井吉野 |
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| Prunus x yedoensis ソメイヨシノ |
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 flowers of Japanese laurel (Aucuba japonica). I saw the buds early this month and who can imagine the usual buds to grow into such tiny star-shaped flowers!!
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| Japanese laurel 青木 |
Myrica Rubra (Chinese Bayberry) 山桃（ヤマモモ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These're flowers of Myrica rubra or more commonly known as Chinese bayberry. I'd seen the fruits but never seen its flowers. They're so fluffy and cute!
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| Myrica rubra 山桃 |
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| Chinese bayberry ヤマモモ |
Variegated Camellia 斑入り椿
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica). We often see red, white or pink camellia, but not variegated ones. Many camellia trees grow in my neighborhood and most of them are now in full bloom beautifully, but they're not much appreciated as cherry blossoms. I felt a little sorry for the camellia.
These are Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica). We often see red, white or pink camellia, but not variegated ones. Many camellia trees grow in my neighborhood and most of them are now in full bloom beautifully, but they're not much appreciated as cherry blossoms. I felt a little sorry for the camellia.
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| Variegated Camellia 斑入り椿 |
Weeping Cherry Blossoms 枝垂桜（シダレザクラ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
There're several weeping cherry trees in my neighborhood, but all of them don't necessarily blossom gorgeously like this tree.
There're several weeping cherry trees in my neighborhood, but all of them don't necessarily blossom gorgeously like this tree.
Below are the cherry blossoms I've seen this year. If you're interested, read these posts!
- Taiwan cherry (Prunus campanulata)
- Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
- Kawazu cherry (Cerasus lannesiana)
- Pink & white Oshima Cherry (Prunus speciosa)
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| Weeping Cherry Blossoms 枝垂桜（シダレザクラ） |
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| Weeping Cherry Blossoms 枝垂桜（シダレザクラ） |
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| Weeping Cherry Blossoms 枝垂桜（シダレザクラ） |
Akebia Quinata (Chocolate Vine) 木通（アケビ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are flowers of Akebia quinata or commonly known as chocolate vine. The shades ranging from pale green to burgundy purple are so chic, aren't they? Chocolate vine is monoecious, meaning it has male and female flowers on the same plant. What look like flowers in these photos are however not flowers but sepals and the objects protruding from the center of the what-look-like-flowers are the female flowers and the smaller pink and purple striped, onion-shaped objects beside the female flowers are their male counterparts. The fruits are edible, though I've never tried.
These are flowers of Akebia quinata or commonly known as chocolate vine. The shades ranging from pale green to burgundy purple are so chic, aren't they? Chocolate vine is monoecious, meaning it has male and female flowers on the same plant. What look like flowers in these photos are however not flowers but sepals and the objects protruding from the center of the what-look-like-flowers are the female flowers and the smaller pink and purple striped, onion-shaped objects beside the female flowers are their male counterparts. The fruits are edible, though I've never tried.
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| Male (smaller striped) and female (protruding from the center of what-look-like-flowers) flowers of Akebia quinata 木通の雄花と雌花 |
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| Before the sepals open 萼片が開く前 |
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| Chocolate vine アケビ |
Pink & White Oshima Cherry (Prunus Speciosa) 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 blossoms (Prunus speciosa). The color is beautiful and a change of the color from white to pink is more beautiful. Most Oshima cherry trees produce white blossoms but they produce pink flowers before dying. I especially love the pinkish white blossoms in the last two photos.
Below are the cherry blossoms I've seen this year. If you're interested, read these posts!
- Taiwan cherry (Prunus campanulata)
- Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
- Kawazu cherry (Cerasus lannesiana)
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| Pink Oshima cherry ピンクの大島桜 |
Kawazu-Zakura Cherry Blossoms (Cerasus Lannesiana)? 河津桜?
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
The trees (which I believe are Kawazu-zakura) in my neighborhood are now in full bloom!! Yesterday it rained throughout the day, but today it's so sunny, which makes these beautiful pink blossoms look even more beautiful!!
The trees (which I believe are Kawazu-zakura) in my neighborhood are now in full bloom!! Yesterday it rained throughout the day, but today it's so sunny, which makes these beautiful pink blossoms look even more beautiful!!
I said "I believe they're Kawazu cherry trees" because it's a little late for them to blossom (most Kawazu cherry trees in Japan have finished their blossom season) and none of these trees have name tags. But it doesn't matter. Sunny weather and beautiful cherry blossoms against the blue sky makes me happy!!
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| Kawazu cherry blossoms? 河津桜? |
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| Cerasus lannesiana カワヅザクラ |
Red Camellia 真っ赤な落椿
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
People across Japan are excited about the start of the cherry blossom season, but they are missing something as beautiful as cherry blossoms. Camellia trees are now in full bloom, so the flower heads in my neighborhood are scattered on the ground as shown in the second photo!!
People across Japan are excited about the start of the cherry blossom season, but they are missing something as beautiful as cherry blossoms. Camellia trees are now in full bloom, so the flower heads in my neighborhood are scattered on the ground as shown in the second photo!!
Japanese camellia look like sasanqua and experts provide several ways to distinguish these two camellia flowers, i.e., the size of trees and the timing of flowering, but the most interesting difference is how they fall or die. When Japanese camellia flowers die, the flower heads fall off in their entirety and this way of dying was associated with beheaded human heads in the Edo (samurai) period. Naturally, despite their beauty, camellia flowers were unpopular among samurai. Unlike Japanese camellia, sasanqua flowers die with petals falling off one by one.
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| Red camellia is in full bloom 椿が満開 |
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| Camellia flower heads reminded samurai of beheaded human heads これが首を連想させたそうです |
Yoko Cherry Blossoms (Cerasus ‘Yoko’) 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。
They're Yoko cherry blossoms (Cerasus ‘Yoko’). The pink blossoms stood out from a distance and have increased the number of types of cherry trees I've seen this spring so far to three.
They're Yoko cherry blossoms (Cerasus ‘Yoko’). The pink blossoms stood out from a distance and have increased the number of types of cherry trees I've seen this spring so far to three.
For the last several years, I've created a list of cherry blossoms I see in the spring and the lists last year and in the year before didn't include cherry laurel blossoms because the tree is not counted as cherry in Japan. (Click here to find out why.) But how can "cherry" laurel not be a cherry tree?! So I've included cherry laurel in the list this year as below. The list should include more!!🌸
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| Yoko cherry blossoms 陽光桜 |
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| Cerasus ‘Yoko’ ヨウコウザクラ |
Cherry Laurel (Prunus Laurocerasus) 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。
They're cherry laurel blossoms (Prunus laurocerasus). They are cherry blossoms, but not counted as such in Japan. The western countries consider all the plants in the Prunus genus as cherry while Asian countries including Japan consider only those in the Cerasus subgenus (i.e., a subgenus of Prunus) cherry.
They're cherry laurel blossoms (Prunus laurocerasus). They are cherry blossoms, but not counted as such in Japan. The western countries consider all the plants in the Prunus genus as cherry while Asian countries including Japan consider only those in the Cerasus subgenus (i.e., a subgenus of Prunus) cherry.
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| Cherry laurel 紅葉李 |
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| Prunus laurocerasus ベニバスモモ |
Forsythia 連翹（レンギョウ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
Forsythia has started to flower. Many plants produce yellow flowers but forsythia's yellow is brighter than that of wintersweet or winter hazel.
Forsythia has started to flower. Many plants produce yellow flowers but forsythia's yellow is brighter than that of wintersweet or winter hazel.
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| Forsythia 連翹 |
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| Forsythia レンギョウ |
Eurya Japonica (East Asian Eurya) 姫榊（ヒサカキ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are buds of Eurya japonica, known as East Asian eurya. I've not found new plants in my neighborhood these days because I've taken an early morning walk every day for over three years since Covid-19 started and learned the location of almost every plant. So, it was nice to find East Asian eurya and look it up on the internet!
East Asian eurya is in the Pentaphylacaceae family as Japanese Ternstroemia is, my another favorite plant.
These are buds of Eurya japonica, known as East Asian eurya. I've not found new plants in my neighborhood these days because I've taken an early morning walk every day for over three years since Covid-19 started and learned the location of almost every plant. So, it was nice to find East Asian eurya and look it up on the internet!
East Asian eurya is in the Pentaphylacaceae family as Japanese Ternstroemia is, my another favorite plant.
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| Eurya japonica 姫榊 |
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| East Asian eurya ヒサカキ |
White & Pink Thunberg's Meadowsweet 雪柳＆桃色雪柳
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
They're Spiraea thunbergii or more commonly Thunberg spiraea or Thunberg's meadowsweet. The plant is called in Japan "snow willow" after its snow white flowers and flexible stems like willow. But you know what? There is another cultivar producing pinkish white flowers (i.e., Spiraea thunbergii 'Fujino Pinky')!
They're Spiraea thunbergii or more commonly Thunberg spiraea or Thunberg's meadowsweet. The plant is called in Japan "snow willow" after its snow white flowers and flexible stems like willow. But you know what? There is another cultivar producing pinkish white flowers (i.e., Spiraea thunbergii 'Fujino Pinky')!
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| Spiraea thunbergii 雪柳 |
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| Spiraea thunbergii 'Fujino Pinky' 桃色雪柳 |
Winter Hazel (Corylopsis Pauciflora) 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。
These are Corylopsis pauciflora or more commonly the buttercup witch hazel or winter hazel. Small lemon yellow flowers are pretty.
In Japan, there are at least two types of winter hazel. One is this and the other is Corylopsis spicata. Both winter hazel are lemon yellow, one of spring colors.
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| Winter hazel 日向水木 |
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| Corylopsis pauciflora ヒュウガミズキ |
White Magnolia (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。
They're buds and flowers of Magnolia denudata or more commonly lilytree or Yulan magnolia in Ueno, Tokyo.
Magnolia flowers are beautiful but I like the shape of the buds and their way of "cracking" to develop into flowers more! That's like hard boiled eggs cracked to be successfully peeled🥚!
They're buds and flowers of Magnolia denudata or more commonly lilytree or Yulan magnolia in Ueno, Tokyo.
Magnolia flowers are beautiful but I like the shape of the buds and their way of "cracking" to develop into flowers more! That's like hard boiled eggs cracked to be successfully peeled🥚!
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| White magnolia 白木蓮 |
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| Yulan magnolia ハクモクレン |
Japanese Cornel (Cornus Officinalis) 山茱萸（サンシュユ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are flowers of the Japanese cornel (Cornus officinalis). Many trees grow (i.e., are planted) in my neighborhood, but when it comes to Japanese cornel, I've been able to find only this tree so far.
These are flowers of the Japanese cornel (Cornus officinalis). Many trees grow (i.e., are planted) in my neighborhood, but when it comes to Japanese cornel, I've been able to find only this tree so far.
In Japan, the tree is called "golden flower in spring" after these tiny yellow flowers!
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| Japanese Cornel 山茱萸 |
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| Cornus officinalis サンシュユ |
Dwarf Lilyturf (Ophiopogon Japonicus) 蛇の髭（ジャノヒゲ）
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are fruits of dwarf lilyturf (Ophiopogon japonicus). Round red fruits, such as coral ardisia, are seen in many places, but blue fruits are not that common, aren't they?
These are fruits of dwarf lilyturf (Ophiopogon japonicus). Round red fruits, such as coral ardisia, are seen in many places, but blue fruits are not that common, aren't they?
In Japan, dwarf lilyturf is called "snake's beard" or "dragon's beard" after its thin beard-like leaves.
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| Dwarf lilyturf 蛇の髭 |
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| Ophiopogon japonicus ジャノヒゲ |
Weeping Plum Tree しだれ梅
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
I wrote about white plum blossoms about a month ago and their beauty is somehow different from white blossoms on this weeping plum tree in Ueno, Tokyo.
I wrote about white plum blossoms about a month ago and their beauty is somehow different from white blossoms on this weeping plum tree in Ueno, Tokyo.
I usually take a walk in Ueno in the morning or in the early afternoon, but taking a late afternoon walk like that day while seeing the moon rising in the sky made me feel really good.
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| Weeping Plum Tree しだれ梅 |
Kawazu-Zakura Blossoms (Cerasus Lannesiana) 河津桜
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
It was a great surprise to see these Kawazu-zakura blossoms (Cerasus lannesiana), one of the earliest blooming cherry trees, in Ueno, Tokyo! I was taking a late afternoon walk expecting to see plum blossoms but not cherry blossoms. Although the season for the Kawazu cherry blossoms is almost over, the pale pink blossoms with green leaves were so pretty.
It was a great surprise to see these Kawazu-zakura blossoms (Cerasus lannesiana), one of the earliest blooming cherry trees, in Ueno, Tokyo! I was taking a late afternoon walk expecting to see plum blossoms but not cherry blossoms. Although the season for the Kawazu cherry blossoms is almost over, the pale pink blossoms with green leaves were so pretty.
Below are the cherry blossoms I've seen this year. Though the list has only one type of cherry blossoms, it should include more!!🌸
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| Kawazu-zakura blossoms 河津桜 |
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| Cerasus lannesiana) 河津桜 |
Taiwan Cherry Blossoms (Prunus Campanulata) 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。
These are Taiwan cherry blossoms (Prunus campanulata) in Ueno, Tokyo and the first cherry blossoms I've seen this year. Taiwan cherry blossoms bloom a little earlier and their pink is brighter than many other cherry trees. The cherry blossom season🌸 in Japan has just begun!
These are Taiwan cherry blossoms (Prunus campanulata) in Ueno, Tokyo and the first cherry blossoms I've seen this year. Taiwan cherry blossoms bloom a little earlier and their pink is brighter than many other cherry trees. The cherry blossom season🌸 in Japan has just begun!
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| Taiwan cherry blossoms 寒緋桜 |
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| Prunus campanulata カンヒザクラ |
Japanese Andromeda Buds are Opening! 馬酔木が咲き始めました！
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
The buds of Japanese andromeda (Pieris japonica) I saw in late February have started to open! I couldn't imagine how the tiny buds would develop into flowers because the Japanese andromeda flowers are much bigger (i.e., nearly 1 cm long) than the buds (i.e., 0.5 cm long), but now I know how!!
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| Japanese andromeda 馬酔木 |
Red Japanese Camellia (Camellia Japonica) 赤い椿
Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These are Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica). Several camellia trees grow in my neighborhood but this one produces much bigger flowers than the others and I know why. This tree is in the garden of an apartment complex and the owner must have grown it very carefully.
These are Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica). Several camellia trees grow in my neighborhood but this one produces much bigger flowers than the others and I know why. This tree is in the garden of an apartment complex and the owner must have grown it very carefully.
They're so beautiful, but sadly the complex will be demolished soon for urban redevelopment.
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| Japanese camellia 椿 |