Briza Maxima (Big Quaking Grass) 小判草（コバンソウ）

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

They're spikelets of Briza maxima or big quaking grass. When seeing them for the first time I thought they were some bugs but since I knew they were not, I've looked for these cute spikelets every spring. The plant is called "Old Japanese gold coin plant🪙" in Japanese and as the name suggests, old gold coins in Japan were oval, shaped like the spikelets in the first photo.

Briza maxima　小判草

Big quaking grass　コバンソウ

Persimmon 柿（カキ）

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

Can you tell what this is? If not, take a look at the second photo of a flower and calyxes! Yes, this is a persimmon flower. Until I saw the flower yesterday I hadn't imagined the persimmon produced flowers (although I've eaten the fruit countless times)!!

I learned from the internet that the persimmon produces male, female and hermaphrodite flowers and it seems that these flowers in these photos are hermaphroditic, meaning having male and female reproductive organs within the same flower. The persimmon's world is so diverse!   

A persimmon flower　柿の花

A persimmon flower and calyxes　柿の花とへた

A Large and Old Rose Tree 大きくて古い薔薇の木

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

This is a large rose tree with many red rose blooms, but this post is not about these roses but where the tree is. The tree is in the garden of an apartment complex to be demolished soon due to the redevelopment of the area. These days, money can buy anything but not something that needs time to grow, like this rose tree as tall as a 3-story building, can't it? 

The garden is 50 years old and has firethorn (gigantic!), cherry, plum, orange, chocolate vine, and others, some of which are so large because of not only their age but the tender care devoted by the owners, who've already moved into a new complex nearby. I don't want to forget these plants, so I'm writing this post to keep records of them. 

   

About 50 years old rose tree?　推定樹齢50歳？

Duchesnea Chrysantha (False Strawberry) 蛇苺（ヘビイチゴ）

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

These are Duchesnea chrysantha, commonly called false strawberries. I walk around this area almost every day but didn't notice them until today because unlike other strawberries, the false strawberry is a ground cover, so the berries are unnoticeable until turning red😅. According to a website of someone who's tried them, false strawberries are edible but tasteless and that's why in Japan they're called snake strawberries, i.e., strawberries🍓 for snakes🐍.   

Duchesnea chrysantha　蛇苺

False strawberry　ヘビイチゴ

Pale Green Kousa Dogwood (Cornus Kousa) 薄緑の山法師（ヤマボウシ）

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

These are Cornus kousa or more commonly kousa dogwood. I wrote about white Cornus kousa last week but these flowers are smaller and the color is not white but pale green, which is so beautiful!! 

Since I learned that Cornus kousa was named after Enryakuji temple monks in Japanese (i.e., "evergreen Buddhist monk"; read this post to know why), I've been looking for a flower that looks like such a monk. Take a look at the 3rd photo! Do the flowers look like Enryakuji temple monks to you😊? 

Kousa dogwood　薄緑の山法師

Cornus kousa　薄緑のヤマボウシ

Nomura Maple (Acer Palmatum 'Shojo Nomura') Leaves Turn Red in Spring 野村紅葉（ノムラモミジ）

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

This is a nomura maple tree (Acer palmatum 'Shojo nomura'). I've heard about the tree famous for its leaves turning red in spring but didn't expect to find one in my neighborhood! It may be difficult to see the seeds, which look like Doraemon bamboo copters, but they're also bright red (3rd and 4th photos)! If you're interested in another type of acer whose leaves also turn red in spring (i.e., weeping maple), read this post, too!

Nomura maple turn red in spring　野村紅葉の春の紅葉

Acer palmatum 'Shojo Nomura'　ノムラモミジ

Lamium Album (White Dead-Nettle) 踊子草（オドリコソウ）

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

These are Lamium album, commonly called white dead-nettle at the Imperial Palace East Garden. The translucent whitish pink, hairy petals are so pretty! I've walked around the Imperial Palace many times and my office is very close to it but I've never entered the garden. I'd assumed that the garden had only old stone walls and gravel roads but I was wrong! It has many old trees (including a gigantic flowering dogwood tree) and various flowers! In addition, the admission is free! How could I miss it?

By the way, there are white dead-nettle. If you're interested in red deadnettle, read this post😉!

Lamium album　踊子草

White dead-nettle　オドリコソウ

Gigantic Cornus Florida 巨大な花水木

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

"Gigantic!!" That's what I said when I first saw it. This is a flowering dogwood tree (Cornus florida) growing by the Chidorigafuchi moat (i.e., the mort of the Imperial Palace). I see cream white and red flowering dogwood trees every day these days, but the tree is different!! The moat was built in the early 17th century, so the tree may be older than 400 years old??😉

Cornus florida by the Chidorigafuchi moat　千鳥ヶ淵の花水木

A gigantic flowering dogwood　巨大な花水木です

White Kousa Dogwood (Cornus Kousa) 山法師（ヤマボウシ）

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

These are flowers of Cornus kousa or more commonly known as kousa dogwood. There're dozens of white and red flowering dogwood trees (Cornus florida) but as far as I know, only a few kousa dogwood trees in my neighborhood. I don't know why. 

Kousa dogwood is called "evergreen Buddhist monk" in Japanese by comparing the head (or capitulum) of the flower to the head of a monk of the Hieizan (Mt. Hiei) Enryakuji temple and the four bracts surrounding the capitulum to his hood.

 Kousa dogwood　山法師

Viburnum Plicatum (Snowball) 大手毬（オオデマリ）

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

These are flowers of Viburnum plicatum var. plicatum. They're profoundly beautiful, which always reminds me of yugen, the symbolic aspect and spiritual core of the Noh (Source: Britannica). While thinking of such beauty, however, something brought me back to reality, i.e., two bugs (see the 2nd photo). They were sleeping together peacefully😊.   

Viburnum plicatum　大手毬

A couple of bugs on a snowball　オオデマリと虫のカップル

Snowballs and scattered cherry blossom petals 散った桜とともに

Iris Japonica (Butterfly Flower) 射干（シャガ）

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

This is Iris japonica, commonly known as fringed iris, shaga and butterfly flower. Its color and shape is beautiful, especially with a green inchworm🐛 on it!

Iris japonica (butterfly flower)　射干（シャガ）

Cotoneaster コトネアスター

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

I first thought they were Spiraea thunbergii but the leaf shape is different. I googled it and found they're Cotoneaster. But not only that, I also found two inchworms (2nd and 3rd photos) on the flowers. Spring is for not only plants but bugs, too!!

Cotoneaster　コトネアスター

An inchworm on cotoneaster　コトネアスターと尺取虫

Weigela Floribunda 藪空木（ヤブウツギ）

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

These are Weigela floribunda in two places. I said two places because the flower color was different. I love not only these bright and pale pink flowers but the bright green leaves with red edges!   

Weigela floribunda　藪空木

Weigela floribunda　ヤブウツギ

Magnolia Figo (Banana Shrub) 唐種招霊（カラタネオガタマ）

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

I've seen several types of Magnolia, like yulan magnolia, mulan magnolia, and southern magnolia, so I knew that this was some kind of Magnolia, but couldn't tell what magnolia until searching for its name on the internet. This is Magnolia figo or more commonly known as banana shrub. Many websites say that the flower smells like banana. I need to go there again tomorrow to see if that is true!   

Magnolia figo　唐種招霊

Banana shrub　カラタネオガタマ

Three-Cornered Garlic (Allium Triquetrum) 三角葱（ミツカドネギ）

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

These are three-cornered garlic flowers (Allium triquetrum). I saw these pretty flowers a week ago on one of @gabriellalaure's Instagram posts and then found them in my neighborhood today a week later. As @gabriellalaure says, the plant is edible and eaten in Japan although I've never tried one.  

Three-cornered garlic　三角葱

Allium triquetrum　ミツカドネギ

Japanese Maple Seeds and Flowers, and Droplets 楓の種と花と水滴

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

Last month I saw tiny bright red maple flowers and today the seeds (2nd and 3rd photos), which look like Doraemon bamboo copters😆, and water droplets on the flowers. I usually don't like to walk on a day after rain as roads are slippery but not today. It's amazing to capture such beautiful moments!! 

Water droplets on maple flowers　楓の花と水滴

Japanese maple seeds　楓の種

Creeping Woodsorrel (Oxalis Corniculata) 酢漿草（カタバミ）

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

I saw this creeping woodsorrel (Oxalis corniculata) a few days ago. The bright yellow flower is just 1 cm in diameter, so tiny that it may have been unnoticed. But I was able to find it because I looked down when walking. The cherry blossom season is over, so I no longer have to look up as I walk.

On a separate note, you may have heard of a very old song titled "Sukiyaki." The song was sung by A Taste of Honey in the U.S., topping the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in the 1960s, but it was originally a Japanese song and the title isn't "Sukiyaki" but "I Look Up as I Walk," unlike me, who often looks down while walking! On another note, I much prefer "Boogie Oogie Oogie" to "Sukiyaki"😆   

Creeping woodsorrel　酢漿草

Red Flowering Dogwood (Cornus Florida) 赤い花水木（ハナミズキ）

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

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is so lovely because of the cute shape although unlike the cream white flowers, these red flowers don't look like mandu dumplings😋!

I've seen red and white cream flowering dogwood, so the remaining is green one! 

Cornus florida　ハナミズキ

Flying dogwood　花水木

Weeping Maple Flowers and Red "Spring" Leaves 紅枝垂れ紅葉（ベニシダレモミジ）の花

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

This is a weeping red maple tree (Acer palmatum var. matsumurae cv. ornatum). Can you see its tiny but conspicuous flowers and deep red "spring" leaves? Yes! The weeping red maple leaves turn red in spring!! I enjoyed everything about the tree but thousands of tiny flying bugs around the tree following me!

Weeping maple flowers　ベニシダレモミジの花

Weeping maple leaves turn red in spring　紅枝垂れモミジは春に紅葉

Cherry Blossoms Change from Yellow to Pink (Cerasus Sato-Zakura Group 'Gioiko' Koidz) 黄とピンクの御衣黄（ギョイコウ）

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

I wrote about the yellow cherry Gioko last week and at that time, the blossoms were still yellow, but now they've started to change to pink!! I love this cherry for not only the unique color of its blossoms but their change from yellow to pink!!

The Gioko cherry is not much known even among Japanese people, who love cherry blossoms so much that one of their spring events is dining and wining under the trees🍷.  

Below are cherry blossoms I've seen this spring. If you're interested in 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
• Somei cherry (Prunus x yedoensis)
• Double Pink Flowered Cherry Blossoms
• Yellow cherry Gioiko (Cerasus sato-zakura group 'Gioiko' koidz)
• Sato zakura cherry 

Gioko changing from yellow to pink　御衣黄が黄からピンクへ

Deutzia Gracilis (Slender Deutzia) 姫空木（ヒメウツギ）

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

These are flowers of Deutzia gracilis or the slender deutzia. The plant is named "hime utsugi (meaning princess empty tree)" in Japanese after its smaller size than other deutzia and straw like (empty) stems.  

 

Slender deutzia　姫空木

 

Deutzia gracilis　ヒメウツギ

Sato Cherry Blossoms Die Hard 里桜はしぶとい

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

These are Sato cherry blossoms (Cerasus sato-zakura group), surprisingly still in full blossom after a windy and rainy day!!

Below are cherry blossoms I've seen this spring. If you're interested in 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
• Somei cherry (Prunus x yedoensis)
• Double Pink Flowered Cherry Blossoms
• Yellow cherry Gioiko (Cerasus sato-zakura group 'Gioiko' koidz)

Sato cherry blossoms　里桜

Cerasus sato-zakura group　サトザクラ

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里桜です。昨日あれだけの雨風だったのにほぼ満開。なかなかしぶといです。今年見た桜を下にまとめました。ご興味あればお読みください♬

• 寒緋桜（カンヒザクラ）
• 紅葉李（ベニバスモモ）
• 河津桜（カワヅザクラ）
• 大島桜（オオシマザクラ）
• 枝垂桜（シダレザクラ）
• 染井吉野（ソメイヨシノ）
• 八重桜
• 御衣黄（ギョイコウ）- 黄色の桜

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Pieris Japonica (Japanese Andromeda) 馬酔木（アセビ）

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

I saw bright red buds of Japanese andromeda (Pieris japonica) for the first time in the beginning of February and its rose pink flowers in the end of that month and at that time I thought I'd seen every beauty of the plant, i.e., buds and flowers, but I was wrong!  These'are seeds of Japanese andromeda. They resemble crape myrtle seeds, don't they?  

Seeds of Pieris japonica　馬酔木の実

Japanese andromeda　アセビ

  

Japanese andromeda flowers and seeds　馬酔木の花と種

  

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馬酔木の赤い蕾を初めて見たのは2月頭、そしてその後ピンクの花を見て馬酔木の全てを見たと思っていました。でもそれは間違い！種もこんなに可愛かったんですね。サルスベリの種に似てると思いませんか？

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Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis) and a Bug! 勿忘草（ワスレナグサ）とちっちゃい虫

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

An Instagram friend of mine, @rieo_pomegranate23, commented that forget-me-not buds are pink but its flowers are purple, so I went there again to see if that's true and I found that was true and also a tiny bug resting on one of its leaves! This is my first photo of a bug this year!!

Forget-me-not and a bug!　勿忘草とちっちゃい虫

Myosotis and a bug!　ワスレナグサとちっちゃい虫