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Triodanis Perfoliata (Clasping Venus' Looking-Glass)　桔梗草（キキョウソウ）

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

They're Triodanis perfoliata or more commonly known as clasping Venus' looking-glass. I noticed they were in bloom but thought they were annual blue-eyed grass, so I ignored them (because I wrote about annual blue-eyed grass last month). But the leaf shape is different and the receptacle isn't striped like annual blue-eyed grass. Today I googled them and correctly identified them😉.

Triodanis perfoliata　桔梗草

Clasping venus' looking-glass　キキョウソウ
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Hydrangea Changing from Pale Green to White then to Pale Blue　薄緑から白そして薄青になる紫陽花

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

Various types of hydrangeas are now in bloom in Japan and this is one of my favorite hydrangeas because of their color change from pale green to white then to pale blue. But as you see, the flower is not blue and there's a reason for that. Someone cut off the hydrangea I've been observing for the last two weeks before it turns blue!!

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Nuttallanthus Canadensis (Blue Toadflax)　松葉雲蘭（マツバウンラン）

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

These are Nuttallanthus canadensis or more commonly known as blue toadflax. I saw them more than a month ago in a different place, but because it was windy at that time, I couldn't take good photos of the plant. I was lucky to be able to see them again. 

Nuttallanthus canadensis　松葉雲蘭

Blue toadflax　マツバウンラン

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Hydrangea Serratta Var. Yesoensis F. Cuspidata Cv.　四季咲き姫紫陽花（シキザキヒメアジサイ）

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

Sorry for so many photos but as their color (blue, purple and pink [3rd photo]) and shape is so pretty, I couldn't stop photographing them😁! These are Hydrangea serratta var. yesoensis f. cuspidata cv., a type of mountain hydrangeas. Their Japanese name means "hydrangea blooming all year round" and as it suggests, they blossom for a longer period, i.e., the six months from June to December.  

Below are the shots of hydrangeas I've seen so far this year. Hope you enjoy them, too😉!

Purple and pink lacecap hydrangeas
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Purple and Pink Lacecap Hydrangeas　ピンクと紫のガクジアジサイ

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

These are lacecap hydrangeas. I don't usually take close-up shots but as these small pink and purple (2nd photo) flowers (real flowers, not what look like flower petals surrounding these small flowers, which are actually sepals!) are so pretty, I couldn't help but take these photos.  

Below are the shots of hydrangeas I've seen so far this year. Hope you enjoy them, too😉!

Pink lacecap　ピンクのガクアジサイ

Purple lacecap　紫のガクジアジサイ

From above

From above
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Solanum Carolinense (Carolina Horsenettle)　悪茄子（ワルナスビ）

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

They're Solanum carolinense or more commonly known as Carolina horsenettle. They're pretty but as other common names, such as "radical weed," "apple of Sodom," and "devil's tomato," suggest, the plant is poisonous and invasive. Its Japanese name means "evil eggplant" and speaking of eggplants, now I'm into eggplant salad, i.e., chopped, grilled eggplant🍆 on tofu😋!!

Carolina horsenettle　悪茄子

Solanum carolinense　ワルナスビ

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悪茄子（ワルナスビ）です。とってもきれいな花ですが繁殖力が凄くしかも有毒です。茄子といえば最近のマイブームは焼きナスサラダ（豆腐の上に焼きナス🍆）です😋。

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Pink Mophead Hydrangea　ピンクの紫陽花

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

I've noticed something. I've not posted about any mophead hydrangeas so far this year!! Lacecap (i.e., tea of heaven) and oakleaf hydrangeas are beautiful but typical, mophead hydrangeas like those in these photos are pretty, too. What makes me smile is that they're plump from both the above and side😆!

Below are the shots of hydrangeas I've seen so far this year. Hope you enjoy them, too😉!

Plump from the above　上から見てもこんもり

Plump from the side, too!　横から見てもこんもり
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Colorful Tea of Heaven (Hydrangea Serrata)　色とりどりの額紫陽花（ガクアジサイ）

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

There're various types of hydrangeas and these are one of my favorite blooms because of their various colors in one bloom ranging pale green to pale pink then to deep pink and purple!

I often wonder which makes flowers look prettier, from the front or side. For these hydrangeas, I would go for the front (meaning above😊)!

Below are the shots of hydrangeas I've seen so far this year. Hope you enjoy them, too😉! 
Kurenai lacecap hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata var. 'Kurenai')




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Hydrangea Serrata Var. 'Kurenai'　紅山紫陽花（クレナイヤマアジサイ）

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

These're Hydrangea serrata var. 'Kurenai' or more commonly known as mountain hydrangeas 'Kurenai.' "Kurenai" means red in Japanese. Below are the shots of hydrangeas I've seen so far this year. Hope you enjoy them, too😉! Pink lacecap hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla f. normalis)
Tea of heaven 'Mikata-yae' (blue Hydrangea serrata)
Nettle-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea hirta)

Hydrangea serrata var. 'Kurenai'　紅山紫陽花

Kukrenai hydrangea　クレナイヤマアジサイ
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Feijoa (Pineapple Guava)　フェイジョア

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

These are flowers of Feijoa sellowiana, also known as pineapple guava. I thought at first they were flowers of a type of bottlebrush, but they have stamens with golden tips, much more gorgeous than bottlebrush flowers.

Feijoa　フェイジョア

Pineapple guava　フェイジョア
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Hydrangea Quercifolia (Oakleaf Hydrangea)　柏葉紫陽花（カシワバアジサイ）

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

These're Hydrangea quercifolia, commonly known as oakleaf hydrangea. I love their green and white contrast and flower shape! There were a couple of oakleaf hydrangea trees near my house, but are not any more. I was so happy to see them again this year😉.  

Hydrangea quercifolia　柏葉紫陽花

Oakleaf hydrangea　カシワバアジサイ
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Pink Lacecap Hydrangea (Hydrangea Macrophylla F. Normalis )　ピンクの額紫陽花（ガクアジサイ）

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

I often wonder which makes flowers look prettier, from the front or side. For this lacecap hydrangea, I would definitely go for the side😊! I've posted about blue lacecap hydrangeas several days ago. If you're interested in them, read this post!!

Pink Lacecap hydrangea　ピンクの額紫陽花

Pink Hydrangea macrophylla f. normalis )　ピンクのガクアジサイ
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Briza Minor (Lesser Quaking-Grass)　姫小判草（ヒメコバンソウ）

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

These're spikelets of Briza minor or more commonly known as lesser quaking-grass. They're so small that you wouldn't normally notice them. 

Last month, I wrote about the spikelets of Briza maxima (big quaking grass). Unlike them, which are shaped like old Japanese gold coins🪙 and after which the Japanese name (old Japanese gold coin plant) was given, the spikelets of lesser quaking grass are triangle shaped.

Briza minor　姫小判草
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White Butterfly　白い蝶

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

I didn't imagine butterflies sleeping when I was a kid but they do. You may know it and I knew it, but now I know this from my first hand experience. This butterfly I saw this morning didn't move an inch while I was photographing it😁! I believe it's a gossamer-winged butterfly, but I'm not sure. 

Gossamer-winged butterfly　シジミチョウ

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Pink Cousa Dogwood (Cornus Kousa)　紅花山法師（ベニバナヤマボウシ）

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 flowers. I wrote about pale green and white Cornus kousa before and completely forgot about the only pink Cornus dogwood tree in my neighborhood😝! 

In Japanese, Cornus kousa was named "Evergreen Buddhist monk" after Enryakuji temple monks. If you're interested in why, read this post😊! 

Pink cousa dogwood　紅花山法師

Pink Cornus kousa　ベニバナヤマボウシ
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Blue Hydrangea Serrata (Tea of Heaven "Mikata-Yae")　美方八重（ミカタヤエ）

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

These are Hydrangea serrata (Thunb. ex Murr.) Ser. "Mikata-yae" or Mikata-yae hydrangeas. They're said to be one of the most beautiful blue hydrangeas. The hydrangea season has just started in Japan!!

Blue hydrangea serrata　美方八重

Tea of heaven "Mikata-yae"　ミカタヤエ
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Callistemon (Bottlebrush)　ブラシの木

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

These are flowers of Callistemon, often referred to as bottlebrushes. You can see why😉! I've seen the flowers several times, but never seen such beautifully shaped ones. Also, although it may be difficult to see, the one in the 3rd photo is pink, called Callistemon pink champagne.

Callistemon　ブラシの木

Bottlebrush　ブラシの木

Pink bottlebrush　ブラシの木 ピンクシャンパン
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Ilex Pedunculosa (Longstalk Holly)　戦（ソヨゴ）

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

This is Ilex pedunculosa or more commonly longstalk holly. The flower is less than 1 cm in diameter and you can see how tiny it is by looking at the 1st photo of an ant on the flower! I learned about this plant for the first time in May 2021 when Japan declared a state of emergency for Tokyo and other prefectures. Two years have passed since then and now I've returned to pre-Covid life but two things, i.e., an early morning walk and working from home, which luckily has made me healthier.   

An ant on a flower of longstalk holly　ソヨゴとアリ

Ilex pedunculosa　戦
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Kalmia Latifolia (Mountain Laurel)　亜米利加石楠花（アメリカシャクナゲ、カルミア）

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

These are pink and white (2nd) Kalmia latifolia, commonly called mountain laurel. The flowers look like parasols and the buds (3rd and 4th photos) like konpeito, i.e., tiny star-shaped Japanese sugar candies, which are Pokémon Nebby's favorite food😜! 

Konpeito was imported from Portugal to Japan in the 16th century together with the name "confeito" in Portuguese, meaning sugar candy. If you haven't seen the candy, click here (Wikipedia). See? The buds of mountain laurel look exactly like konpeito, don't they?

Kalmia latifolia　カルミア

Mountain laurel　アメリカシャクナゲ
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Oxalis Debilis (Pink Sorrel)　紫酢漿草（ムラサキカタバミ）

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

I went to the Tokyo National Museum last week and found two types of wood sorrel there. One is white oxalis (wood sorrel) and the other is this pink sorrel. I'm now wondering how many colors oxalis has...😉

Oxalis debilis　紫酢漿草
 
Pink sorrel　ムラサキカタバミ
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White Oxalis (Wood Sorrel)　白花酢漿草（シロバナカタバミ）

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

These are white wood sorrel (Oxalis) in the garden of the Kujokan tea house in the Tokyo National Museum. I've been to the museum many times, but have spent more and more time walking in the garden and photographing plants than inside the museum seeing the paintings and artifacts😆! I saw annual blue-eyed grass, too. You can enjoy not only art but also plants at the Tokyo National Museum! 

White oxalis in front of the Kujokan tea house　九条館前の白花酢漿草

White wood sorrel　シロバナカタバミ
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Mulberries (Morus)　桑の実

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

These are fruits of Morus or more commonly known as mulberries at Tennoji temple in Ueno Tokyo. Because I went there to see two-toned hydrangeas and these fruits were under hydrangea leaves, I was confused for a second, wondering if the hydrangea produces such berry-like fruits🤔. At home, I googled them and found they were mulberries!

Mulberries　桑の実

Morus　桑の実
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