Plants and Flowers in Tokyo by Kei Narujima&#12288;&#12288;東京の草花 - なるじまけい

Hydrangea changing from pale green to white then to pale blue
Hydrangea blooming all year round (Hydrangea serrata var. yesoensis f. cuspidata cv.)

Kurenai lacecap hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata var. 'Kurenai')

Pink lacecap hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla f. normalis)

Tea of heaven 'Mikata-yae' (blue Hydrangea serrata)

Red mophead hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' (Annabelle hydrangea)

Late June　6月下旬

Mid-June　6月中旬

Hermaphroditic and Male Flowers of Ternstroemia Gymnanthera　木斛（モッコク）の雄花と両性花

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

Japanese ternstroemia (Ternstroemia gymnanthera) has started to flower. The plant is one of my favorite trees because its flowers and fruits are both so pretty. Japanese ternstroemia bears male or hermaphroditic flowers and I have only seen the male flowers so far.

But I've found them!! Hermaphroditic flowers. Compare the hermaphroditic (1st) and male (2nd) flowers! Can you see the difference? Because both flowers are so small (i.e., 1 cm in diameter) that you can't tell from a distance, but they're clearly different. It's a good day today!

A hermaphroditic flower of Japanese ternstroemia　木斛の両性花

Male flowers　雄花

Platycodon Grandiflorus (Balloon Flower)　桔梗（キキョウ）

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

This is a balloon flower (Platycodon grandifloru). The purple is so beautiful! The name "balloon flower" is after the balloon-shaped flower buds (2nd photo).

I wrote about clasping Venus' looking-glass (Triodanis perfoliata ) last month and its Japanese name is "small platycodon" because of their similar flower shapes and colors (but not the size).

Platycodon grandiflorus　桔梗

A balloon shaped bud of a balloon flower　風船みたいなツボミ

Bougainvillea　ブーゲンビリア（筏葛）

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

This is Bougainvillea. As Cornus kousa and Cornus florida, the bright deep pink parts that look like petals are bracts and the tiny, pale yellow part is the flower. The Bougainvillea in this place didn't produce many flowers last year. I'm happy for the tree😊.

Bougainvillea　ブーゲンビリア

Bougainvillea　筏葛

Virginia Pepperweed (Lepidium Virginicum) 　豆軍配薺（マメグンバイナズナ）

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

These're Lepidium virginicum, also known as least pepperwort or Virginia pepperweed. At first, I thought they were shepherd's purses (Capsella bursa-pastoris), but the leaf color is pink (so cute!), different from shepherd's purse.

The Japanese name of Virginia pepperweed means small "gunbai," a type of Japanese war fan. Gunbai were once held by samurai leaders and priests but now used by (only) umpires in sumo wrestling. I enlarged one of the photos and yes! The leaf is shaped like a gunbai (3rd photo)!

Virginia pepperweed 　豆軍配薺

Lepidium Virginicum　マメグンバイナズナ

Magnolia Grandiflora (Southern Magnolia)　泰山木（タイサンボク）

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

This is Magnolia grandiflora, commonly known as the southern magnolia, at Tennoji temple in Yanaka, Tokyo. I wrote about Magnolia grandiflora 'Exmouth' a week ago, but I can't tell the difference between this magnolia (i.e., with no 'Exmouth') and Magnolia grandiflora 'Exmouth.'

Tennoji temple is between Ueno and Yanaka, a good route for a walk. You can enjoy art (i.e., several national museums), books (i.e., International Library of Children's Literature), temples (i.e., Kaneiji temple and the above mentioned Tennoji temple), and last but not least Yanaka Ginza or a commercial district where you can enjoy beer🍺, sake🍶, and traditional Japanese foods at tachinomiya, i.e., standing bars.

Magnolia grandiflora (southern magnolia)　泰山木

Double Flowered Cape Jasmine (Gardenia Jasminoides)　八重梔子（ヤエクチナシ）

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

This is Gardenia jasminoides, commonly known as cape jasmine. I've seen the flowers several times, but the flowers I saw before were not pure white. Some had brown spots while others had many small bugs on the petals. I was lucky this year and was able to photograph such beautiful and fragrant flowers😊.

Double flowered cape jasmine　八重梔子

Double flowered Gardenia jasminoides　ヤエクチナシ

Bird's-Foot Trefoil (Lotus Corniculatus)　都草（ミヤコグサ）

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

"Don't worry, I'm not crying," said the flower😁. These are bird's-foot trefoils (Lotus corniculatus). Yellow flowers are everywhere from late winter to early summer, but I'd never seen bird's-foot trefoils.

By the way, "Don't worry, I'm not crying" is a parody of a Japanese comic Tonikaku's catchphrase "Don't worry, I'm wearing" for his performance on Britain's Got Talent. Because of his appearance in the show, Tonikaku is now popular again in Japan.

Bird's-foot trefoil　都草

Lotus corniculatus　ミヤコグサ

Lespedeza (Bush Clovers)　萩（ハギ）

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

Everyone makes mistakes and so do plants, so I thought. These are flowers of lespedeza or Japanese bush clovers. "Bush clovers" is a kigo for autumn. A kigo is a season word or phrase associated with a particular season used in traditional forms of Japanese poetry. So it's natural that I thought the bush clover mistakenly flowered in June!! But I was wrong. Lespedeza flowers from early summer to autumn, so this bush clover wasn't mistaken but I was😅!

Lespedeza (Bush Clovers)　萩（ハギ）

Magnolia Grandiflora 'Exmouth' (Southern Magnolia)　細葉泰山木（ホソバタイサンボク）

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

This is Magnolia grandiflora 'Exmouth' or more commonly known as southern magnolia. As magnolias usually bear flowers high up on a tree, I was very happy to see a flower lower than my height and be able to photograph this elegantly blooming white magnolia that closely!!

Southern magnolia is one of the last blooming magnolias. I saw other magnolias, such as Magnolia figo (banana shrub) and Magnolia denudata (yulan magnolia), this March and April.

Magnolia grandiflora 'Exmouth'　細葉泰山木

Southern magnolia　ホソバタイサンボク

Coprinopsis Lagopus (Hare’s Foot Inkcap)?　粗柄一夜茸（ザラエノヒトヨタケ）？

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

These are Coprinopsis lagopus or more commonly known as hare’s foot inkcap mushrooms (or I think so😉). At first, I didn't notice them as when finding them, I was looking for colorful flowers, but something caught my eye and I turned around and found these translucent mushrooms. Mushrooms usually attract me for their shape but hare’s foot inkcap mushrooms intrigue me with their color, i.e., translucency.

Coprinopsis lagopus?　粗柄一夜茸？

Hare’s foot inkcap mushroom?　ザラエノヒトヨタケ？

Chinese Bayberry (Myrica Rubra)　山桃（ヤマモモ）

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

These're fruits of Myrica rubra or Chinese bayberries. I've been observing them for the last month and finally, they've become ripe!! I'm very interested in the berries because they can be used to make tasty liquor and jam. Unfortunately, however, the hospital which owns the Chinese bayberry, has placed "no picking" signs around the trees. I was able to only photograph these berries😂.

Mid-June　6月中旬

Spiranthes Sinensis (Chinese Spiranthes)　捩花（ネジバナ）

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

These are Spiranthes sinensis or more commonly known as Chinese spiranthes. I don't know why but I think I see the plant more often this year than before. The plant's Japanese name is "crooked flower," which always reminds me of Agatha Christie's "Crooked House."

Spiranthes sinensis　捩花

Chinese spiranthes　ネジバナ

Green Inchworm on Pink Coneflower　エキナセアと尺取虫

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

This is a pink coneflower (Echinacea). I usually don't photograph gorgeous flowers like this, but something green on it caught my eye. Can you see it? If not, take a look at the 2nd and 3rd photos! Yes! There's a green inchworm on it! I observed it for a while but I couldn't tell if it was still asleep or eating breakfast.

Pink coneflower　エキナセア

Multi "Sepalled" Lacecap Hydrangea　八重額紫陽花（ヤエガクアジサイ）

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

This is a lacecap hydrangea, but it's different from usual ones. The sepals (which look like petals but are actually sepals!) are multi-sepalled! And that's why the hydrangea is called in Japanese "multi-sepalled lacecap hydrangea." The pale purple is pretty, too!

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

Hydrangea changing from pale green to white then to pale blue
Hydrangea blooming all year round (Hydrangea serrata var. yesoensis f. cuspidata cv.)

Kurenai lacecap hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata var. 'Kurenai')

Pink lacecap hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla f. normalis)

Tea of heaven 'Mikata-yae' (blue Hydrangea serrata)

Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' (Annabelle hydrangea)

Multi petalled lacecap hydrangea　八重額紫陽花（ヤエガクアジサイ）

Red Mophead Hydrangea　赤い紫陽花

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

This is a mophead hydrangea. Its bright deep pink sepals with a pale blue center (can you see?) are so beautiful. Below are the shots of hydrangeas I've seen so far this year. Hope you enjoy them, too😉!

Hydrangea changing from pale green to white then to pale blue
Hydrangea blooming all year round (Hydrangea serrata var. yesoensis f. cuspidata cv.)

Kurenai lacecap hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata var. 'Kurenai')

Pink lacecap hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla f. normalis)

Tea of heaven 'Mikata-yae' (blue Hydrangea serrata)

Read this post to see it for yourself...

Red mophead　赤い紫陽花

Swallowtail Butterfly　アゲハ蝶

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

I saw this swallowtail butterfly while on an early morning walk. I often caught butterflies when I was a kid, but at that time I was more interested in catching them than appreciating their beauty. This butterfly must have been asleep (as it didn't move while I was photographing it), so I was able to see the butterfly closely, finding the wings not only white and black but also blue and orange.

Swallow butterfly　アゲハ蝶

Veronica Persica (Persian Speedwell)　大犬の殖栗（オオイヌノフグリ）

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

They're Veronica persica or more commonly known as Persian speedwell. As I've written many times, the plant was named "large dog balls" in Japanese after the resemblance of its fruits to the balls by Tomitaro Makino, a pioneer Japanese botanist. At first I thought it unfair but when I actually saw the fruit, I had to admit that he was right😂.

Veronica persica　大犬の殖栗

Persian speedwell　オオイヌノフグリ

Hydrangea Arborescens 'Annabelle' (Annabelle Hydrangea)　紫陽花アナベル

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

These are Annabelle hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'). Their plumpness and color change from fresh green (3rd photo) to white always makes me happy!

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

Hydrangea changing from pale green to white then to pale blue
Hydrangea blooming all year round (Hydrangea serrata var. yesoensis f. cuspidata cv.)

Kurenai lacecap hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata var. 'Kurenai')

Pink lacecap hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla f. normalis)

Tea of heaven 'Mikata-yae' (blue Hydrangea serrata)