Plants and Flowers in Tokyo & Japanese Culture by Kei Narujima　東京の草花＆つぶやき

Blue Dawn Flower　ノアサガオ（野朝顔）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are blue dawn flowers or blue morning glories (Ipomoea indica). They're morning glories but different from usual ones (e.g., Ipomoea nil), flowering in not only summer but autumn. The photos below are taken from June to November.

Blue morning glories are larger, about 10 cm in diameter. They're hardy or in other words invasive and for that, they're designated as an invasive plant in Japan and other countries.

2025/6/19

Pomegranate (Punica Granatum)　ザクロ（柘榴）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are photos of pomegranate flowers and fruits. The flowers always cheer me up with their bright orange while making me chuckle with their unique shape after petals fall off, which looks like an octopus sausage, i.e., a sausage cut to look like an octopus, often seen in children’s Bento lunches in Japan. BTW, octopuses have no legs but only arms.

If you've never seen a sculpture of a pomegranate fruit made of agate and ruby, read this post! You should be surprised by how real it looks!

2025/6/8

2025/5/29

2025/6/24

Annabelle Hydrangea (Hydrangea Arborescens 'Annabelle')　アナベル

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These are photos of Annabelle hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle') from May to August. Annabelle hydrangeas are late bloomers, changing color from lime green to white. Below are the shots of various hydrangeas. Hope you enjoy them!

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Ayesha' (Popcorn hydrangea)

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

Purple and pink lacecap hydrangeas

Pink mophead hydrangea

Colorful tea of heaven (Hydrangea serrata)

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

Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)

Pink lacecap hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla f. normalis)

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

Nettle-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea hirta)

2025/5/3

2025/5/16

2025/5/18

2025/5/23

Trumpet Vine (Campsis Radicans)　アメリカノウゼンカズラ

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These are flowers of trumpet vine (Campsis radicans). They're native to eastern North America, so they're called "amerika nozen kazura" in Japanese, which translates to "American trumpet vine." They resemble Chinese trumpet vine very much but have longer and thinner flower tubes than the Chinese counterparts.

The phrase contained in the Japanese name "nouzen kazura" means "vine blooming towards the sky." The bright orange flowers were literally blooming towards the sky!!

2025/6/20

2024/7/24

Chinese Trumpet Vine (Campsis Grandiflora)　ノウゼンカズラ（凌霄花）

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These are Chinese trumpet vines (Campsis grandiflora). They're native to China, coming to Japan in as early as the Heian period (794 to 1185) and used as kigo for summer. (A kigo is a word or phrase associated with a particular season in haiku or Japanese poetry.)

Flowers of Chinese trumpet vine (Campsis grandiflora) resemble those of American trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) very much. Both are orange and shaped like trumpets, but are still distinctly different in the length of the flower tube. Chinese ones have shorter and thicker flower tubes than the American counterparts.

The phrase contained in the Japanese name "nouzen kazura" means "vine blooming towards the sky." The bright orange flowers were literally blooming towards the sky!!

2025/6/22

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

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These are flowers of the Carolina horsenettle (Solanum carolinense). The plant can be found across Japan and is known to be harmful.

The Carolina horsenettle's Japanese name is "waru nasubi," which translates to "rogue eggplant," which should be justifiable. The plant is poisonous in its entirety with thorns that would prick you if you try to remove it and it's in the same family as the eggplant (i.e., Solanaceae). Considering its other English names "radical weed," "apple of Sodom," "devil's tomato," (sadly) no one would disagree the Carolina horsenettle is ROGUE.

Despite such a bad perception, however, it produces beautiful flowers from June to September and pretty fruits, which look like kumquats (or cherry tomatoes), from July to November (last two photos) although again they're toxic. We shouldn't be fooled by appearances.

2025/6/20

2024/6/3

Loosestrife (Lythrum Anceps)　ミソハギ（禊萩）

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These are Lythrum anceps. They're special in Japan, often placed on the family grave during the Obon period (mid-July or mid-August depending on areas). Lythrum anceps resembles purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) very much, although the latter is designated as an invasive species in some countries.

2024/8/5

2025/6/20

Lilies of the Nile　紫と白のアガパンサス

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These are lilies of the Nile or African lilies. They're native to Southern Africa but can be found almost across Japan now. Luckily, I was able to photograph a horsefly having breakfast on one of them this morning (1st photo). Lilies of the Nile produce purple, blue, white, and pink flowers. I've never seen the blue or pink ones though.

2025/6/20

Yellow Spotted Stink Bug　キマダラカメムシ（黄斑亀虫）

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On 12 June, I found a circle the size of a quarter dollar coin on a leaf of Chinese tallow (3rd photo). Then, five days later (i.e., on 17 June), they'd become like in the 2nd photo and for the last day since then, they have changed like in the 1st photo! Every bug is small but you can clearly see each is a yellow spotted stink bug. They've changed not only their appearance but also have started to move. The one in the upper right of the 1st photo was running toward the backside of the leaf. They may not be there tomorrow, which makes me feel a bit sad and relieved a lot.

P.S.
On 19 June, I went there again to check up on them, finding them like in the 1st photo. All larvae are all gone but two on the eggs in the 1st photo and one each in the 2nd and 3rd photos.

2025/6/19

2025/6/18

2025/6/17

2025/6/12

Cape Jasmine (Gardenia Jasminoides)　クチナシ（梔子）

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These are single or double flowered cape jasmine (Gardenia jasminoides). Cape jasmine can be found almost across Japan. They're beautiful for pure whiteness but you shouldn't underestimate the role the deep green leaves play.

Cape jasmine is called "kuchi nashi" in Japanese, which translates to "no mouth," because the fruits (last 3 photos) don't crack even after ripening. The fruits are used to give a yellow color (unexpected from the flower's white) to food, such as kuri kinton or mashed sweet potato with chestnuts, one of the traditional Japanese New Year foods. Double flowered cape jasmine rarely produces fruits though because most of their stamens have transformed into petals.

2025/6/19

2025/6/18

Yellow Green Hydrangea　黄緑の紫陽花

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The hydrangea season in Japan should be soon over because of the heat spell this week, which has started earlier than usual despite the rainy season. Then, I found this yellow green hydrangea. The bloom should turn pinkish, reddish, and/or purplish as other hydrangeas do or turn brown or die due to the high temperatures. So, I'm writing this post to keep records of these beautiful pale yellow green sepals.

2025/6/17

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

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These are Chinese spiranthes (Spiranthes sinensis). As a plant that can be seen across Japan, Chinese spiranthes is used as kigo* for mid-summer, the period from June 6 to July 6. Interestingly, some spiral clockwise while others counter clockwise. There is no established theory to explain what determines the direction of spiral.

* Kigo is a word or phrase associated with a particular season in haiku or Japanese poetry.

2025/6/13

Ivy-Leaved Speedwell (Veronica Hederifolia)　フラサバソウ/ツタバイヌノフグリ（蔦葉犬の陰嚢）

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These are ivy-leaved speedwell (Veronica hederifolia). They're native to Europe and resemble corn speedwell (Veronica arvensis), which is also native to Europe, but ivy-leaved speedwell's stems and leaves are hairy unlike corn speedwell's. Ivy-leaved speedwell's Japanese name is "tsutaba inu no fuguri," which translates to "ivy-leaved dog's balls (terrible!)." Other three speedwells also have terrible Japanese names as follows:

Grey field-speedwell (Veronica polita) named "inu no fuguri," which translates to "dog's balls," after the resemblance of its fruit shape to dog's balls.
Persian speedwell (Veronica persica) named "ooinu no fuguri," which translates to "large dog's balls" after its larger flowers than those of grey field-speedwell.
Corn speedwell (Veronica arvensis) named "tachi inu no fuguri," which translates to "standing dog's balls" after its stems standing upright.

All were named as such by Tomitaro Makino (1862 - 1957) after the fruits of grey field speedwell, whose shape resembles the balls of a dog (scroll down to see them). Tomitaro Makino is a Japanese botanist. He dropped out of elementary school after two years, but studied botany on his own and eventually received a Doctor of Science degree from the University of Tokyo.

2022/3/8

Persian Speedwell (Veronica Persica) 　オオイヌノフグリ（大犬の陰嚢）

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These are Persian speedwell (Veronica persica).They're usually blue but some are pinkish blue (5th to 7th photos).

There are various types of speedwells and they're all pretty but have terrible Japanese names as follows. If you want to know why, read this post and laugh!

Grey field-speedwell (Veronica polita) => イヌノフグリ or "dog balls"
Persian speedwell (Veronica persica) => オオイヌノフグリ or "large dog balls"
Corn speedwell (Veronica arvensis) => タチイヌノフグリ or "standing dog balls"
Ivy-leaved speedwell (Veronica hederifolia) ==> ツタバイヌノフグリ（フラサバソウ） or "ivy-leaved dog balls"

2025/6/15

Hyperaspis Japonica　フタホシテントウ（双星天道虫）

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I was looking for flowers of Chinese tallow and then found this lady beetle or more specifically Hyperaspis japonica. Hyperaspis japonica is a type of lady beetle with only two spots. Some ladybirds are pests but this one is beneficial, which preys on pests.

2025/6/15

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

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These are fruits of Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra). Their color gradation from green to yellow and red is so beautiful. The flowers are also cute, like fluffy cat tails. (Scroll down to see the flowers!)

2021/6/10

2023/6/12

Japanese Spirea (Spiraea Japonica)　シモツケ（下野）

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The Japanese spirea (Spiraea japonica) in my neighborhood has started to flower. The gradation of pale to bright pink is so pretty. Its Japanese name "shimotsuke" is after the Shimotsuke province or the current Tochigi prefecture where the plant was found for the first time in Japan.

2025/6/11

Black Bee or Longhorn Beetle (Cerambycidae)　黒いハチ？カミキリムシ？

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Many of the hydrangeas in my neighborhood have started to dry, so I was passing by them when finding something resting or hanging in on a sepal of a hydrangea. I can't tell if this is a black bee or a longhorn beetle but can tell it had a strong will not to fall off, which made me chuckle.

2025/6/13

Persian Silk Tree (Albizia Julibrissin)　ネムノキ（合歓木）

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These are flowers of a Persian silk tree or pink silk tree (Albizia julibrissin). Persian silk trees fold their leaves during the night, which makes them look asleep, so they're called in Japanese "nemu no ki," which translates to "sleeping tree."

A Persian silk tree is popular in Japan as suggested that it's a kigo* for summer. It's also often used as a theme for paintings, such as the one in the last photo "Sparrow in a silk tree" by Keibun Matsumura at Tokyo National Museum.

* Kigo are words or phrases that are associated with a particular season in haiku or Japanese poetry.

2023/9/9

2023/6/3

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