Plane Tree (Platanus) プラタナス/スズカケノキ（鈴懸の木）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Tiny, cream and red things scattered on the ground caught my eye. They're ribbon-shaped (so cute!), making me look up and find their source, plane trees. These tiny things are their flowers. The plane tree is native to the Northern Hemisphere and quite large. I've seen London plane trees, but saw plane trees for the first time. 

The plane tree is called "suzukake no ki" in Japanese, which translates to "kasaya tree," after the tree with hanging flowers and fruits looking like "kasaya," clothing worn by Buddhist monks. 

2025/6/30

2025/6/30

2025/6/30

Coppertips (Crocosmia) 姫檜扇水仙（ヒメヒオウギスイセン）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Their bright orange was so vivid, catching my eye. They're Coppertips (Crocosmia) or montbretias. They (or more specifically their parents) are native to South Africa but can be found now across Japan and because of their hardiness, i.e., invasiveness, their growth is prohibited in some prefectures in Japan. 

In Japanese, they're called "hime hiogi suisen," which translates to "princess blackberry lily narcissus" because of the resemblance of their leaves to those of blackberry lilies and their bulbs to those of narcissus. The term "hime," which means princess, is used to describe their smallness. Logical in a way but complicated!  

2025/6/27

Robber Fly (Asilidae) ムシヒキアブ（虫引虻）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is a robber fly or assassin fly (Asilidae). As suggested by the name, robber flies attack and eat mainly other insects, even wasps. Some websites say the robber fly is one of the most powerful predatory insects. This robber fly, however, didn't show any sign of such aggressiveness while I was taking these photos, just resting on a leaf. 

2025/6/26

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

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

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

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）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

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

2025/6/22

Loosestrife (Lythrum Anceps) ミソハギ（禊萩）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

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

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

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

2025/6/20

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

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

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

2025/6/19

2025/6/19

2025/6/19

2025/6/18

2025/6/17

2025/6/12

2025/6/12

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

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

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

2025/6/19

2025/6/18

2025/6/18

Yellow Green Lacecap Hydrangea 黄緑の額紫陽花

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

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

2025/6/17

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

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

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）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

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 four speedwells also have terrible Japanese names as follows:

• Grey field-speedwell (Veronica polita) named "inu no fuguri," which translates into "dog's balls," after the resemblance of its fruit shape to dog's balls.
• Persian speedwell (Veronica persica) named "ooinu no fuguri," which translates into "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 into "standing dog's balls" after its stems standing upright.
• Pale speedwell (Veronica cymbalaria) named "kogome inu no fuguri," which translates into "small rice dog's balls."　

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

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

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

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

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

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

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）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

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

2023/9/9

2023/6/3

Water Droplet 水滴

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I used to think that you shouldn't/couldn't take a walk in the rain but when I said that to someone, he told me I could still enjoy a walk even in the rain with an umbrella. This didn't make sense to me at that time but it does now. Rain allows you to see something that can't be seen otherwise, like this. It's not a Swarovski diamond but it is as beautiful, isn't it?  

The rainy season hasn't started yet in Tokyo officially, but will soon as in most areas in Japan.   

2025/6/10

Japanese Ternstroemia (Ternstroemia Gymnanthera) 木斛（モッコク）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Japanese ternstroemia trees are said to be the king of garden trees in Japan and there's a reason for that. They produce tiny buds in early June, which look like cat's paws, and then beautiful male and hermaphroditic flowers from late June to July. And in autumn, they bear fruits, which turn from green to red, and some of them stick out bright red seeds like tongues after cracking. Japanese ternstroemia trees bring us happiness throughout the year. 

2025/6/8

2025/6/8

2022/7/3

Spider-Man Leaf スパイダーマンみたいな葉

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This leaf looks like Spider-Man's face. 

A few days ago, a picture of a fruit of Lonicera gracilipes var. glabra made me burst out laughing because as suggested by @comy_0165, who posted the picture, the fruit looked like Dokurobei, one of the characters of Yatterman, i.e., a Japanese anime television series broadcast from 1977 to 1979. Dokurobei calls himself God of Thieves. He doesn't look like Hermes or Mercury at all though. 

2025/6/8

Turmeric (Curcuma Longa) ウコン（鬱金）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I know turmeric and have used it for cooking but have never seen the flowers. This is a turmeric flower (Curcuma longa). The pink part, which looks like petals, is actually bracts and the cream yellow part at the bottom of the flower is petals. 

2025/6/5

2025/6/10

Eastern Spot-Billed Duck カルガモ（軽鴨）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Eastern spot-billed ducks are often seen in Central Tokyo and those living in the Imperial Palace are particularly famous but this one attracted my attention because it was standing on one leg. Birds do so to conserve body heat when even asleep. Wow, I often struggle to maintain balance when standing on one leg when doing yoga.

 

2025/6/4

African Iris (Dietes Bicolor) ディエテス・ビコロル/オキナワシャガ

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

It looks like smiling to you, doesn't it? This is an African iris (Dietes bicolor). I didn't know its name, so I searched using several keywords in Japanese, such as "flower," "white," and "look like smiling face," which generated only one hit, "African iris." African irises are native to, and very common in, South Africa while in Japan, not the flowers but the sword like leaves are used for Japanese flower arrangement. 

2025/6/2

2025/6/2