Cleavers (Galium Aparine) ヤエムグラ（八重葎）

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Cleavers (Galium aparine) are native to East Asia, Europe, and North Africa and can now be found across Japan, producing tiny pale green yellow flowers from late April to June and also tiny fruits from May to June. I've never seen the flowers. 

2026/5/5

Blue Hydrangea Serrata (Tea of Heaven "Mikata-Yae") 美方八重（ミカタヤエ）

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Mikata-yae hydrangeas (Hydrangea serrata (Thunb. ex Murr.) Ser. "Mikata-yae"), early bloomers, are now in full bloom. The buds looked like green stars at the beginning of May, then have turned blue, and are still hanging to pink or purple. Mikata-yae hydrangeas are said to be one of the most beautiful blue hydrangeas. 

2026/5/5

2026/5/5

Broomrape (Orobanche) ハマウツボ（浜靫）

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Broomrape (Orobanche) is native to Europe and Asia and can be found across Japan, producing flowers from May to July in Japan. Despite its usual-plant-like appearance, it's a parasitic herbaceous plant with no chlorophyll. Its host is wormwood (Artemisia), so there must be wormwood nearby. Before knowing it's parasitic, I looked forward to seeing its flowers, which I expected to be purple, but now with that knowledge, I found it a bit eerie.

P.S.

I went there a week later, finding it open and not that eerie but quite pretty. 

2026/5/5

Japanese Snowball (Viburnum Plicatum Var. Tomentosum) ヤブデマリ（藪手毬）

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They look like white lacecap hydrangeas but are not. They are Japanese snowball (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum). The Japanese snowball is native to Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan, so can be found across Japan, producing white flowers (which actually are sterile flowers) in May and June. 

There are mainly two types of Japanese snowball, Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum and Viburnum plicatum var. plicatum f. plicatum, and they're closely related but it's easy to tell which is which because of their different flower shape. 

2026/5/2

Golden Chain (Laburnum Anagyroides) キングサリ（金鎖）

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Golden chain (Laburnum anagyroides) is native to Central and Southern Europe and is not so commonly found in Japan because of its less heat resistance. In Japan, golden chain is mainly grown in Nagano and Hokkaido prefectures, which are relatively cool and dry, and parks and botanical gardens.  

The golden chain has two Japanese names, "kin gusari," which translates into "golden chain," and "kibana fuji," which translates into "yellow Japanese wisteria," because of their resemblance except for color. The golden chain and the wisteria, however, are in different genera, i.e., golden chain in the Laburnum genus while Japanese wisteria in the Wisteria genus.   

2026/5/2

Pink Japanese Snowbell (Styrax Japonicus 'Pink Chimes') ベニハナエゴノキ（ピンクチャイム）

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Japanese snowbell (Styrax japonicus) is native to eastern Asia and can be found across Japan, producing pendulant white and pink flowers from May to June. Those in this post are specifically pink Japanese snowbells (Styrax japonicus 'Pink Chimes'). The flowers are pretty but Japanese snowbells also produce pretty fruits in autumn, which look like almond chocolates.    

2022/5/13

Japanese Snowbell (Styrax Japonicus) エゴノキ

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It's been two years since I last photographed Japanese snowbell flowers (Styrax japonicus). Last year, the blossoms in my neighborhood had fallen due to strong winds before I took photos. The tree is called "Egonoki," which means a "bitter tree" due to the bitter fruit. 

2024/5/6

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

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Mountain laurels (Kalmia latifolia) are native to the eastern United States but can now be found across Japan, producing flowers varying from white to pink in May and June in Japan. The flowers look like parasols when open and the buds 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?

Despite such lovely appearance, however, all the parts of Kalmia are poisonous especially for sheep as suggested by its other common names "lamb-kill," "calf-kill," "kill-kid," and "sheep-poison."

2025/5/24

2025/5/12

Weigela Hortensis 谷空木（タニウツギ）

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The weigela (Weigela hortensis) is native to Japan and can be found across the country, flowering generally from May to July. The pink flowers surrounded by its green leaves are so beautiful.   

Despite such pretty pink color, weigela branches and stems were used in Japan to make chopsticks for a post-cremation ritual where family members pick up and transfer bone fragments from a cremation tray into an urn using such chopsticks. For that, weigela is still avoided in some areas. Wow, I've lived in Japan for many years but didn't know that.

Weigela can produce white flowers (which I've never seen) and its autumn leaves are as gorgeous as the flowers! (Scroll down!)

2025/4/29

2025/4/29

Linden Arrowwood (Viburnum Dilatatum) ガマズミ（莢蒾）

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Linden arrowwood (Viburnum dilatatum) is native to Eastern Asia and can be found across Japan. It produces tiny white flowers in clusters from April to June and also clusters of red drupes in autumn. The drupes are too sour to eat in the beginning but become sweeter towards late autumn. 

The linden arrowwood means that "love is stronger than death" in Japanese floriography.

2026/4/30

Hamilton's Spindletree (Euonymus Hamiltonianus) マユミ（檀）

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Some plants bring you happiness through the year and Hamilton's spindletree (Euonymus hamiltonianus) is one of them. The plant is native to East Asia and can be found across Japan. It produces tiny cream flowers from May to June and fruits in autumn. The fruits are four-lobed and green at the beginning, then turn pale pink, and crack to show seeds with red arils in autumn.

A good thing about photographing plants is to make people more talkative. When I was photographing the fruits in September, two women approached me asking what they were. I said they were the fruits of Hamilton's spindletree but the women insisted they couldn't be fruits but buds to flower soon. It was fun talking with strangers about little things.

2026/4/24

2025/5/9

Japanese Red Maple (Acer Pycnanthum) ハナノキ（花之木）

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Japanese red maple trees (Acer pycnanthum) are native to Japan. Their Japanese name is "hananoki," translating to "flower tree," which is too general, isn't it? The tree is named as such after its deep red flowers standing out because they're produced before green leaves are in early spring when no other flowers are seen. This makes sense. I first found the flowers because the red color stood out in early March.  

2024/4/30

Daylily with Pointed Petals (Hemerocallis) ヘメロカリス

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Daylilies (Hemerocallis) are native to East Asia and can be found across Japan. Daylilies are diverse in terms of color and petal shape. The daylilies in these photos have pointed petals while those in this post have round petals.   

Daylilies are "wasure gusa" in Japanese, which translates into "plant to forget things," meaning that you can forget bad things if you carry them. On the other hand, forget-me-nots are "wasurena gusa" in Japanese." The only difference (i.e., the "na" part), however, creates a huge difference in flower meanings in Japan. Forget-me-nots represents true love whereas daylilies flirtation and forgotten love.  

2026/4/29

Fragrant Evening-Primrose (Oenothera Stricta) マツヨイグサ（待宵草）

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Fragrant evening-primrose (Oenothera stricta) is native to South America, was imported to Japan in the late 19th century, and can now be found across Japan. This evening-primrose resembles common evening-primrose (Oenothera biennis) very much with one easy-to-tell difference, i.e., fragrant evening primroses turn orange as they wither. The other flower in the pictures, which has turned orange, told me these were not common but fragrant evening primroses. 

2026/4/29

A Small Pile of Roly Polies ダンゴムシ団子

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What the hell are they doing? I approached them and observed for a while, just finding nothing. The pile tilted right, left, forward, and backward, but that was that. Back home, I did research, finding that roly-polies (pill bugs) gather in large numbers mainly to find moisture, food, and shelter because they breathe through gills and require high humidity to survive. So, they gather not to play but to survive. Knowledge changes your perception. 

2026/4/29

Burning Bush (Euonymus Alatus) ニシキギ（錦木）

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The burning bush (Euonymus alatus) is native to China, Korea, and Japan and can be found across Japan. The burning bush autumn leaves are very beautiful but because the bush grows to only 1 to 1.5 meter high, the beauty is often disregarded among maple and other taller trees. But the beauty of the burning bush is not just it. If you are closer to it, you can find small red arils with one to four vivid orange seeds inside. 

As the plant's name suggests, its leaves look "burning." The burning bush is named "nishiki gi" in Japanese, which translates into "brocade tree," after such a beautiful red color of the leaves like brocade. 

In May and June, you can also enjoy its tiny but beautiful yellowish green flowers (scroll down). 

2024/11/22

Flowers of Camphor Tree (Camphora Officinarum) 楠（クスノキ）

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Camphor trees (Camphora officinarum) are native to Asia, including Japan, so can be found across Japan. The tree produces tiny cream flowers in May and June. 

The biggest camphor tree in Japan is in Kamou town, Aira city, Kagoshima prefecture. Its trunk girth is 24.2m and the tree has been designated as a natural monument. Because of its gigantic size, it's advised against growing camphor trees in home gardens.     

2026/4/28

Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia Axyridis) ナミテントウ（並天道）

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Asian lady beetles (Harmonia axyridis) are native to Asia, so can be found across Japan. As one of the most variable species, you can't identify the beetle just based on the number or color of spots. The beetle is generally beneficial, eating aphids but also known as one of the most invasive insects or voracious predators, eating other ladybugs😱. Despite such aggressiveness, Asian lady beetles with two orange spots are generally viewed as symbols of good luck, happiness, and prosperity in Japan. Yippee! 

The beetle is cute but the larva of the Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis) looks a little creepy, but it's also a beneficial insect voraciously eating aphids. Like father, like son, isn't it?

2026/4/28

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

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Banana shrub (Magnolia figo) is native to SouthEast China and came to Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868) and can now be found across the country. The plant produces flowers from May to June in Japan, which smell like bananas, suggested by the name. Banana shrub is a type of Magnolia but doesn't look like so, which is why banana shrub was categorized into the Michelia genus before 2022. I smelled the flowers to see if they really smell like bananas but because of the loss of my sense of smell (?), I smelled nothing. 

The banana shrub means sweet temptation🍌 in Japanese floriography.   

2024/4/18

Dock (Rumex) いろんなギシギシ

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There are a variety of dock (Rumex) and those in these photos are some of them. I first tried to identify them like Japanese dock, spinach dock, common sorrel, etc., but gave up. Too many types and too subtle the differences are😂. But finding so many people discussing how to identify each dock on websites shows that the dock is loved around the world including Japan!

From a distance, the dock is just green leaves (or just weeds) but when looked closely, the plant shows tiny but beautiful cream/red perianth. The Japanese name of most types of dock contains the term "gishi gishi," which is Onomatopoeia, after the sound produced when the stems are rubbed (which I haven't tried). 

2026/4/26

2026/4/26

Wiesener's Magnolia (Magnolia x Wieseneri) ウケザキオオヤマレンゲ（受咲大山蓮華）

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Wiesener's magnolia (Magnolia x wieseneri) is native to China and a natural cross-breed between Magnolia obovata and Magnolia sieboldii. It produces flowers from April to May, which resemble very much those of Siebold's magnolia but you can tell those in these photos are Wiesener's magnolias because they face upward unlike Siebold's magnolia flowers, which face downward.   

2026/4/26

Annual Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium Rosulatum) ニワゼキショウ（庭石菖）

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Annual blue-eyed grass is native to North America and came to Japan during the Meiji period (1868 - 1912. They start to open from the morning to noon, so if you are a morning bird, you may miss the tiny but lovely flowers as I did. Annual blue-eyed grass flowers are small, 1 cm in diameter, but their striped receptacle is so beautiful.

2026/4/26

Corn Speedwell (Veronica Arvensis) タチイヌノフグリ（立犬の殖栗）

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Corn speedwell (Veronica arvensis) is a member of the speedwell's family. Its flowers are so tiny, just 3 to 5 mm in diameter (see the last photo to see how tiny they are!), and are open only during the day that you wouldn't notice them unless you crouch to look for something on the ground like me😆!  

The speedwell siblings (below) have terrible but funny Japanese names, which were given by Dr. Tomitaro Makino, a late Japanese botanist: 

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

2026/4/26

Chinese Fringetree (Chionanthus Retusus) ヒトツバタゴ（一つ葉タゴ）/ナンジャモンジャ

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These are flowers of a Chinese fringetree (Chionanthus retusus). The Chinese fringetree is native to China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan and can be found across Japan. The tree produces beautiful white flowers from April to May, which, before fully open, look to me like aliens floating in the air, and black fruits (scroll down) from September to October, which are inedible and avoided even by birds.

The Chinese fringetree has male and hermaphrodite trees, the same as the Japanese ternstroemia (Ternstroemia gymnanthera). I did research to find out the sex of the tree but in vain.  

2026/4/26

Galls on Cherry Leaves😱 サクラの葉の虫こぶ😱

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What do you see in these photos? Caterpillars? You're half correct, half incorrect. These are cherry leaves or more specifically galls or abnormal outgrowth of the leaves caused by Tuberocephalus sakurae, i.e., aphids. So, don't even think about looking inside! The galls contain many many aphids😱!! If you want to see monstrous ones, scroll down! 

2026/4/24

Firethorn Tree (Pyracantha) ピラカンサ（常盤山査子）

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The firethorn or pyracantha is native to an area extending from Southwest Europe east to Southeast Asia and can be found across Japan. The plant produces beautiful white flowers from April to May and red, orange, and yellow fruits from November to January. 

Firethorn trees in Japan usually are 1 to 2 meter tall but they can reach up to 5 meter tall. I once saw such a tall tree (scroll down) several years ago but the tree was removed because of the redevelopment of the surrounding area, which is sad but often happens in Central Tokyo. 

2026/4/24

Trident Maple (Acer Buergerianum) トウカエデ（唐楓）

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These are leaves of a trident maple tree (Acer buergerianum) I found in April. Trident maple is native to South East China and Taiwan, coming to Japan in the early 18th century and can now be found across Japan. 

It's not unusual to see red male leaves in autumn but not so in April, you think? But not necessarily. Leaves turning red in spring is known as a way for plants to protect shoots from ultraviolet rays. The leaves are red but look different from autumn red leaves because of the deep green backdrop.   

2026/4/22

2026/4/22

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

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They're spikelets of big quaking grass (Briza maxima). This is BIG because they're bigger than lesser quaking-grass (Briza minor). When seeing them for the first time, I thought they were some bugs. Its Japanese name is "koban sou," which translates to "old Japanese gold coin plant." Old gold coins in Japan were oval, shaped like these spikelets.

2026/4/22

Maple Samara 楓（カエデ）の翼果

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Maple trees are known for autumn leaves but reddish samaras surrounded by fresh green leaves are so beautiful. Maple samaras always remind me of Doraemon bamboo copter.  

2026/4/22

White Evening-Primrose (Oenothera Rosea) 白花夕化粧（シロバナユウゲショウ）

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Evening primroses (Oenothera rosea) are native to America but can now be found across Japan. It usually produces pink flowers from May to September but some have white ones like those in these pictures. Seeing flowers brings me happiness and seeing white evening primroses especially does so because it's so rare to find them. Finding white ones makes me feel as if I had found four-leaf clovers!   

2026/4/21

Yellow-Cress (Rorippa) イヌガラシ属（犬芥子）

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Yellow-cress (Rorippa) is native to Asia and should be found across Japan but not so often in Central Tokyo. The plant grows in wet habitat, producing yellow flowers from April to June in Japan. Its Japanese name is "inu garashi," which translates to "dog mustard greens," because the plant tastes like mustard greens but is of lower quality as food. (To be continued below the 1st photo.)

2026/4/28

Pale Grass Blue (Pseudozizeeria Maha) 大和小灰蝶（ヤマトシジミ）

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A male pale grass blue (Pseudozizeeria maha) butterfly looks completely different when its wings are open (1st photo) and closed (2nd photo). When closed, you may disregard it because it's plain, just a small white butterfly with black spots. When the wings are open, however, you would be surprised by the beautiful pale blue of the upper side of its wings as suggested by the name. (If you want to see the butterfly showing both sides, see the 3rd photo.) Butterflies are known to open their wings to bask in the sun to warm their bodies, so you're more likely to see the beautiful blue in autumn than summer.   

The pale grass blue resembles the plains cupid (Luthrodes pandava) very much except for the latter having orange spots on the wings. I once mistook a plains cupid for a pale grass blue.   

2025/11/2

Fuzzy Deutzia (Deutzia Scabra) マルバウツギ（丸葉空木）

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The shrub looks like slender deutzia (Deutzia gracilis) (and AI tells so) but I believe this is fuzzy deutzia (Deutzia scabra) because its leaves are round (which is why its Japanese name is "maruba utsugi," translating to "round leafed deutzia") and the flowers are upward facing (while slender deutzia flowers are downward facing). Fuzzy deutzia is native to Japan and can be found across the country. The plant produces white flowers from April to May. 

2026/4/19

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

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Persian speedwell (Veronica persica) is native to West Asia or Europe, is believed to have come to Japan in the late 19th century, and can now be found across Japan. There are a variety of speedwell (see below) but Persian speedwell is the easiest to tell because of its relatively larger size than other types. Persian speedwell usually produces blue flowers but some produce pinkish blue ones (scroll down). 

Speedwell of any type is pretty but has a terrible Japanese name each as follows:

• 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"

This is because according to Tomitaro Makino (1862 - 1957), who named them, the fruits of grey field-speedwell look like the balls of a dog (which I've never seen). 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. 

2026/4/19

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

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Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is native to North America but can now be found across Japan, producing red, white, and cream white flowers from April to May. The dogwood was donated by the U.S. to Japan in 1915 in exchange for cherry trees, a gift of friendship from Japan to the U.S.

Flowering dogwood shows us not only beautiful flowers but also gorgeous leaves in autumn. 

2026/4/19

Hyacinth Orchid (Bletilla Striata) シラン（紫蘭）

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Hyacinth orchids or Chinese ground orchids (Bletilla striata) are native to China, Taiwan, and Japan and can be found across Japan. The plant produces beautiful pinkish purple flowers from April to May, which look even more beautiful against the green leaves and/or the blue sky. The plant can also have white flowers, which I've never seen. 

Hyacinth orchids are relatively easy to grow but are so invasive that many Japanese websites advise against growing them in the garden. 

2021/4/19

Lesser Quaking-Grass (Briza Minor) ヒメコバンソウ（姫小判草）

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Lesser quaking-grass (Briza minor) is native to Europe and came to Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868). The plant produces spikelets form April to June, which are very tiny and cute but are so small that you wouldn't normally notice them. According to the internet, the spikelets produce a rattling sound when shaken or when wind passes through them. Next time I find them, I'll shake them, of course, gently. 

2026/4/17

Spanish Bluebell (Hyacinthoides Hispanica) ツリガネズイセン（釣鐘水仙）

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Spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica) is native to Spain, Portugal, and North West Africa, coming to Japan in around 1910, and can now be found across the country. The plant produces white, pink, and blue flowers from spring to early summer in Japan. Spanish bluebell is "tsurigane suisen" in Japanese, which translates to "bell daffodil" because of the bell shaped flowers resembling daffodils although Spanish bluebells are not daffodils. They're in the Asparagaceae family while daffodils are in the Amaryllidaceae family. 

2026/4/17

White Ajuga 白のアジュガ

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These are WHITE ajuga. I've seen purple and pink ajuga but it's my first time to see white ones.

2026/4/17

Ring-Cupped Oak (Quercus Glauca) アラカシ（粗樫）

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Ring-cupped oak or Japanese blue oak trees (Quercus glauca) are native to Asia and can be found across Japan. They produce acorns from October to November and the acorns are not only fed on by insects and birds but were eaten by people as a famine food in Japan. Oak trees are usually known for the acorns but ring-cupped oak trees produce beautiful cylindrical flowers and red shoots, which look like the heads of Pteranodon to me (scroll down), from April to May.

2026/4/15

Ginkgo (Ginkgo Biloba) イチョウ（銀杏）

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Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is native to China but can now be found across Japan. The tree, a gymnosperm plant, has male and female trees. The male trees have catkin like male flowers from April to May, which produce pollen, while the female trees have female flowers also from April to May and fruits from September to November. 

2024/11/30

2025/11/1

Satsuki Azalea (Rhododendron Indicum) サツキ

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Satsuki azalea (Rhododendron indicum) is native to Japan and can be found across the country. The plant produces white, pink, and red flowers from April to June in Japan. As azalea usually flowers in dense masses, they attract not only attention but also tourists and fee in some parks! 

2026/4/15

Japan categorizes azalea broadly into three types as follows:

Japanese Snowball Bush (Viburnum Plicatum Var. Plicatum F. Plicatum) オオデマリ（大手毬）

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The Japanese snowball bush (Viburnum plicatum var. plicatum f. plicatum) is native to, and can be found across, Japan. The bush generally produces flowers from April to June, which are green and like broccoli when in bud and then turn snow white when open.

2023/4/21