Hydrangea 'Magical Revolution' マジカルレボリューション

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Hydrangea macrophylla 'Magical Revolution' is really magical from two perspectives. Firstly, its spectacular, color-shifting transformation. The hydrangea changes from pale pink, blue, and green in early summer to red toward autumn. (Scroll down!) Secondly, its long life! The hydrangea's sepals (not petals!) are so sturdy that they can bloom for two to three months while changing color.  

It changes color to red in autumn due to increasing anthocyanin resulting from a change in the temperature and/or the amount of ultraviolet radiation. For whatever the reason, the hydrangea is just magically amazing. 

2026/5/29

2026/6/2

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

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These are Hydrangea serrata var. yesoensis f. cuspidata cv., a type of mountain hydrangea. Their Japanese name is "shikizaki hime ajisai," which translates into "hydrangea blooming all year round." As the name suggests, the hydrangeas bloom for a longer period, i.e., the six months from June to December (not throughout the year though). Another feature is that the blooms change color at different pace one by one, resulting in various shades of pink, blue and purple. 

Their blue and purple color is beautiful but their bluish, pinkish, and purplish sepia gradients evoke a sense of nostalgic beauty. (Scroll down!)

Below are the shots of various hydrangeas. Hope you enjoy them, too!

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

Various lacecap hydrangeas

Pink mophead hydrangea

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

Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)

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

Nettle-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea hirta)

White and whitish hydrangea

Annabelle hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle')

2023/5/28

2023/5/28

Various Lacecap Hydrangeas 額紫陽花（ガクアジサイ）いろいろ

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It's almost impossible to classify lacecap hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla f. normalis) based on color. Each one has cream, yellow, blue, purple, green, pink, and red fertile flowers surrounded by green, pink, blue, purple, red, and even white sterile decorative sepals, changing their gradients as time passes. It's reasonable that one of its Japanese names is "shichi henge," which translates into "seven changes." To see lacecap hydrangeas in pink or purple, read this post! 

2026/6/10

2026/6/10

Double "Sepaled" Lacecap Hydrangeas 八重額紫陽花（ヤエガクアジサイ）

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Double-sepaled lacecap hydrangeas are different from usual (single-petaled) ones. They're more gorgeous. If you love hydrangeas, read the posts below! 

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

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)

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

Nettle-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea hirta)

White and whitish hydrangea

Annabelle hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle')

2026/5/26

Popcorn Hydrangea (Hydrangea Macrophylla Ayesha) ウズアジサイ（渦紫陽花）

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They're one of my favorite hydrangeas, popcorn hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla Ayesha). Needless to say, the hydrangea is named after the shape of its sepals, which resembles that of popcorns.

2022/6/16  

2022/6/16

Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina Communis) 露草（ツユクサ）

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The Asiatic dayflower (Commelina Communis) is native to eastern Asia and can be found across Japan. It produces blue flowers from June to September in Japan, which look to me like a mantis head. The flower has been appreciated in Japan, mentioned in the Man'yōshū (i.e., the oldest extant collection of Japanese poetry in Classical Japanese), compiled sometime after 759 during the Nara period. 

The plant's Japanese name is "tsuyukusa," which translates into "dew plant," because of its brief lifespan, like morning dew.

2026/5/29

Love-In-A-Mist (Nigella Damascena) ニゲラ（黒種草）

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Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) is native to the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Southwestern Asia. The plant produces blue, pink (scroll down), purple, white (scroll down), and yellow flowers from April to July, which are distinguished from other flowers by their many long stamens. What appear to be petals are actually sepals as in the case of hydrangeas. 

The plant is also called "devil-in-a-bush" and some may wonder why it can be "devil-in-a-bush" and "love-in-a-mist" at the same time. The Hutchinson News (the relevant article is gone) gave me an answer. "The plant, when green and flowering, is called love-in-a-mist, but when the horned seed pods dry in the autumn, it changes, like Jekyll and Hyde, to the name of devil-in-the-bush." 

This is also true of Carolina cranesbill, which also has good and evil within them. If you wanna see an angel and a devil within Carolina cranesbill or its Jekyll-to-Hyde change, read this!! 

2020/5/25

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. 

2026/5/8

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

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

Cucumber Herb (Trigonotis Peduncularis) 胡瓜草（キュウリグサ）

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Small plants have woken up from winter sleep. These are cucumber herbs (Trigonotis peduncularis). Cucumber herbs are native to Asia, producing tiny flowers (0.2-0.3 cm in diameter) from March to May. Because of such tininess, they're invisible, often removed or trampled without being noticed. But no worries. Cucumber herbs are so hardy that they always survive, bringing you happiness.   

2026/2/28

2026/2/28

2026/2/28

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

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

It's rainy season in Japan and various hydrangeas are in full bloom across the country. These are mophead hydrangeas and one of my favorite because of the color change from pale green to white then to pale blue. If you're interested in the color change from late May to late June or the blooms in various colors and shapes, read the following posts, too!

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

Various lacecap hydrangeas

Pink mophead hydrangea

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

Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)

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

Nettle-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea hirta)

White and whitish hydrangea

Annabelle hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle')

Late June 2022

Late June 2022

Hydrangea Changing from White to Blue, and Then Pale Green 白から青、そして薄緑に変わる紫陽花

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I love flowers for, among others, their color. So, the hydrangea, which has changed its color from white to blue, blue green, and then pale green like the photos below, caught my eye. Every flower changes their colors, but the color change of this hydrangea is so amazing that I've observed that for more than one month. 

If you love hydrangeas, read the following posts, too!

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

Various lacecap hydrangeas

Pink mophead hydrangea

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

Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)

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

Nettle-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea hirta)

White and whitish hydrangea

Annabelle hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle')

2021/7/3