Japanese Snowbell (Styrax Japonicus) エゴノキ

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

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. 

Japanese snowbell (Styrax japonicus)　エゴノキ

Styrax Japonicus (Japanese Snowbell) 野茉莉（エゴノキ）

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

I'm not a foodie but I always feel like eating chocolate when I see the fruits because they look like chocolate coated nuts😋! 

These are fruits of Styrax japonicus or more commonly known as Japanese snowbell. Its pretty tiny white and pink flowers were so pretty in May and the olive like drupes and green chocolate brown fruits are beautiful, too!

Styrax japonicus 野茉莉の実

Japanese snowbell エゴノキ

A Cicada Shell on Japanese Snowbell Fruit エゴノキの実とセミの抜け殻

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

I need something... something like the ability to hang in there, like this cicada shell on a fruit of Styrax japonicus or more commonly Japanese snowbell😆! The tree entertains us through the year with its pretty bell-shaped white and PALE PINK flowers and gross but pretty galls (which contain many many bugs)😱!! Now I look forward to seeing these fruits turning brown like almonds. 

A cicada shell on Japanese snowbell fruit　エゴノキの実とセミの抜け殻

Pretty & Gross - Galls on Japanese Snowbell😱 キモカワ - エゴノネコアシ😱

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

Something is pretty and GROSS, and Japanese snowbell is one such example. In May, it produces beautiful snow white flowers but a month later, it produces not only beautiful pale green fruits but also something looking like flower buds. Don't be deceived, however. They're galls of Ceratovacuna nekoashi.

A gall is an abnormal, localized outgrowth or swelling of plant tissue caused by infection from bacteria, fungi, viruses, and nematodes or irritation by insects and mites (Britannica). And galls on Japanese snowbell trees are caused by APHIDS, meaning these green things which look like some flower buds contain many many aphids😱! If I hadn't known this, I must've touched them!

Galls on Japanese snowbell trees are called "Cat paws on Japanese snowbell" in Japanese and you can see why. The galls look like cat paws, but the name, which doesn't mention the important fact that they aren't cat paws or flowers but contain bugs😂, bothers me...

Ceratovacuna nekoashi エゴノネコアシ

A gall on Styrax japonicus  エゴノネコアシ

Styrax Japonicus 'Pink Chimes' (Pink Japanese Snowbell) 紅花エゴノキ（ピンクチャイム）

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

A few days ago, I wrote a post about Styrax japonicus or more commonly Japanese snowbell. They were snow white like its name says, so beautiful. Then a few days later, I found a Japanese snowbell tree with pink blossoms. I looked around to see if there were any other pink Japanese snowbell trees, but couldn't find one.   

Styrax japonicus 'Pink Chimes' 紅花エゴノキ

Pink Japanese snowbell エゴノキ（ピンクチャイム）

Japanese Snowbell Blossoms エゴノキが満開

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

I've used the terms "blossoms" and "full bloom" for cherry trees, but not for other plants. But these terms also fit Styrax japonicus or more commonly Japanese snowbell, don't they? I was lucky. The day after I took these photos, most of the blossoms were gone due to strong winds.  

 

Japanese snowbell エゴノキ

Styrax japonicus エゴノキ

Styrax japonicus エゴノキ

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「満開」という言葉は桜に使うものだと思っていましたが、エゴノキにもぴったりですね。ただ、この写真を撮った翌日には強風であらかた散ってしまいました。

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Styrax Japonicus (Japanese Snowbell) 野茉莉（エゴノキ）

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

I enjoyed pretty tiny white flowers in April, and at that time I didn't expect such white flowers to become such tiny dark brown drupes in these photos. They are the drupes of styrax japonicus or Japanese snowbell although they're no longer "snowbell"😆 

The drupes are bitter and that's why the tree is called "bitter tree" in Japan. 

Styrax japonicus 野茉莉

Galls on Styrax Japonicus (Japanese Snowbell) are Cute but GROSS😱 エゴノネコアシはキモカワ😱

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

Do you know something cute but GROSS? This is a gall of ceratovacuna nekoashi on styrax japonicus or Japanese snowbell. A gall is an abnormal, localized outgrowth or swelling of plant tissue caused by infection from bacteria, fungi, viruses, and nematodes or irritation by insects and mites (Britannica). And galls on Japanese snowbell trees are caused by APHIDS, meaning these green things which look like some fruits or flower buds contain many many aphids😱! I didn't know that, so I almost touched the galls!

Galls on Japanese snowbell trees are called "Cat paws on Japanese snowbell" and I see why. The galls look like cat paws, but the name, which doesn't mention the important fact that they aren't cat paws or flowers but contain bugs😂, bothers me... 

A gall on Japanese snowbell エゴノネコアシ

Styrax Japonicus (Japanese Snowbell) エゴノキ

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

Many small buds were hanging from trees in my neighborhood. They were cream white and didn't much interest me, but one day the trees started to bloom, and the beautiful white color of the flowers caught my eye. They are styrax japonicus or Japanese snowbell.

  

The flowers hang from the tree 花は木からぶら下がる

Fruits of Japanese Camellia and Japanese Snowbell ツバキとエゴノキの実

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

I've often seen fruits recently. Do you know what they are?

  

It's not an apple! リンゴじゃありません！

But look like apples from a distance... 遠くからだとリンゴ｡｡｡

They are camellia fruits, which really surprised me. I didn't know that Japanese camellia bears such pretty fruits. The next question is below. Do you know what these fruits are? 

Their shape is like cherries 形はサクランボ

Is autumn coming? 秋の気配？

These are fruits of styrax japonica or Japanese snowbell, a pretty name, isn't it? But it's not like that in Japanese. Japanese snowbell is called "Egonoki," meaning "egui tree" or "acrid tree" after its taste. And it's actually not only acrid but also poisonous....😱 Japanese snowbell is another example of "Don't be fooled by the appearance" plants....

"Egui" originally means only acrid, but has changed to have various meanings, such as terrible, gross, and even ewww... People change and words change, too.... 

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赤い実は椿の実。椿がこんなリンゴみたいな実を付けるなんて知りませんでした。

緑のちっちゃいのはエゴノキの実。名前の由来は実の味が「えぐい」からだそうです。英語では「Japanese snowbell」。英語の方が圧倒的にカワイイ！でも実の味はえぐく、有毒だそうです。人、じゃなくて植物も見かけによりません😱

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