Lespedeza (Bush Clovers) 萩（ハギ）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

The bush clover is native to east Asia and can be found across Japan. It's known as an autumn plant in Japan and its Japanese name "hagi" is a kigo or a seasonal word or phrase associated with a particular season used in traditional forms of Japanese poetry for autumn, but bush clovers actually flower from July to September and I once found a tree flowering in December (scroll down).

Bush clovers are known to produce pink flowers but they also have white flowers (Lespedeza buergeri) and some (Lespedeza  japonica bailey cv. versicolor) produce pink and white flowers on the same tree. 

2026/6/27

Pink and White Bush Clovers (Lespedeza Buergeri) キハギ（木萩）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Pink and white bush clovers (Lespedeza buergeri) can be found across Japan. Generally, bush clovers produce pink/purple flowers but this type produces flowers which have the large white upper petal (banner) with a base and the two side petals (wings) both of which are purple.

2025/10/18

2025/10/18

White Bush Clovers with a Pale Grass Blue Butterfly 白萩と大和小灰蝶（ヤマトシジミ）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is white bush clover with a pale grass blue butterfly on it. Pink bush clovers are common across Japan, so I was lucky to see the white ones plus such a beautiful butterfly on it😊! Although you may not be able to see in the picture, the butterfly, as the name suggests, is pale blue and beautiful! 

2023/11/20

Lespedeza Japonica Bailey cv. Versicolor (Variegated Bush Clover) 染め分け萩（ソメワケハギ）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is lespedeza japonica Bailey cv. Versicolor or variegated bush clover at Tokyo National Museum. I've seen bush clovers with pink flowers, and I knew bush clovers have white flowers. I also knew that a peach and a Japanese apricot tree have red and white flowers on the same tree. But I didn't know that bush clovers can also have pink and white flowers on the same tree!!

It was my first visit to the museum for the last six months. I hadn't gone out for nearly half a year except for an early morning walk until yesterday, hoping that the Covid-19 situation would be better this autumn, but obviously it's not. Covid-19 positive cases in Japan/Tokyo "officially" have decreased, but severe cases are still more than the peak of the fourth wave. The reason is that the number of "known" cases may have decreased, but total cases including hidden ones must've increased, resulting in the increased severe cases and the collapse of the medical system in Tokyo and other areas. 

Japan is planning to lift the state of emergency on October 1 because of the "apparent" decrease in positive cases, but this means people, whether vaccinated or not, will start going out to enjoy eating and drinking. That's why I went to the museum before that happens. And sadly, I won't likely be able to go out for a while or don't know when I'll be able to visit the museum next time.      

Lespedeza japonica Bailey cv. Versicolor 染め分け萩

   

Variegated bush clover ソメワケハギ