Smiling Monkey Forest Tree (Magnolia Maudiae) ミヤマガンショウ（深山含笑）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Smiling monkey forest trees (Magnolia maudiae) are native to China but can be found in some places in Tokyo (although not as often as you would find Yulan magnolias). The smiling monkey forest tree produces white flowers from February to March in Tokyo. 

I did research about why the magnolia is called "smiling monkey forest tree" but couldn't find any good origin of the name. Interestingly, its Japanese name translates into "smiling flowers in deep mountains." Maybe everyone seeing the flower is reminded of someone's or monkeys' smiling face. 

2026/2/28

2026/2/28

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

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

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

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

Pink Star Magnolia (Magnolia Stellata) ベニシデコブシ（紅四手辛夷）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

The star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) is native to Japan, producing flowers ranging from white to pink. The flowers in these photos are pink ones.

2026/3/15

2026/3/20

Star Magnolia (Magnolia Stellata) シデコブシ（四手辛夷）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

The star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) is native to Japan, flowering in early spring. The plant resembles white magnolia (Yulan magnolia), but there are several differences. Star magnolia flowers are star-shaped and a little smaller than white magnolia. The way of flowering is also different, i.e., star magnolia flowers fully open while white magnolias only half open even when in full bloom. 

On 13 September 2025, I found something interesting. A star magnolia tree had several fruits beside another tree with many buds, one of which was half open (4th photo). This is, however, not unusual (at least in Japan). Magnolias are known to flower outside the flowering season due to unusual weather or other reasons. This magnolia tree may have produced buds and flowers in September because of the extremely hot summer this year.

2026/3/15

2024/3/19

White Magnolia (Yulan Magnolia) ハクモクレン（白木蓮）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Yulan magnolia (Magnolia denudata) is native to central and eastern China but now can be found across Japan and in many places in Tokyo. The tree flowers from February to April, the earliest among magnolias growing in Japan. The flower's pure white creates a brilliant contrast against the blue sky.  

2026/3/2

2024/3/12

2022/3/17

Purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora) シモクレン（紫木蓮）

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This is a purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora). I found this on a morning, but I was busy then, so I thought I would come back, finding all the flowers falling because of strong wind and rain the following morning.

Purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora)　シモクレン（紫木蓮）

Magnolia Grandiflora (Southern Magnolia) 泰山木（タイサンボク）

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

This is Magnolia grandiflora, commonly known as the southern magnolia, at Tennoji temple in Yanaka, Tokyo. I wrote about Magnolia grandiflora 'Exmouth' a week ago, but I can't tell the difference between this magnolia (i.e., with no 'Exmouth') and Magnolia grandiflora 'Exmouth.' 

Tennoji temple is between Ueno and Yanaka, a good route for a walk. You can enjoy art (i.e., several national museums), books (i.e., International Library of Children's Literature), temples (i.e., Kaneiji temple and the above mentioned Tennoji temple), and last but not least Yanaka Ginza or a commercial district where you can enjoy beer🍺, sake🍶, and traditional Japanese foods at tachinomiya, i.e., standing bars. 

Magnolia grandiflora (southern magnolia)　泰山木

Magnolia Grandiflora 'Exmouth' (Southern Magnolia) 細葉泰山木（ホソバタイサンボク）

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

This is Magnolia grandiflora 'Exmouth' or more commonly known as southern magnolia. As magnolias usually bear flowers high up on a tree, I was very happy to see a flower lower than my height and be able to photograph this elegantly blooming white magnolia that closely!! 

Southern magnolia is one of the last blooming magnolias. I saw other magnolias, such as Magnolia figo (banana shrub) and Magnolia denudata (yulan magnolia), this March and April.  

Magnolia grandiflora 'Exmouth'　細葉泰山木

Southern magnolia　ホソバタイサンボク

Magnolia Liliiflora (Purple Magnolia) 紫木蓮（シモクレン）

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

This is Magnolia liliiflora or more commonly known as purple magnolia. Flowers are usually prettier when they're open than closed, but that's not necessarily true of purple magnolia, is it? The magnolia in the third photo misses a petal, showing its inside. I felt that I was seeing something I shouldn't have.

Magnolia liliiflora 紫木蓮

Purple magnolia シモレクン

Magnolia Grandiflora 'Exmouth' (Southern Magnolia) 細葉泰山木（ホソバタイサンボク）

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

This is magnolia grandiflora 'Exmouth' (southern magnolia) in my neighborhood, one of the cultivars of magnolia grandiflora, which I saw at Tennoji temple a few weeks ago. Magnolia Exmouth has this name because this was developed in Exmouth, Devon.

Magnolia grandiflora 'Exmouth' 細葉泰山木

Magnolia Grandiflora (Southern Magnolia) 泰山木（タイサンボク）

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

This is a magnolia grandiflora or commonly known as southern magnolia tree at Tennoji temple in Ueno, Tokyo. Can you see how the flowers are big? 

Magnolia grandiflora tree at Tennoji temple 天王寺の泰山木

The flower of southern magnolia is big!! タイサンボクの花って大きい！

Magnolia Liliiflora (Mulan Magnolia) 紫木蓮（シモクレン）

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

What a surprise to see magnolia liliiflora grown that much while I was looking for cherry blossoms! I found these beautiful tulip-shaped purple flowers in not only my neighborhood but Tokyo National Museum. Magnolia liliiflora is known as Mulan magnolia or purple magnolia. 

Magnolia liliiflora in my neighborhood 近所の紫木蓮 

Magnolia liliiflora in Tokyo National Museum 東京国立博物館の紫木蓮

Deep Purple Magnolia Symbolizes Perseverance 紫木蓮の花言葉は「忍耐」

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

Japan has not issued a state of emergency yet but strongly requested people to stay at home unless essential. It's time to be resourceful, so I went through my photo archive and found these pictures.

Deep purple magnolia before blooming
紫木蓮

Deep purple magnolia about to bloom
紫木蓮

I have passed by this tree countless times, but hadn't noticed at all that the tree flowered. If I had to say something good about the coronavirus, it would be that the virus makes me more observant and cherish more what I have.

In the language of flowers, magnolia means "love of nature," "nobility," "perseverance" and "dignity."

In the Japanese language of flowers, it symbolizes "love of nature," "nobility" and "persistence."

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少し前、近所のスーパーからの帰り道に見つけた紫木蓮です。しょっちゅう通る道なのにその日まで気づきませんでした。コロナウィルスでよいことを一つどうしても挙げなければならないとすれば、周りのものをよく見るようになったこと、そして感謝の気持ちを持てるようになったことでしょうか。早く収束してほしい、それだけです。

海外での花言葉は「自然への愛」、「崇高」、「忍耐」、そして「威厳」。
日本の花言葉は「自然への愛」、「崇高」、「持続性」です。

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