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

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

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

2026/5/9