The Paperbush is Depreciable in Japan! ミツマタは減価償却します！

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

An Oriental paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha) tree has started to bud. The tree is called "mitsumata" because its stem is said to always split into three (mitsu) prongs (mata). Oops! I forgot to confirm that was true. 

The Oriental paperbush, kozo (Broussonetia), and gampi (Diplomorpha sikokiana) are known as the material for making washi or Japanese paper and the Oriental paperbush as the raw material for bank notes. The Oriental paperbush and kozo are depreciated over a useful life of five and nine years in Japan respectively while gampi isn't and I couldn't find out why only gampi is not.　

2025/1/3

2025/1/3

Oriental Paperbush (Edgeworthia Chrysantha) ミツマタ（三椏）

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

Oriental paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha) has started to bloom. It was raining and cold that day, so finding the yellow blooms, which are actually sepals, made me smile!

Oriental paperbush is in the same family as winter daphne (i.e., the Thymelaeaceae family), which makes sense. Their bud shapes resemble each other.

Oriental paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha)　ミツマタ（三椏）

Oriental Paperbush (Edgeworthia Chrysantha) ミツマタ（三椏）

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

These are buds of Oriental paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha). It was a bit early to see the full blooms, but I found a bud that has started to bloom, showing yellow sepals (not petals!; 3rd photo). 

As suggested by the name, Oriental paperbush is used in Japan to make bank notes and depreciates over a useful life of five years under corporate tax law!  

Oriental paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha)　ミツマタ（三椏）

A bud starting to bloom　咲き始め

Edgeworthia Chrysantha (Oriental Paperbush) 三椏（ミツマタ）

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

This is Edgeworthia chrysantha or more commonly known as Oriental paperbush. I've seen the flower buds several times but such open flowers for the first time.  

The flowers are yellow, but they have no petals. What look like the yellow petals are actually the inside of the calyx tubes. 

Edgeworthia chrysantha 三椏

Edgeworthia Chrysantha (Oriental Paperbush) 三椏（ミツマタ）

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

These are the flower buds of edgeworthia chrysantha or more commonly known as oriental paperbush. The plant is a kigo for early spring. Kigo is a word or phrase associated with a particular season used in traditional forms of Japanese poetry, such as haiku. So for me, oriental paperbush buds always herald the arrival of spring (although it's coldest in January and February in Japan). 

The plant is used to make Japanese paper and bank notes. Because of its importance, oriental paperbush is depreciated over five years as a depreciable asset under Japanese corporate tax law😊.  

Edgeworthia chrysantha 三椏

Edgeworthia (Paper Bush) ミツマタ（黄瑞香）

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

This is edgeworthia or paper bush in the neighborhood. I first saw paper bush last year at Ueno Peony Garden in Tokyo, so I went to the garden to see this plant again early January, but although I enjoyed more than 20 types of peonies, wintersweet and Japanese apricot, paper bush was not yet in bloom at that time. Then I happened to find this paper bush in my neighborhood in mid-January.     

Edgeworthia 三叉

Paper Bush Growing! ミツマタは成長してます！

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

I knew nothing about paper bush but the name when taking the first photo in January, and needless to say no idea about how it would be like when its flowers blossom. So I was glad to see the flowers (though in another place) again in half bloom late February.

Paper bush in Ueno peony garden in January

In February in neighborhood

People usually prefer flowers in full bloom to buds, but I believe that's not necessarily true to this plant. Paper bush buds are cuter or more kawaii than its blooming flowers, aren't they?

To tell you the truth, I had never been interested in paper bush or any other plants or flowers until a few years ago, but writing posts for this blog has changed me, opening my eyes and enabling me to appreciate something beautiful which is before me but which I wouldn't have noticed...

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一月に上野ぼたん苑で、変わった形をしたつぼみの写真を撮りました（1枚目）。それがミツマタでした。そして一月後、今度は咲いているのを見つけました（2枚目）。つぼみの方が断然可愛いような｡｡｡

ブログを書き始めて、周囲のものをちゃんと見るようになりました。ボーっと生きてました（チコちゃんに叱られる！）｡｡｡

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