The woodland elaeocarpus (Elaeocarpus sylvestris) is native to eastern Asia and can be found across Japan. What I like best about the tree is its spin mop-like flowers, which bloom from June to August in Japan. (Scroll down!)
The tree is named "horuto no ki" in Japanese, which translates into "Portugal tree," after an innocent mistake made by Gennai Hiraga (1728 - 1780), a famous Japanese pharmacologist, student of Rangaku (i.e., western learning), physician, author, painter, and inventor (in short, a genius!) in the Edo period (1603-1858). He mistook this tree for an olive tree, which was then called "Portugal tree." Even Homer sometimes nods. Gennai isn't an exception😉!
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| 2026/6/22 |
