Ornamental Kale/Cabbage ハボタン（葉牡丹）

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

This is an ornamental kale/cabbage. The ornamental kale is used for New Year decoration in Japan and because it's called "habotan," which means leaf peony in Japanese, I thought the kale was a type of peony in my childhood. Now I'm aware that this is a cabbage, but still intrigued by the gradient colors. 

Ornamental kale/cabbage　ハボタン（葉牡丹）

Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis) コチョウラン（胡蝶蘭）

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

I've realized that I love things protruding from the center of flowers and that's why the stamens and pistils of Christmas cactus and the callus of moth orchids caught my eye. Their shape is beautiful always intriguing me.   

The callus of a moth orchid　胡蝶蘭の突起

Japanese Laurel (Aucuba Japonica) 青木（アオキ）

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

These are fruits of Japanese laurel (Aucuba japonica). I was looking for its tiny star-shaped flowers at first, but I was mistaken. Japanese laurel flowers from April to May. Instead, however, I found these lovely fruits! 

Japanese laurel (Aucuba japonica)　アオキ（青木）

Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera) シャコバサボテン

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

This is Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera). I didn't like cacti or cyclamens that much for no reason, but when a friend of mine showed me them, my perception of the cactus changed because of such beautifully protruding stamens and pistils!  

Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)　シャコバサボテン

Cyclamens シクラメン

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

I don't know why but I didn't like cyclamens that much. But they're so red and beautiful that I couldn't help but photograph them. Cyclamens are not good for hospital patients in Japan because the flower is called "sikuramen" in Japanese and "si" means death and "ku" suffer.  

Tiny White Flowers 小さくて白い花

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

I googled what they were, but couldn't find out. All the flowers are gone in my neighborhood but sasanqua camellias and these tiny white flowers. 

Pink-Edged White Sasanqua Camellia 紅ぼかしの山茶花

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

These are pink-edged white sasanqua camellias grown by a friend of mine. I saw pink and white ones but pink-edged white ones for the first time this year. Pink wood sorrels I wrote about yesterday were under these sasanquas. 

Pink-edged white sasanqua camellia　紅ぼかしの山茶

Red-Flower Wood Sorrel (Oxalis Bowiei) ハナカタバミ（花酢漿草）

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

These are red-flower wood sorrels (Oxalis bowiei), growing in the pot for sasanqua camellias. A friend of mine loves growing plants and showed her sasanqua camellias but my attention was drawn to these tiny pink flowers.

Red-flower wood sorrel (Oxalis bowiei)　ハナカタバミ（花酢漿草）

Solanum Nigrum (Black Nightshade) 犬酸漿（イヌホオズキ）

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

Black nightshade flowers usually from August to September and now it's late December. This black nightshade has been hanging in there as the greater periwinkle I saw a few days ago. I love the black nightshade's white, yellow and green contrast.

Solanum nigrum (black nightshade)　犬酸漿（イヌホオズキ）

Greater Periwinkle (Vinca Major) ツルニチニチソウ（蔓日々草）

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

I found only two flowers and that's understandable. Greater periwinkle (Vinca major) flowers usually from spring to early summer. Though being warm on some days, it's winter in Tokyo. Flowers in such a beautiful color, like these, always make me smile.       

Greater periwinkle (Vinca major)　ツルニチニチソウ（蔓日々草）

Autumn Leaves and Blue Sky 紅葉と青空

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

I went somewhere and found them. It was a very sunny day. These autumn leaves were so red against the background of the blue sky.