A Queen of the Night （月下美人）

A Queen of the Night (or GEKKA-BIJIN月下美人 in Japanese)
This white flower (about 15～17cm in diameter and 1m in height ) is a type of CUCTUS and native to Mexico.
As it name, the flower only blooms during the night and wilts before sunrise. When bloomed, the flower gives off a good smell around. The blooming season is in early summer till the end of Autumn.
(The photo attached was taken in May 2024 in front of my house)

Ginger Lily

In mid September 2022, many white flowers like white butterflies bloomed in front of my yard. They are Ginger Lily flowers. This flower is native to India and southern Asia areas. Ginger Lily came over to Japan in Edo period, about 200 years ago. There is a good and sweet smell drifting around the flower.

Gazania

Gazania flowers、commonly known as the treasure flowers, bloomed in a planter-pot of my garden (June 2022). Gazania flowers are native to South Africa and came to Japan in early 1900th.　The flowers bloom for a long time of period in Summer. Gazania flowers have many kind of colors such as orange, white ,pink, yellow,etc., so they are so gorgeous just like their common name.

Mosquito repellant plant

As the name says, this plant keep the mosquito away from the plant and around. If you rub the leaf of the plant, the strong smell comes out of the plant ,which the mosquito dislikes. Bloom is in April ～July. The plant grows up to 60 to 90cm in height .

Dahlia Imperialis( or Tree Dahlia)

In the middle of November,2021, the flowers of Dahlia imperialis (or Tree dahlia) came out in my garden, as in every year. The height is 5m20cm. As shown in the picture, it is so magnificent. As its name, Dahlia Imperialis is just the king of dahlia.
It is said that Dahlia Imperialis came to Japan from Central America, such as Mexico.

Beach Vitex (はまごう in Japanese)

At around Igaiga-Ne of Jogasaki coast, Ito city, or Kasago-Ne of Hashidate area, there is a spot where we can see Beach Vitex flowers in every July till September. Beach vitex flower is one of the famous beach-flowers in Jogasaki coast. It is dark purple color flower with strong smell of its leaves. The beach vitex can be used as medicine for fever or headache . -

Clivia (君子蘭 Kunshi-Ran)

In front of the entrance of my house, CLIVIA flowers bloomed in the middle of April 2021, as usual in every year. They are specially beautiful in this year, with brilliantly deep orange- red color.
This flower is originated in south Africa and came to Japan in Meiji era (about 150 years ago).
Japanese name is Kunshi-Ran, meaning a noble person’s orchid.
(It is said that the English name “CLIVIA” is named as a lady duke Mrs.Charlotte Clive firstly imported and planted this flower in England )
Blooming season is April to May. This flower does not like direct sunshine.

Anemone (or Windflower)

Anemone flowers in a pot bloomed beautifully in this early spring of 2021. Anemone is native mostly to the Mediterranian. The clolor of Anemone flower is various, such as red, white, blue, purple, or pink.

Daphne(Jin-choo-ge in Japanese)

In the mid-spring, Daphne flower is already in bloom in my garden.
This flower is one of the 3 famous flowers that give us very very sweet smell aroud it.
Purple-pink (inside) and white (outside) flower, about 4-5 cm in dia.
This flower said to have come from China in Muromachi era to Japan.
It is a ever-green tree with about 1 to 1.5m high.
Normally, it blooms in spring.

Ruellia brittoniana（ 柳葉ルイラ草）

This evergreen shrub ,known as Common ruellia, or Mexican petunia, bears many purple or blue petunia-like flowers from mid spring until the end of autumn. The flower is very much like a flower of egg-plant. But the blooming of each flower is only for one day long. The plants are native to Mexico. The height of the shrub is about 30 to 90cm, with leaves of 15cm long and 1cm wide. The plant is very strong and never die even in the winter time. The photo was taken near my garden in mid September 2020.

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Pentas flowers

Tinny, cute and star-shaped red flowers, Pentas flowers.
They are also known by various names such as Star Clusters or Egyptian Star Flowers. They are native to Yemen and East Africa. Tropical and evergreen plants.
This plant is originally an evergreen bush tree of 2-3m high.
But people enjoy planting them in small container or in their garden, in which case they are as small as 30-40 cm high, with the flowers of about 1-1.5cm diameter. Their color is normally red, white and pink.
The flowers bloom in May to November.
(This photo was taken in July 2020 near the entrance of my house)

JACARANDA

Jacaranda is native to Brazil or other South American countries.
It is best known for producing a beautiful display of bright purple or blue flowers in early summer. The Jacaranda tree grows up to 10m or more in hight, with many feather-shaped leaves and so elegant blue-purple flowers.
In Japan Jacaranda is not so common flower, but you can see many Jacaranda trees along the beach way of Atami city,Shizuoka prefecture, which are presented from its sister-city in Portugal.

Chinese trumpet vine（ノウゼンカズラ）

There is a flower that blooms bright orange in early summer.
It is Chinese trumpet vine.
It is said the flower came to Japan in Henan era(about 1,000 years ago) from China. It is a kind of vine growers with 5 to 6 m of the height and many many bright orange flowers, which are
just like a trumpet. It is a summer flower blooming June till September.
The photos attached were taken at Yawatano, Ito, near Tajima junior high school

Spring has come

Even in the midst of the coronavirus spread worldwide , spring has come as usual.

Christmas rose (or Winter rose)

Japanese famous Karaoke song, Sasanqua Hotel", says Sasanqua is red and blooms in winter, namely, it is a winter flower. This Christmas rose is a winter flower, too,and blooms in the Christmas season up until February to early March. It is, however, not red ,but white. And it is evergreen plant.