Rhodotypos scandens (シロヤマブキ)

Flowers of rhodotypos scandens are in bloom next to #224 in HOSHINOYA. Since this tree is planted at the corner of the road, I barely missed crashing the car into it a few days ago. The Japanese name of this is shiro-yamabuki, meaning “white Kerria japonica.” However, this flower is not in the family of Kerria. It was named just because its appearance is similar to Kerria japonica. Then, how can we distinguish them? Well, see their petals and you’ll see the difference. Kerria japonica is a five-petaled flower. In contrast, rhodotypos scandens has only four petals.

星のや水波224号室の横に咲いている、シロヤマブキです。角に咲いているから、数日前 運転中危うくぶつかりそうになったお花です(笑)ヤマブキという名前がついているのですが、実は似ているだけでヤマブキとは全くの別物。ヤマブキとシロヤマブキの見分け方のポイントは、ヤマブキの花は5弁なのに対し、シロヤマブキの花は4弁だということ！覚えておいたら、豆知識になるかも♪

Trigonotis guilielmii (タチカメバソウ)

After crossing two bridges at HOSHINOYA, you will see trigonotis guilielmii flowers growing in colonies near the mountain villa. Actually, it was very difficult to take a nice picture of them since these tiny flowers were swaying in the breeze all the time. Later, I looked them up in my illustrated book and laughed. The author complains the same thing!  (The author wrote he took more than 30 minutes to take one nice picture!) Its Japanese name, tachikameba-sou, came from the fact that it leaves looks like a turtle shell. Well, I remember for sure that viburnum furcatum also has exactly the same origin!

星のや内の橋を2つ渡った、山路地のお部屋近くに群がって咲いているのはタチカメバソウ。お花が小さいうえに、ずっと風で揺れているから写真を撮るのが一苦労。帰って図鑑で調べてみたら、図鑑の筆者も「写真を撮るのが難しい。」って書いているものだから、つい笑ってしまった！葉っぱの形が亀の甲羅に似ているから、タチカメバソウというのです。あれ？そういえば、少し前に書いたオオカメノキも同じ名前の由来だったぞ…(笑)

Lily of the valley (スズラン)

We can see pretty lily-of-the-valley flowers at the corner of the mountain villa in HOSHINOYA Karuizawa. Despite its pretty appearance, this flower is actually toxic. I’ve heard that there are many lily-of-the-valley swaying at the ranch because cows don’t graze this flower. They are clever enough to know that it is poisonous. In Europe, this flower is a symbol of spring. Also, people believe that it signifies the return of happiness. In France, for example, people often give bouquets of lily-of-the-valley flowers to other people in order to express their gratitude.

星のや軽井沢の山路地のお部屋の角にスズランが咲いています。こんなに可愛いのにスズランは有毒！牧場では他の草は全くないのに、スズランだけ沢山咲いているようです。牛にとっても有毒だからですね。ヨーロッパではスズランは春のシンボル。幸せを呼ぶ花と言われていて、フランスではお世話になった人にスズランの花を贈る、『スズランの日 (5/1)』もあるそうです。

Red clover (アカツメクサ)

Red clover is a flower which can be often seen in Karuizawa in May. It is quite similar to white clover, but the color is not white but pink. It looks like one round flower, but in fact, it is composed of a number of tiny flowers. Red clover is not the Japanese indigenous flower; it was imported from overseas as grass in the Meiji period. It has gradually spread around the country, and that’s why we can see red clovers here.

軽井沢で歩いていると、よく見かけるお花です。シロツメクサによく似ているピンク色のアカツメクサ。実は、小さな花がたくさん集まって一つの花のように見えるのです。牧草として明治期に輸入されたものが日本中に広がったのだそう！

Viburnum furcatum (オオカメノキ)

This is a picture of viburnum furcatum blooming near a mountain villa at HOSHINOYA. Japanese name of this flower is o-kamenoki which literally means a tree of big turtle, as its leaves look like a turtle shell. It has two flowers; big flower and small flower. Can you see small flowers surrounded by big ones?  As a matter of fact, these small ones are true flowers and the bigger ones are just the decoration since they don’t bear a fruit!

星のやの山路地に咲いているオオカメノキ。葉っぱが亀の甲羅のようだから、オオカメノキです。大きな花と小さな花が咲きます。大きな花の周りに小さな花が点々と咲いているのが分かりますか？実は、本物の花は小さい方で、大きい方は実を実らせない「装飾花」。つまり、ただの飾りのお花ってことです！

Ajuga reptans (セイヨウジュウニヒトエ)

Flowers of ajuga reptans are blooming near the stairs next to #210. I didn’t know that it has such a long name! People in the past thought that it looks like Juni Hitoe, a twelve-layered costume worn by court ladies in the Heian period in Japan. That’s why we call this flower “juni hitoe” in Japanese. Do they look alike?

210号室の近くにある階段にはセイヨウジュウニヒトエがたくさん咲いています。ずっと気になってたのだけど、こんなに長い名前だったのか！花が重なって咲くようすを平安貴族の女性の正装の十二単に例えてこの名前がつきました。・・・似てるかなぁ？(笑)

Caulophyllum robustum (ルイヨウボタン)

This is the flower of Caulophyllum robustum. According to my illustrated book of plants, this flower is classified as green flowers. But for me, the color is not green, but yellow… The Japanese name of this flower is “ruiyo-botan,” which means that leaves are similar to those of peony. You can find Caulophyllum robustum at Karuizawa National Wild Bird Sanctuary Forest now.

こちらはルイヨウボタンの花です。図鑑では緑の花に分類されていましたが、私にはどうも黄色に見える…。(笑)漢字で書くと「類葉牡丹」。葉が牡丹に似ている、という意味です。葉っぱがシャープでとても綺麗！野鳥の森を散策すれば、出会うことができるお花です。

Japanese bird cherry (ウワミズザクラ)

When you walk from Tonbo-no-yu (a hot spring bath) to HOSHINOYA in this season, you will find fluff blowing in the wind. Is that the dandelion puff ? No, they are actually flowers of prunus grayana, often known as Japanese bird cherry. Although it doesn’t look like a cherry blossom, it is a true member of cherry family. It has unique flowers which look like a brush. It is recorded that people in the past used to use this tree to predict their future. In Nigata Prefecture, buds of Japanese bird cherry are eaten by pickling in salt!

今の時期にトンボの湯から星のやまでの道を歩いていると、綿毛がフワフワ舞っています。タンポポの綿毛？と思っていたのですが、実はこの犯人はウワミズザクラ。桜っぽくないけど桜の仲間なんです。ブラシみたいな形をしたお花がすごくユニーク！漢字で書くと「上溝桜」。昔、この樹の上面に溝を彫って亀甲占いをしていたことからこの名前がついたのです。新潟県ではこの桜の蕾を塩漬けにした「アンニンゴ」と呼ばれる食べ物もあるんだって！

Kerria Japonica(ヤマブキ)

In this season of fresh green, we can find beautiful Kerria japonica in Karuizawa! On my way to work, I always see pretty Japanese Kerria ‘Pleniflora’ flowers peeping through the black fence of HOSHINOYA.

Japanese people named this flower yamabuki since its branches swing in the wind. This flower has been loved by Japanese since ancient times. The flower meaning of Kerria japonica is “luck with money,” “royalty,” and “sublimity.” This comes from a legend; A person in the past accidentally dropped coins in the valley, but these coins changed into flowers of Kerria japonica.

今、軽井沢ではヤマブキが見頃です。星のやの黒い塀から顔を出している八重山吹が可愛い！
ヤマブキは元々「山振き」と書きました。細くしなやかな枝が風に揺れる様子から、このように呼ばれたそうです。昔から日本人に愛されてきたお花です。花言葉は「金運」、「気品」、「崇高」。谷底に落とした金貨がヤマブキに変わった、という言い伝えが由来しています。

Trillium tschonoskii (シロバナエンレイソウ)

I found a funny flower at Karuizawa National Wild Bird Sanctuary Forest. A small white flower blooms through three big leaves. My botanical book says this flower is trillium tschonoskii. Interestingly enough, every part of this flower is composed of multiples of three. This means that it has 3 leaves, 3 calyxes, and 6 stamens… What is more, the tip of the pistil will be separated into three!

野鳥の森で変なお花発見！！！３つの大きな葉っぱの間から白い小さなお花が咲いています。図鑑で調べてみると、このお花はシロバナエンレイソウ。エイレンソウは何から何まで３の倍数で作られているんです。つまり、葉は３枚、ガクも３枚で、雄しべは６つ。雌しべの先も３つに分かれるんですよー！