Flowers of Japanese Spirea

Japanese Spirea is deciduous shrub and grows 1m (40 inches) height and width in full sun or partial shade area. Japanese Spirea has pink cluster flowers in late spring to summer and attract bees, butterflies and birds well. Japanese Spirea is native to Japan.

Flower of Gardenia

Gardenia is an evergreen shrub and blooms strong fragrant white flowers in early summer. There are over 140 Gardenia species over the world and most of them grow 2m (6~7 feet) height and width. This plant is loved by many gardeners because of its fragrance. In Japan also Gardenia is popular and we call it as “Kuchinashi (梔子)” and we have popular song of “Kuchinashi”. Here you can see another picture of Gardenia.

Flowers of Bigleaf Hydrangea

Bigleaf Hydrangea is a deciduous shrub and grows rapidly 1.8m (6 feet ) height and width. There are many cultivated Hydrangeas and probably the Bigleaf Hydrangea is most popular Hydrangea in the world. Even though Bigleaf Hydrangea prefers full sun or partial shade area this plant can grow in shaded area too and blooms several different color flowers, which forms large round clusters, in summer. The colors of flower depend on type of soil where Bigleaf Hydrangeas are planted. Bigleaf Hydrangea is native to Japan.

Flowers of Confederate Jasmine

Confederate Jasmine is native to Japan and China. This evergreen vine clamber reach 6m (20 feet) height or more rapidly in full sun or partial shade area and bloom white fragrant flowers in late spring to early summer. Confederate Jasmine is often planted in pot as indoor plant even though this plant prefers sun light.

Flower of Kousa Dogwood

Kousa Dogwood is also called as Japanese Flowering Dogwood (we call this tree as “Yama Boushi” 山法師 in Japan and the fruits of Kousa Dogwood are often used for making fruit liquor). Kousa Dogwood is a deciduous tree and blooms flowers in late spring or early summer after leaves come out. Flowers of this tree are very showy and preferred as landscaping plants. As you can see the shape of petal like parts of the flower are a little different from regular Flowering Dogwood.

Mizuna - Japanese Mustard Green

Mizuna (水菜) is a kind of vegetable and popular in Japan. Mizuna is one of easy to grow vegetable and relatively tolerant for cold weather. Even though this vegetable is called as Japanese Mustard Green in English, but is not hot at all. Mizuna is one of my favorite vegetable.

Flower Buds Slender Deutzia

Slender Deutzia has showy fragrant white flowers in spring to summer. This shrub is low maintenance shrub and grows to 1.2m (4 feet) height and width in full sun or partial shade area and prefers to form group. Slender Deutzia is often used as border or foundation plants. Slender Deutzia is native to Japan.

Flowers of Siebold Viburnum

Siebold Viburnum is deciduous shrub and grows to 6m (20 feet) height and 4.5m (15 feet) width. Siebold Viburnum has showy white cluster flowers in spring as you can see on this picture and flowed by red showy berries in autumn. This shrub is easy to grow and used as border, screen and specimen plant and attract birds well. Siebold Viburnum is native to Japan.

Flowers of Dwarf Courtesy Leaf

These tiny green flowers are Dwarf Courtesy Leaf flowers. Dwarf Courtesy Leaf is evergreen compact shrub and grows 90cm (3 feet) height and 1.5m (5 feet) width. This shrub is native to Japan.

Variegated Solomon's Seal

Variegated Solomon’s Seal is perennial herbaceous plant and forms colony with its root system. This plant prefers to grow in shade area. Variegated Solomon’s Seal has white flowers (as you can see on the picture) in spring and they are lined tidily along the stem so they are beautiful with its variegated leaves. Variegated Solomon’s Seal is native to Japan.