Spectrum colors of 南京櫨, Chinese Tallow Tree

The foliage of 南京櫨 (Nankin-haze), Triadica Sebifera, or Chinese Tallow tree, is spectacular in autumn!   The bright green leaves turn crimson with some yellow, orange, purple, and red foliage.

Nankin-haze thrives in climates with mild winters and commonly grows all over Japan.  “It is native to eastern Asia, and is most commonly associated with China, Taiwan, and Japan.  In these regions, the waxy coating of the seeds is used for candle and soap making.” according to  Wikipedia.  It is fast-growing and hardy, disease free and drought tolerant, once established.

I like viewing Nankin-haze foliage at Daibutsu-ike Pond, Ukigumo Garden, Tobihino Field, and Ara-ike Pond, in Nara Park. 

大仏池/ Daibutsu-ike Pond

Great Buddha Hall of Todai-ji Temple, the largest wooden structure in the world

The red tree is Nankin-haze.  It looks simply red but when you approach, you'll see various different colors.



opposite side of the pond

浮雲園地/Ukigumo Garden

Ukigumo literally means "floating clouds".



Many massive Nankin-haze are found at this area.

Again, this is the charm of Nankin-haze, a multitude of various different colors at one tree at the same time.

This guy is quite handsome, isn’t he?

 

Lower foliage is turning colors.

Foliage is feast to our eyes and nuts are feast for the birds.  

Deer are always photogenic. 

飛火野/Tobihino Field

Landmark tree of Tobihino, three weeks ago

飛火野　Tobihino is the field at the foot of Mt. Kasuga spreading on the south of the approach to Kasuga Shrine. It was originally called “Tobuhino” in a tanka poems of Kokin Wakashu.  (Masashi Sada sings its right name “Tobuhino” in his music “Mahoroba”.)   Different from Ukigumo Garden, people are relatively sparse all the year round.

Another Nankin-haze in Tobihino is ablaze in the late afternoon sun.

荒池/Ara-ike Pond

Ara-ike Pond is a reservoir whose source is 率川 Isagawa River which originates on Mt. Mikasa.  The history of the pond is unclear, but one theory states that Hidenaga Toyotomi, the feudal lord of Nara, ordered construction of a pond in 1589.

East side of the pond

One part of this road is a bridge over the pond.  

West side of the pond

Many young Nankin-haze are growing out of the seeds dispersed by birds along the edge of the pond.  

The brilliance of their colors is clearly visible even at the time when it is getting dark.

Right after the sunset.

Five-story Pagoda of Kofuku-ji Temple from Ara-ike

Ara-ike Pond is one of the places I feel “autumn is best at dusk”.  I hope you could enjoy various colorful expression of Nankin-haze foliage which I'm so enchanted.

For your intersts, sorry only in Japanese.

「飛火」の字が当てられていますが、本当は「烽」の字を当てるらしく、「烽－とぶひ」は「烽火－のろし」のことで、律令制のもと外敵の襲来などの変事を都に急報するために、のろしの設備が置かれたというのが地名の由来のようです。

若菜つむ　袖とぞ見ゆる　春日野の　とぶひの野べの　雪のむらぎえ　　　　紀貫之

春日野の　とぶひののもり　いでてみよ　今いくかありて　若菜つみてん