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Monday, June 24, 2013

Full blooming Shichidanka hydrangeas at Mt. Rokko

 
七段花 Shichidanka , or Hydrangea serrata f. prolifera, are at their best now at Mt. Rokko. They belong to "mountain hydrangeas".
 

 
In Hydrangea macrophylla native to Japan, I wrote about hydrangeas which was introduced to Europe in Flora Japonica by Siebold.  Remember?  Shichidanka is one of them.
 
 
"Hydrangea stellate" named by Siebold is unresolved and is thought synonymous with Hydrangea serrata f. prolifera, or Shichidanka.
 

 
Shichidanka had not been really seen anywhere until it was discovered in the Rokko Mountains in 1959 after about 130 years of Siebold’s Flora Japonica.  The discovered Shichidanka has grown multiplied by planting cuttings.  (Shichidanka in Japanese)
 


They are modest-looking with small flowers on the slim stems.  When blooming in mass, the sight is really something. The ground was covered by the soft purple or blue flowers and lush green leaves. 
 
 
 
I walked in the woods under the overcast right after three consecutive rainy days after long hot and dry days. I was welcomed by the rejuvenated nature. 
 


 
These red fruits of ウスラヒョウタンボク, Lonicera cerasina Maxim、are lovely to see but poisonous to eat.

This is a maple seed after flower. It looks like wings of dragonfly or propeller.  The maple seed falls slowly in a spiral. 
 




Hase-ike Pond is always magically enchanting.

 

 
Egg sack of Forest Green Tree Frog

 
How cute! 


Climbing hydrangeas are over.
 
 

Anabelles are turning into pristine white from greenish white.

 
At Mt. Rokko, different varieties of hydrangeas bloom one after another from mid-June to mid-July, later than other places on the lower altitude.
 

 Shichidanka is in full bloom now.

36 comments:

  1. Your blog is are beautiful.
    When I see your pictures I feel peace.
    Thank you for update your blog ^^

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  2. beautiful, delicate blossoms! loved the tiny frog, too. but really loved the water reflections and lilies!

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  3. You have a magical eye, stardust, and find the most wonderful scenes in nature! I love how the rain cuddles to the bottom of the beautiful but poisonous berry. The rippling water makes reflections seem like impressionist paintings. And it is lovely how the people in your picture are also enchanted by what they see.

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  4. Gracias por mostrarme tu mundo de las hortensias... en mi Jardín, las mías... están en plena floración, Bss

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  5. Hej Yoko, such beautiful pictures. Yes, that little green frog is so cute, it is a perfect little creature; looks almost like porcelaine. It must be a great experience to visit that mountain and see all those beautiful flowers. The picture with the reflections in the water is like a Monet-painting.
    Thank you for sharing.
    Grethe ´)

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  6. Maravilloso y exuberante reportaje.
    Un abrazo.

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  7. Vilken liten söt hortensia. Det är en favorit här hos mig på kolonin.Våra har större blommor på
    grenarna tänk om den kunde växa här då skulle jag vilja ha en sån. liten goding.
    Ha en fin vecka
    kram Meta

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  8. Ślicznie wygladają dzikie hortensje. Ich widok rosnacych w dużej ilości jest cudny. Nasiona klonów jak dziecko przyklejam na swój nos i były dwa nosy :). Pozdrawiam serdecznie.
    Lookin pretty wild hydrangeas. Their view-growing in large quantities is wonderful. Seeds of clones as a child I stick to your nose and there were two noses :). Yours sincerely.

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  9. Hello Yoko, The rain refreshed the flowers and berries. The Shichidanka is so delicate - how lovely to see the pale colors against the greenery. Your pond and lily pad photos look very Monet.

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  10. Dear Yoko, great to look at your photos, your photographic interpretation of (Japanese) springtimė bloom. It's refreshingly different from my style of photography. At the end they are just two ways of expressing the miracle of nature!

    All the best for the rest of this week,
    Uwe.

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  11. What lovely and lush greenery with gorgeous flowers. And the rain makes those red berries so beautiful.

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  12. Thanks for educating me, Yoko! I'm so ignorant in botany, your posts are a joy to read. Useful joy! As a linguist I loved the word "Shichidanka" =)

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  13. What a beautiful flower! In addition, the green frog is so lovely that my daughters want to catch it. :)

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  14. What a pleasant promenade ! Love the pictures and your educational notes...
    Have a nice day !
    Anna

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  15. Glad to hear you finally got some rain. Such delightful photographs. The ones with the water droplets on the red fruit are stunning. And the lily pond looks like a Monet painting!

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  16. Absolutely lovely. I love the way you describe the flowers.... you are truly in love with the blossoms! My friends are visiting Japan in October for 10 days, how I wish I could join them!

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  17. ╮✿✿ °•.¸

    Fotografias belíssimas!!!!
    °º✿
    ❤♫ Beijinhos.
    °º♡

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  18. Hi, Stardust,
    六甲山の中にこんなに可愛い花々に囲まれた場所があるのですね。隠れたスポットかしら。今にもポトリンコンと落ちそうなしずく、白いアジサイが特にお気に入りです。ようやく雨が降りましたね。今の時期にピッタリのポストです。
    良い週末を!

    朋子

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  19. Hello Yoko!
    I'm pleased to hear you've had some rain! The delicate wild hydrangeas are very beautiful. Thank you for showing the tree frog and it's egg sack,I haven't seen this before,there's always something new to learn.
    My favourite photo is 11 .... love the light behind leaves in 8 and 9 too!

    Happy weekend,
    Ruby

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  20. 今日は。Rumaさんのコメント欄からお邪魔し美しい写真の数々に魅せられました。
    この記事では特に水面の写真にしびれました。ブックーマークして過去の記事をゆっくり拝見していきたいです。

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  21. I love the photo of the green frog all tucked up for a snooze. It look so lovable, and so deserving of a cuddle. The Hase-ike Pond is with the lily pads and the reflected red maple leaves is so enchanting - reminds me of Monet's water lily painting.

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  22. 次から次へと咲くあじさいは長い間楽しめて、いいですね。赤いかわいい実が毒せいとは。それにしても雨が植物たちを生き生きさせて、よかったです。
    Have a nice weekend!

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  23. Lovely pleasing post, really enjoyed my visit.

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  24. I love hydrangeas. They are not fashionable in the UK but I don’t care. I have the wall-climbing one and four others, all ordinary ones, nothing as beautiful as your delicate hydrangea. Here they flower towards autumn, mine have no blossom yet.

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  25. I'm doing my usual weekend catching-up. :)

    Shichidanka are interesting: they look like hydrangeas but they don't look like hydrangeas. I wish I could see them in a natural setting!

    My favourite photos in this post are the reflections in the water. So beautiful!

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  26. Fico muito encantada em vir aqui.
    Tudo é belíssimo.

    Lindos dias.

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  27. おはようございます。

    七段花、六甲の名物ですね。とても美しく撮れてます! 紫陽花は六甲に似合って、市の花。やっぱり神戸はいいですね。山あり海ありでね。Yokoさんのところでいつも楽しんでいます。

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  28. Yokoさん こんにちは
    こちらに来させて頂くと、すぐに六甲山に溢れる緑と自然の中へ飛んでいけるようで、そこに憩う人々のように清々しい気持ちになれます。紫陽花が咲く頃、緑と土から溢れる深い独特の香り、ふっと私の脳内の記憶から蘇るようです。六甲山 私も大好きです。

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  29. ¸.•°♡♡♫° ·.

    Uma ótima semana!
    Beijinhos do Brasil.
    ¸.•°❤❤♫° ·.

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  30. This area at Mt. Rokko is a truly magical place! There is such a fine delicacy to all of your stunning photographs. The hydrangea blooms are so very lovely, as are the lush green plant leaves. I love the serenity of the reflection images ... so very beautiful. The sweet green tree frog brought a big smile to my face. A most glorious post!

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  31. Sorry my dear FRIEND Yoko, I'm late.
    We are at sea with the kids and little Magda and do not have time for blokingk.
    Your photographs are excellent, as always!
    In Greece we have hydrangea blue and red ACCORDING TO the pH.
    I send you my love, lots of kisses to all and especially the your grandchildren.

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  32. °º✿✿ Bom fim de semana!!!
    °º✿ Tudo de bom!!!!
    º° ✿♥ ♫° ·. Beijinhos do Brasil.

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  33. Your posts are always a feast for the eyes. And they make me wish I could be there and utilize my other senses, too. There is so much to see; the flowers are all gorgeous. Hydrangeas do prosper here and are one of my favorite flowers. Love those red berries, too. That is a superb photo. They look enticingly edible, but evidently it's best not to eat them. I love the shot of the people overlooking the water. It's a wonderful composite of different kinds of people with different clothing and interests. The little green frog is so well camouflaged, I'm surprised you even saw it!

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