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posted: March 31st, 2013 |
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This page begins with March 20th and a bicycle ride to the International Christian University (ICU) to check on the progress of the Cherry Blossoms and then to Nogawa Park to check on the progress of spring flowers. Then we take you to Mt. Takao and Hikage Creek on March 22nd for a check on the progress of spring flowers there too. Click on any thumbnail to begin.
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| Begin March 20th |
On March 20th Kazuya and I went, on our bicycles, to the International Christian University (ICU). That is only a 5 minute ride from our apartment and we wanted to check on the Cherry Blossoms seeing as it was unseasonably warm on the few days before that. The first shot is a nice pink Cherry Tree. The 2nd and 3rd photos were taken looking down the entry road. The 2nd shot is somewhat zoomed in and the 3rd photo is less zoomed in.
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 Mar20_02_ ICU_CherryRC |
 Mar20_06_ ICU_CherryRC |
 Mar20_07_ ICU_CherryRC |
The first shot in this row is a nice Cherry Branch at ICU. After we finished there, we continued on to Nogawa Park to check on the progress of spring flowers in the natural area of that park. The 2nd photo is a beautiful single Magnolia stellata Blossom and the 3rd photo shows a number of spikes of Arisaema sp. (Jack-in-the-Pulpit) breaking through the ground.
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 Mar20_13_ ICU_CherryRC |
 Mar20_16_Nogawa Pk_Magnolia_kabusRC |
 Mar20_19_Nogawa Pk_Arisaema_spRC |
In this row is a fine example of Viola grypoceras, a beautiful Hepatica sp. plant and an abundance of Chloranthus japonicus.
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 Mar20_21_Nogawa Pk_Viola_grypocerasRC |
 Mar20_22_Nogawa Pk_HepaticaRC |
 Mar20_23_NogawaPk _Chloranthus_japonicusRC |
In this row are 3 nice photos of Trout Lily - Erythronium japonicum.
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 Mar20_29_NogawaPk _Erythronium_japonicumRC |
 Mar20_27_NogawaPk _Erythronium_japonicumRC |
 Mar20_41_NogawaPk _Erythronium_japonicumRC |
Here is a final shot of Trout Lily - Erythronium japonicum, a nice specimen of Viola japonica and a relatively rare White Dandelion (Taraxacum albidum).
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 Mar20_46_NogawaPk _Erythronium_japonicumRC |
 Mar20_50_NogawaPk _Viola_japonicaRC |
 Mar20_61_NogawaPk _Taraxacum_albidumRC |
In this row is a normal Yellow Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis) and a Pulsatilla cernua - something which we have never before seen here!
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 Mar20_64_NogawaPk _Taraxacum_officinalisRC |
 Mar20_67_NogawaPk _Pulsatilla_cernuaRC |
Here are 2 more examples of Pulsatilla cernua. And, that's all from this date.
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 Mar20_69_NogawaPk _Pulsatilla_cernuaRC |
 Mar20_73_NogawaPk _Pulsatilla_cernuaRC |
| End March 20th, Begin March 22nd |
On Friday, March 22nd, we went out to Mt. Takao and climbed that mountain for a check on the progress of spring flowers. We were surprised to find so many species of Violets (Viola sp.) in bloom already! It appears that this is going to be a strange year. Usually Violets season is spread out over a month or so, with some species blooming much earlier and some species blooming much later. This year we had a few days of unseasonably warm weather early on and now practically all species are already in bloom. In this first row you can find a shot of Viola bissetii in first position. In 2nd and 3rd position are shots of Chrysosplenium album var. stamineum. Usually this species can be found well before we ever find the first flower of Viola bissetii, but not this year!
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 March22ndMtTakao002 _ViolaBissetiiRC |
 March22ndMtTakao004_ ChrysospleniumAlbumVarStaminiumRC |
 March22ndMtTakao009_ ChrysospleniumAlbumVarStaminiumRC |
We were fortunate to stumble upon this wren doing its mating dance. It was flitting about around the female and wiggling it's tail up and down and side to side and didn't pay much attention to us. In 2nd and 3rd position are shots of another Viola bissetii, this one a much whiter color than the first one. In the 3rd shot you can also see a Hover Fly hovering about (insect family Syrphidae).
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 Mar22_032_039_040_Takao_ Hikage_WrenMatingDanceRC |
 Mar22_042_Takao_Hikage _Viola_bissetiiRC |
 Mar22_043_Takao_Hikage _Viola_bissetiiRC |
In this row are 2 shots of Omphalodes japonica and also a shot of Viola tokubuchiana var. takedana.
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 March22ndMtTakao021 _OmphalodesJaponicaRC |
 Mar22_050_Takao_Hikage _Omphalodes_japonicaRC |
 March22ndMtTakao029_ ViolaTokubuchianaVarTakedanaRC |
Here is a shot of Viola eizanensis followed by a shot of Viola tokubuchiana var. takedana and then a shot of Mt. Fuji from the summit of Mt. Takao. You may recall that Mt. Takao is 599 m (= 1,965 ft). This was the 89th time I summited that small mountain.
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 March22ndMtTakao040 _ViolaEizanensisRC |
 March22ndMtTakao034_Viola TokubuchianaVarTakedanaRC |
 Mar22_069_Takao_ Hikage_Summit_MtFujiRC |
Here is a shot of Viola eizanensis and then 2 shots of a very attractive Viola grypoceras.
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 March22ndMtTakao054 _ViolaEizanensisRC |
 Mar22_076_Takao_Hikage _Viola_grypocerasRC |
 Mar22_082_Takao_Hikage _Viola_grypocerasRC |
In 1st and 3rd position are shots of a pink colored Viola tokubuchiana var. takedana. In center position is a shot of Oxalis griffithii var. kantoensis. This is a species which we would not expect to find for another week or 2 after the first violets.
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 Mar22_091_Takao_Hikage_ Viola_tokubuchiana_var_takedanaRC |
 Mar22_099_Takao_Hikage_Oxalis _griffithii_var_kantoensisRC |
 March22ndMtTakao089_Viola TokubuchianaVarTakedanaRC |
Here is a shot of a different Oxalis griffithii var. kantoensis and then 2 shots of Viola tokubuchiana var. takedana. The 3rd shot also has some Viola grypoceras showing (the purple one). By the way, the leaves of Oxalis sp. make a nice addition to a spring salad, but don't use too much because it DOES contain Oxalic Acid. That's what gives it the rather attractively biting flavor.
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 Mar22_107_Takao_Hikage_Oxalis _griffithii_var_kantoensisRC |
 Mar22_108_Takao_Hikage_Viola _tokubuchiana_var_takedanaRC |
 March22ndMtTakao108_Viola TokubuchianaVarTakedanaRC |
Here are 3 amazing shots showing Viola grypoceras and Viola tokubuchiana var. takedana. Such an amazing number of flowers in this small area!
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 Mar22_113_Takao_Hikage_ Viola_grypocerasRC |
 March22ndMtTakao111_Viola TokubuchianaVarTakedanaRC |
 Mar22_125_Takao_Hikage _Viola_grypocerasRC |
The first 2 shots in this row show that same general area as shown in the previous row and an abundance of Viola tokubuchiana var. takedana and Viola grypoceras on a small hillside. In 3rd position is another shot of Oxalis griffithii var. kantoensis. Usually this is a relatively rare flower for us to find, but not this year.
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 March22ndMtTakao122_ ViolaTokubuchianaVarTakedanaRC |
 March22ndMtTakao124_ ViolaTokubuchianaVarTakedanaRC |
 Mar22_129_Takao_Hikage_Oxalis _griffithii_var_kantoensisRC |
In first position here is a shot of Omphalodes japonica and Viola grypoceras growing together, and then a shot of Viola eizanensis and Omphalodes japonica growing together. The 3rd shot is a large grouping of Omphalodes japonica flowers.
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 March22ndMtTakao140_Omphalodes JaponicaAndViolaGrypocerasRC |
 March22ndMtTakao134 _ViolaEizanensisRC |
 Mar22_152_Takao_Hikage _Omphalodes_japonicaRC |
In 1st position in this row you see Omphalodes japonica. In 2nd position is a shot of Viola eizanensis and Viola grypoceras in a single shot. In 3rd position is an example of Stachyurus praecox or Spike-tail. It is a deciduous shrub that is best noted for its unique and colorful late winter to early spring flowers that bloom before the foliage emerges.
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 March22ndMtTakao161_ OmphalodesJaponicaRC |
 March22ndMtTakao164_ ViolaEizanensisAndGrypocerasRC |
 March22ndMtTakao178_ StachyurusPraecoxRC |
In this final row you can see another shot of "Spike-tail" (Stachyurus praecox). That is followed by an Anemone raddeana flower. The 3rd image is a 2 shot collage of Mitella pauciflora - a very strange flower.
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 Mar22_175_Takao_Hikage _Stachyurus_praecoxRC |
 Mar22_180_Takao_Hikage _Anemone_raddeanaRC |
 March22ndMtTakao192_MitellaPauciflora_ Mar22_188_Takao_Hikage_Mitella_paucifloraRC |
| End March 22nd, End Page 4 |
| Thanks so much for taking the time to look at this page. This is a very rare month and there is also a Page 5, so please continue on to page 5 for the continuation and conclusion of this month's adventures and photos! |
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