Flower news
GardensFalling glass and ‘decapitated’ plants: the race to protect Edinburgh botanic garden’s plantsGardensHow to create a vibrant cutting gardenIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama DesertIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama Desert in wake of 'super' El NiñoGardensNew York Botanical Garden event explores how crop diversity could shape the future of foodIndiaGardening Tips: Night-Blooming Jasmine to Gardenia, 5 Flowers to Plant Early for Blissful WintersIn bloomAftershock PC x Zotac Gaming Pops First Blooming Cherry Blossom DesktopShows and festivalsGet Ready for Autumn at the Midlands Fall Plant and Flower FestivalDecorationCenturies-old Japanese art of ikebana draws those seeking calmDecorationShow Us Your Garden: Pepper plants and Wedding FlowersGardensFalling glass and ‘decapitated’ plants: the race to protect Edinburgh botanic garden’s plantsGardensHow to create a vibrant cutting gardenIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama DesertIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama Desert in wake of 'super' El NiñoGardensNew York Botanical Garden event explores how crop diversity could shape the future of foodIndiaGardening Tips: Night-Blooming Jasmine to Gardenia, 5 Flowers to Plant Early for Blissful WintersIn bloomAftershock PC x Zotac Gaming Pops First Blooming Cherry Blossom DesktopShows and festivalsGet Ready for Autumn at the Midlands Fall Plant and Flower FestivalDecorationCenturies-old Japanese art of ikebana draws those seeking calmDecorationShow Us Your Garden: Pepper plants and Wedding Flowers
Phool

🇯🇵 The flowers of Japan

177 pages from Japan: its flowers, the things made with them and the places to see them, across 60 cities and regions.

Japan’s plant life is shaped by its wide range of climates, from subtropical islands to snowy mountains. About a third of its roughly 7,000 plant species are found nowhere else. The country is especially known for cherry blossoms, maples, azaleas, and chrysanthemums.

The plant life of Japan

Japan’s flora reflects its long north-south stretch and varied terrain. The country’s mountains, islands, and changing climate—from subtropical in the south to cold temperate in the north—support a rich mix of plants. Forests cover much of the land, with both evergreen and deciduous trees. The diversity is especially high in the southern Ryukyu Islands. Many species are unique to Japan, thanks to its isolation and complex geological history. The mix of monsoons, altitude, and latitude creates distinct plant zones.

From region to region in Japan

In the south, evergreen forests dominate, especially on the Ryukyu Islands, Shikoku, and Kyushu, with trees like Castanopsis and Machilus. Central Japan’s higher ground and Hokkaido’s uplands have summer-green forests, where Japanese beech is common. Subalpine and alpine zones in northern Honshu and Hokkaido support dwarf pines and cushion plants that can survive harsh winters and poor soils. Coastal and inland areas show different mixes of species, shaped by altitude and exposure.

Flowers to know in Japan

Japan is famous for cherry blossoms (sakura), Japanese maple (momiji), azaleas, and chrysanthemums. Many plants, such as Glaucidium palmatum and Anemonopsis macrophylla, are found only in Japan. The country’s forests also feature camellias, oaks, and beech trees. Pine species like Pinus pumila and Pinus amamiana are notable in alpine and island habitats. The diversity of endemic species is especially marked in the southern islands.

Threats and protection in Japan

About 1,690 plant species in Japan are endangered, threatened by habitat loss, over-collection, and climate change. The country maintains a red list of at-risk species and has increased conservation efforts in recent decades. These include research, restoration, and collaboration between government and non-government groups. Despite the threats, Japan has seen some success in protecting its unique plant life.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Flora of Japan", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Flower experiences in Japan

All 12
🇯🇵 Tokyo · Feb to NovShinjuku Gyoen through the seasonsA large former imperial garden in central Tokyo with a long cherry season and an autumn chrysanthemum show. 🇯🇵 Hitachinaka · Apr to OctNemophila hill at Hitachi Seaside ParkA hill by the Pacific covered in small sky-blue flowers in spring and red kochia bushes in autumn. 🇯🇵 Kanazawa · All yearKenroku-enOne of Japan's most celebrated landscape gardens, with something in flower in almost every season. 🇯🇵 Tokyo · All yearOta Market flower auctionJapan's biggest wholesale flower market, where early risers can watch the auction from a gallery. 🇯🇵 Kyoto · All yearAn ikebana lesson in KyotoLearn the basics of Japanese flower arranging in the city where the art took shape. 🇯🇵 Tokyo · Mar to AprCherry blossom season in TokyoAbout a week of pale pink along moats, rivers and parks, and the picnics that go with it.

Cities and regions of Japan

Tokyo 12Kyoto 7Bunkyō 3Hokkaidō 3Kyushu 3Okinawa 3Hiratsuka 2Honshu 2Nagoya 2Shikoku 2Aichi Prefecture 1Akishima 1Akita 1Akkeshi 1Chikusa-ku 1Chōfu 1Daigo-zakura 1Ehime prefecture 1Fukushima 1Ginza 1Hakone 1Hakusan 1Hyōgo 1Hyōgo Prefecture 1Ina 1Itami 1Izu Islands 1Izu Oshima 1Izu Peninsula 1Jindai-zakura 1Kanagawa Prefecture 1Kawazu 1Kinchakuda Plateau 1Kobe 1Kōchi 1Kochi prefecture 1Koma Shrine 1Koshimizu 1Matsumae 1Matsushima, Miyagi 1Midori-ku, Yokohama 1Mie 1Miharu Takizakura 1Motoyama 1Nagano Prefecture 1Nagasaki 1Nago 1Nezu 1Notsuke Peninsula 1Okinawa Island 1Osaka 1Patchwork Road 1Ryukyu Islands 1Saitama 1Saitama Prefecture 1Sakyō-ku 1Sapporo 1Sasebo 1Sendai 1Sengokuhara 1
ShowFlowersDecorationsPlaces
ColourRedPinkOrangeYellowWhiteCreamBluePurpleGreenMaroonMany-coloured
In flowerSpringSummerMonsoonAutumnWinter
Sacred lotusNelumbo nucifera The pink aquatic flower sacred in Asia and grown for food, worship and beauty 🇮🇳 India and 7 more · Water flower Wild cherryPrunus avium A tall flowering tree native to Europe, grown for its sweet fruit and spring blossom 🇮🇹 Italy and 6 more · Flowering tree LindenTilia Tall, broad-leaved trees with fragrant yellow flowers and heart-shaped leaves 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Flowering tree RapeseedBrassica napus A yellow-flowered crop grown for its oil-rich seeds and protein meal 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Hydrangea Flowering shrubs with large heads that change color with soil pH 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 more · Flowering shrub PeonyPaeonia Large spring flowers in pink, red, white, yellow and purple, grown in gardens worldwide 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower CloudberryRubus chamaemorus A golden berry of northern bogs and tundra, picked wild for food and drink 🇳🇴 Norway and 7 more · Wildflower Hubei AnemoneEriocapitella hupehensis A late-summer flowering perennial with purple, pink or white blooms 🇨🇳 China and 5 more · Wildflower TwinflowerLinnaea borealis A small woodland plant with paired pale pink flowers, named for Carl Linnaeus 🇺🇸 United States and 2 more · Wildflower Lilium pensylvanicum A cold-climate lily with upright orange-red blooms 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Wildflower Decoration Pūjā in Buddhism𑀧𑀽𑀚𑀸 A ritual offering and devotional act in Buddhist practice 🇮🇳 India and 3 more · Offering or rite Decoration Kanzashi簪 Traditional Japanese hair ornaments, often crafted as folded silk flowers 🇯🇵 Japan · Arrangement Place Nunobiki Herb Garden布引ハーブ園 A large herb garden on Mount Rokkō above Kobe, Japan Kobe, 🇯🇵 Japan · Botanical garden Formosa lilyLilium formosanum A tall, white, fragrant lily native to Taiwan with trumpet-shaped blooms 🇹🇼 Taiwan and 3 more · Wildflower Magnolia sieboldii A summer-blooming magnolia with white, cup-shaped flowers from East Asia 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Flowering tree Iris tectorum鸢尾 A blue or white iris once grown on rooftops in China and Japan 🇨🇳 China and 5 more · Wildflower Decoration Floristry The craft and trade of arranging and selling flowers 🇳🇱 Netherlands and 3 more · Arrangement Tricyrtis A shade-loving Asian perennial with spotted, trumpet-shaped flowers 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Wildflower Persian silk treeAlbizia julibrissin A small tree with pink, silky starburst flowers and fern-like leaves 🇨🇳 China and 4 more · Flowering tree Vanda falcata A small fragrant orchid from East Asia, prized for its white flowers and many forms 🇯🇵 Japan and 1 more · Wildflower Primula sieboldii A woodland primrose with clusters of delicate spring flowers 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 more · Wildflower Fringed pinkDianthus superbus A wild pink flower with deeply fringed petals and a sweet scent 🇫🇷 France and 6 more · Wildflower Blood irisIris sanguinea A wild iris of East Asia with purple to blue-red blooms 🇯🇵 Japan and 3 more · Wildflower Japanese snowbellStyrax japonicus A small tree with hanging white bell flowers from East Asia 🇯🇵 Japan and 1 more · Flowering tree Gentiana scabra A blue-flowered gentian native to East Asia, valued in traditional medicine 🇨🇳 China and 1 more · Wildflower Ipomoea nil A twining annual vine with trumpet-shaped blooms in many colors 🇨🇳 China and 2 more · Garden flower Eupatorium japonicum白头婆 A tall perennial herb with corymbs of white, pink, or red-purple flowers 🇨🇳 China and 1 more · Wildflower Place Kyoto Botanical Garden京都府立植物園 A large public garden in Kyoto with over 12,000 plant species and a glass conservatory Kyoto, 🇯🇵 Japan · Botanical garden Shrubby CinquefoilDasiphora fruticosa A hardy yellow-flowered shrub found in cool northern regions 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Flowering shrub Confederate jasmineTrachelospermum jasminoides A fragrant climbing vine with star-shaped white flowers from East and Southeast Asia 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Garden flower Porcelain flowerHoya carnosa A climbing houseplant with star-shaped, sweet-scented waxy flowers 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Garden flower Lycoris Bulb flowers of Asia, known for their bright blooms and leafless stems 🇨🇳 China and 6 more · Wildflower Hosta Shade-loving perennial with bold leaves and summer flower spikes 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 more · Garden flower BlueminkAgeratum houstonianum A fluffy blue annual often grown in garden borders and balcony boxes 🇬🇹 Guatemala and 7 more · Wildflower Weigela Deciduous flowering shrubs from eastern Asia with pink, red, or white blooms 🇯🇵 Japan and 1 more · Garden flower Cape jasmineGardenia jasminoides A glossy-leaved shrub with large, fragrant white flowers from East Asia 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Flowering shrub Crape myrtleLagerstroemia indica A summer-flowering tree with crinkled blooms in white, pink, purple or red 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Flowering tree Place Odori Park大通公園 A long city park and event space in central Sapporo, Hokkaido Sapporo, 🇯🇵 Japan · Flower garden Wisteria Woody climbing vines with long, fragrant flower clusters 🇨🇳 China and 5 more · Garden flower Bassia scoparia A bushy annual with red autumn leaves, used for brooms and as a food garnish 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Wildflower Beachhead irisIris setosa A hardy iris with blue to violet flowers found across northern Asia and North America 🇯🇵 Japan and 4 more · Wildflower Decoration Tanzaku短冊 Long paper strips for wishes and poetry, hung on bamboo at Tanabata in Japan 🇯🇵 Japan · Custom, July Mountain hydrangeaHydrangea serrata A compact shrub with blue or pink lacy flower clusters from Korea and Japan 🇯🇵 Japan · Flowering shrub Japanese cornelCornus officinalis A large shrub with yellow spring flowers and edible red berries 🇨🇳 China and 1 more · Wildflower Decoration Artificial flower Imitation flowers made from fabric, plastic, paper, clay and other materials 🇨🇳 China and 5 more · Arrangement Decoration Four Gentlemen四君子 The four symbolic plants of Chinese and East Asian art 🇨🇳 China and 2 more · Art or design Fragrant screw-pinePandanus odorifer A small tropical tree with sweet-scented flowers used for perfume and rituals 🇮🇳 India and 4 more · Flowering tree Place Biei美瑛町 A Hokkaido town famous for its flower fields and rolling hills Patchwork Road, 🇯🇵 Japan · Bloom site, Jul to Aug
More

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly bunch

Every Monday: what is in bloom, the flower festivals of the week, seven flowers you may not know and one tradition explained.