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🇯🇵 The flowers of Japan

200 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 13Kyoto 10Kyushu 4Bunkyō 3Hiratsuka 3Hokkaidō 3Okinawa 3Shikoku 3Honshu 2Nagoya 2Nara 2Sendai 2Aichi Prefecture 1Akishima 1Akita 1Akkeshi 1Asagaya 1Ashikaga 1Chikusa-ku 1Chōfu 1Daigo-zakura 1Ehime 1Ehime prefecture 1Fukushima 1Ginza 1Hakone 1Hakusan 1Hyōgo 1Hyōgo Prefecture 1Ina 1Itami 1Izu Islands 1Izu Oshima 1Izu Peninsula 1Jindai-zakura 1Kagoshima 1Kanagawa Prefecture 1Kantō 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 1
ShowFlowersDecorationsPlaces
ColourRedPinkOrangeYellowWhiteCreamBluePurpleGreenMaroonMany-coloured
KindWildflowerGarden flowerCut flowerFlowering treeFlowering shrubBulb flowerClimberOrchidWater flowerCactus or succulentAlpine flowerTropical flowerHerb or useful flower
In flowerSpringSummerMonsoonAutumnWinter
PeachPrunus persica A flowering fruit tree from China, grown for its pink blossoms and sweet fruit 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Flowering tree BirchBetula Slender trees with papery bark found across the northern world 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Chrysanthemum菊花 Autumn-blooming flower with thousands of varieties, cherished in East Asia and beyond 🇨🇳 China and 6 more · Wildflower 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 HawthornCrataegus A thorny shrub or tree with white or pink spring flowers and small edible fruits 🇮🇪 Ireland and 7 more · Wildflower Lily-of-the-valleyConvallaria majalis A woodland plant with sweet-scented white bell flowers in late spring 🇫🇮 Finland and 4 more · Wildflower 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 Primula A large genus of spring-blooming wild and garden flowers from cool and mountain regions 🇨🇳 China and 5 more · Wildflower LotusNelumbo Aquatic plants with large, round leaves and striking flowers called lotus 🇮🇳 India and 7 more · Water flower Camellia Evergreen shrubs and trees with showy blooms, best known for tea and garden flowers 🇨🇳 China and 6 more · Garden flower CloudberryRubus chamaemorus A golden berry of northern bogs and tundra, picked wild for food and drink 🇳🇴 Norway and 7 more · Wildflower DogwoodCornus Woody trees and shrubs with showy bracts and colorful berries 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower White cloverTrifolium repens A low-growing, mat-forming clover with white flower heads 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Brown mustardBrassica juncea A leafy mustard plant grown for greens, seeds, and oil across Asia and beyond 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Leucojum White-flowered bulbs of damp meadows and shady gardens 🇪🇸 Spain and 6 more · Wildflower Witch-hazelHamamelis A winter-flowering shrub with strap-shaped yellow to red blooms 🇺🇸 United States and 2 more · Flowering shrub Moutan peonyPaeonia × suffruticosa The woody peony of China with large, showy spring flowers 🇨🇳 China and 4 more · Flowering shrub Trillium Woodland wildflowers with three-petalled blooms and whorled bracts 🇺🇸 United States and 4 more · Wildflower Smithia A genus of legume herbs with pink or purple pea-like flowers 🇮🇳 India and 4 more · Herb or useful flower Narrow-leaf pasque-flowerPulsatilla cernua A bell-shaped wildflower with dark red-purple blooms and silky hairs 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 more · Wildflower Lilium pensylvanicum A cold-climate lily with upright orange-red blooms 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Wildflower Rhododendron keiskei A low, spreading rhododendron with pale yellow spring flowers from Japan 🇯🇵 Japan · Flowering shrub Sulphur cosmosCosmos sulphureus A tall annual with yellow, orange, or red daisy-like blooms 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower PaperwhiteNarcissus tazetta A tall, white-and-yellow narcissus grown for scent and indoor blooms 🇫🇷 France and 7 more · Bulb flower Hepatica A woodland perennial with three-lobed leaves and early spring flowers 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Rhododendron aureum A low evergreen shrub with pale yellow spring flowers from northeastern Asia 🇨🇳 China and 2 more · Wildflower TwinflowerLinnaea borealis A small woodland plant with paired pale pink flowers, named for Carl Linnaeus 🇺🇸 United States and 2 more · Wildflower Woodland peonyPaeonia obovata A woodland peony with white, pink or purple-red flowers from East Asia 🇨🇳 China and 2 more · Wildflower Kamchatka fritillaryFritillaria camschatcensis A dark, nodding wildflower with a strong scent from northern Asia and North America 🇯🇵 Japan and 1 more · Wildflower Hubei AnemoneEriocapitella hupehensis A late-summer flowering perennial with purple, pink or white blooms 🇨🇳 China and 5 more · Wildflower Forsythia连翘 A yellow-flowered shrub that signals early spring in gardens and parks 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Flowering shrub Lilium speciosum A late-summer lily with fragrant white to pink flowers from East Asia 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 more · Wildflower Japanese azaleaRhododendron japonicum A deciduous azalea shrub native to Japan, often grown as bonsai 🇯🇵 Japan · Wildflower Japanese mountain cherryPrunus jamasakura Tall wild cherry tree of Japan with spring blossoms and edible fruit 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 more · Wildflower Leopard plantFarfugium japonicum A shade-loving perennial with bold leaves and yellow autumn flowers 🇨🇳 China and 1 more · Garden flower Bigleaf HydrangeaHydrangea macrophylla A Japanese shrub with large pink or blue flower heads that change colour with soil 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 more · Garden flower Balloon flowerPlatycodon grandiflorus A perennial with balloon-shaped buds and bell-like blue or white flowers 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Wildflower Satsuma mandarinCitrus unshiu A sweet, easy-peeling citrus fruit grown in Japan, China, and beyond 🇯🇵 Japan and 5 more · Flowering tree Black-eyed Susan vineThunbergia alata A fast-growing climbing plant with bright flowers and a dark centre 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Garden flower Taiwan cherryPrunus campanulata An early-blooming cherry tree with deep pink, bell-shaped flowers 🇨🇳 China and 4 more · Flowering tree 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 Tachibana orangeCitrus × tachibana A wild mandarin orange found in the forests of Japan 🇯🇵 Japan and 1 more · Wildflower Iris tectorum鸢尾 A blue or white iris once grown on rooftops in China and Japan 🇨🇳 China and 5 more · Wildflower
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Photo credits on this page

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

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