There is nothing quite like Texas sunset after a storm… Texas has approximately 16 to 19 native wild sunflower species, and we have the Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) growing wild on the farm. Common Sunflower blooms from March through December and is found statewide in vacant lots, roadsides, and fields. FUN FACT: It is an annual plant that is allelopathic, meaning it releases toxins to inhibit the growth of nearby plants, and its buds follow the sun (heliotropism) until they bloom, after which they permanently face east.

An absolutely delightful surprise encounter at Ginzan Onsen 銀山温泉 was this beautiful Japanese Aconitum (Aconitum japonicum). I met her as we were walking to visit a waterfall at the beginning of the Onsen Machi (i.e. “Hot Springs Street”). By the way Ginzan Onsen is basically the inspiration of the onsen town in Spirited Away.

There are many beautiful lore on Japan’s de facto national flower, cherry blossom (sakura 桜). In general it represents the impermanent nature of life. It symbolizes both birth and death, beauty and violence. Many sacred trees in Japan are cherry blossom trees; there is of course an entire season of festivities centered around cherry blossom viewing (hanami 花見). One of my favorite plant lore is how the sakura gets her beautiful pink color – from the blood of the dead bodies buried under the tree. It is more of an urban legend, most likely inspired by 梶井 基次郎 Kajii Motojirō’s famous short story Sakura no ki no shita ni wa (櫻の樹の下には, “Beneath the Cherry Trees”). The story starts with the opening line “Dead bodies are buried under the cherry trees!” Next time if you see a lone cherry blossom tree on a barren land blooming beautiful pink flowers, you might want to leave some offerings in case there are dead bodies (and restless spirits) underneath the tree.

It is always fun to meet new (to me) poisonous plant friends, especially while traveling to faraway places… I have heard enough about Helleborus niger, a.k.a. black hellebore or Christmas Rose, and have seen plenty of photos of it, but today is the first time I actually met one in person… Actually there were several of them, planted in planters as ornamentals, in the small university town of Passau, Germany. They are blooming in this unusually wet and warm early spring. I was on a guided walking tour and could not stop too long to get to know the plant better, but I was glad to be able to finally meet the flowers in person.

“Poison in small doses are the best medicines; and the best medicines in too large doses are poisonous.” ~ William Withering. | William Withering (1741-1799) was an English physician best known for his use of extracts of foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) to treat dropsy (edema), a condition associated with heart failure and characterized by the accumulation of fluid in soft tissues. Withering’s insights on the medical uses of foxglove proved crucial to modern understanding of heart failure, and today drugs containing the active compound, known as digitalis, are still prescribed.

I cut back and harvested some Datura wrightii this morning, and there were few flower buds I thought I would put them in water so they would bloom… And they did, oh so beautifully! In fact they are so beautiful that I had to do an impromptu little photoshoot. And I thought the blossoms would like the company of my deer friend… They look quite amazing together.

Did you know Passionflower is loved by pollinators such as bumblebees and carpenter bees, as well as various butterflies? Interestingly though, I don’t usually see honey bees foraging from it.

D. ceratocaula is a water-loving datura, and can even grow in water (Most other daturas are desert dwelling and cannot stand “wet feet”. D. ceratocaula blossoms are large trumpet-shaped, cream-colored with a light peach or mauve rim. Instead of opening from the top of the flower bud, the flower “breaks” open from the side.

One of the first Atropa belladonna berries of the season. All my belladonna plants have been struggling and dying because of the early arrival of summer temperatures (90F and above), I was starting to give up on getting any berries this year… But I guess not all was lost… I will write more in details about the belladonna’s struggle…

Just in case you wonder, this is the datura that is in my new tattoo (see Post Lunar Eclipse Shenanigan post), bloomed during the Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio. And now she’s been immortalized on my body…

So I went and got a thing done because the lunar eclipse… 😜 No, not really… I’ve been planning to get one for a while, the appointment just happened to be around the eclipse ✨️🌑✨️…