How do you read this? Check your general knowledge with a kanji reading quiz about flowers!

four o'clock flower

Shirokonohana is pronounced “Oshiroibana.” The Oshiroibana (four o’clock flower) is known for blooming beautiful red, yellow, and white flowers in summer. Its name is said to come from the white powder-like substance inside its seeds, which resembles the cosmetic face powder called “oshiroi.” It is often planted in gardens and parks in Japan as an ornamental plant, and its unique charm includes the fact that the flowers begin to open at night.

Yuri

Yuri is a flower well known in Japan, pronounced “yuri.” It is a perennial in the lily family that produces blossoms in various colors, such as white, pink, and yellow. In Japan, it has long been cherished as an ornamental plant and, thanks to its showy appearance, is often used in bouquets and floral arrangements. It’s also an important point that the kanji for 百合 (literally “a hundred” and “to join”) is said to derive from the image of many leaves overlapping, which is closely tied to this flower.

crape myrtle

Crape myrtle is a deciduous tall tree in the Lythraceae family that continues to bloom with red or white flowers from around July to October. The kanji 百日紅 (literally, “one hundred days of red”) is used because it means “red flowers bloom for a hundred days.” Its Japanese name, sarusuberi, was given due to the tree’s smooth trunk—so slippery that even monkeys would slip.

cosmos

It’s written with the characters for “autumn” and “cherry blossom,” but read as “cosmos.” True to those characters, when the flower first arrived in Japan it was called “akizakura” (autumn cherry blossom), but over time the name “cosmos” took hold. It’s a beloved symbol of autumn, a flower you can enjoy in parks and flower fields across the country.

hydrangea

In Japanese, 紫陽花 is read as “ajisai.” Ajisai blooms during the rainy season and is known for its variety of vibrant flower colors, such as purple, blue, and pink. The kanji spelling 紫陽花 was brought from China, but since in Chinese it can refer to a completely different plant, a unique Japanese reading developed.

dandelion

The dandelion is one of the representative flowers of spring and is loved by many people. Although the kanji form is hard to read, the name actually originates from Chinese, while in Japan it has long been called “tanpopo.” The character 蒲 refers to cattails, and 公英 is said to be a term expressing the beauty of the flower; it is believed that a name given in ancient China was passed down to Japan.

Chinese lantern plant

Hozuki (Japanese lantern plant) is characterized by its pale red, pouch-like husks seen in summer, with small fruits inside. The kanji used for its name came about because its shape resembles the lantern carried by an oni (demon). It is cherished not only as an ornamental plant, but also as a decoration for Obon and as a familiar symbol of summer festivals.

sasanqua (Camellia sasanqua)

It is an evergreen shrub in the tea family that is characterized by bearing beautiful red, white, or pink flowers in winter. The name derives from the Chinese term “shānchá,” and because its blooming season and appearance resemble those of the camellia (tsubaki), it is also called the “winter camellia.” It is a flower beloved in Japan, even featured in the lyrics of the children’s song Takibi (“Bonfire”).

rabbit-ear iris

It is a plant in the iris family that blooms with large blue-violet flowers by the water in early summer, especially from May to June. The name “kakitsubata” (杜若) has been celebrated in many classical waka and haiku poems since ancient times, making it well known as a seasonal symbol. It is sometimes confused with ayame and hanashōbu, but they differ in petal patterns and preferred growing environments. In the name 杜若, 杜 can mean “grove” or “shrine,” and 若 is used as in “young leaves,” so the name also conveys the beauty of nature and a sense of youthful freshness.

morning glory

Kenjoka is another name for the morning glory. It is said to have been called that because, long ago, after the plant was brought over from China, a man who was cured by taking morning glory seeds went to offer thanks to the plant, leading a cow with him. Also, because morning glories bloom around the time of Tanabata, they were known in the Edo period as an auspicious flower signifying that Orihime and Hikoboshi were able to meet.