Niwaume - Niwaume

Japanese: ニワウメ - にわうめ

A deciduous shrub of the Rosaceae family (APG classification: Rosaceae). The stems are clumpy and grow to 1-2 meters in height. The branches are thin and long. The leaves are alternate, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 4-7 cm long, pointed at the tip and rounded at the base, with double fine sawtooth edges and some hairs on the veins on the underside. In April, before the leaves appear or together with the leaves, the branches bear numerous pale pink-white or pale pink flowers, 2-3 in number and about 1.5 cm in diameter. There are five obovate petals, five sepals, and many stamens. The fruit is a spherical drupe about 1 cm in diameter. It ripens dark red in June and is slightly sweet and edible. Native to China. It is used as a garden tree or potted plant for decoration, and the seeds are used for medicine. It is a sun-loving tree that grows well in moist, fertile soil from Hokkaido to Okinawa. It is not picky about soil type and is easy to transplant. It is propagated by seed, division, or cuttings. A similar species, Hitoenoniwazakura, is a deciduous shrub native to central and northern China. The leaves are egg-shaped, oblong, pointed at the tip, with fine rounded sawtooth edges. It produces white or pale pink five-petaled flowers that are about 2 cm in diameter, and the drupes are spherical, 1 to 1.5 cm in diameter, and red when ripe. The horticultural variety with white double flowers is called niwazakura, and has long, slender leaves with wrinkled surfaces. There is also a pale pink double-flowered cultivar, Benibana Yaeniwazakura.

[Yoshio Kobayashi January 21, 2020]

Japanese plum
In April, before or after the leaves emerge, they produce numerous pale pink-white or pale pink flowers, 2-3 each. They are often grown in gardens or pots for decoration. ©Shogakukan Photo by Masatoshi Hirose ">

Japanese plum

Fruit of Japanese plum
A spherical drupe measuring approximately 1mm in diameter. It ripens to a dark red color in June. ©Seishohmaru ">

Fruit of Japanese plum

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

バラ科（APG分類：バラ科）の落葉低木。茎は株立ちになり、高さ1～2メートル。枝は細くて長く伸びる。葉は互生し、卵形または卵状披針(ひしん)形で長さ4～7センチメートル、先はとがって基部は丸く、縁(へり)に二重の細かい鋸歯(きょし)があり、裏面の脈上にすこし毛がある。4月、葉が出る前、または葉とともに淡紅白色または淡紅色で径約1.5センチメートルの花を2～3個ずつ枝に多数つける。花弁は倒卵形で5枚、萼片(がくへん)も5枚、雄しべは多数ある。果実は球形の核果で径約1センチメートル。6月、暗紅色に熟し、すこし甘味があって食べられる。中国原産。庭木、鉢植えにして観賞され、種子は薬用になる。陽樹で北海道から沖縄の適潤な肥沃(ひよく)地でよく育つ。土質は選ばず、移植は容易である。繁殖は実生(みしょう)、株分け、挿木による。類似種ヒトエノニワザクラは中国中・北部原産の落葉低木。葉は卵状長楕円(ちょうだえん)形で先はとがり、縁に丸みを帯びた細かい鋸歯がある。白色または淡紅色で径約2センチメートルの5弁花を開き、核果は球形で径1～1.5センチメートル、赤く熟す。花が白色で八重咲きになった園芸品種をニワザクラといい、葉は細長く、表面にしわが寄る。ほかに園芸品種に淡紅色の八重咲き種ベニバナヤエニワザクラもある。

［小林義雄　2020年1月21日］

ニワウメ
4月、葉が出る前または葉とともに、淡紅白色または淡紅色の花を2～3個ずつ多数つける。庭木、鉢植えにして観賞される©Shogakukan　撮影／広瀬雅敏">

ニワウメ

ニワウメの果実

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

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