The Seven Herbs of Autumn

Japanese: 秋の七草 - あきのななくさ

This refers to seven autumn plants selected for the purpose of viewing. It began with a poem by Yamanoue no Okura in Volume 8 of the Manyoshu, which describes Japan's representative autumn plants: "Bush clover, pampas grass, kuzu flowers, dianthus flowers, o minaeshi, fuji hakama, and morning glory flowers." Opinions are divided on the morning glory among these plants, with some saying it is a bellflower, others saying it is a rose of Sharon, others saying it is a morning glory, but the bellflower theory is more commonly accepted. In the Edo period, enthusiasts selected the "Seven Herbs of New Autumn," which included foreign species such as gentian, mirabilis, tororo aoi, amaranth, monadelphus, snow gourd, and jack-o'-lantern. Around 1935 (Showa 10), another "New Seven Herbs" was announced in the newspapers, which were: lily of the valley, red spider lily, begonia, chrysanthemum, morning glory, polygonum, and cosmos. In addition, cricket grass, kudzu, bellflower, Japanese laurel, gentian, Japanese monkshood, and fleabane were also selected as the "medicinal autumn seven herbs."

[Akiko Sugiyama]

Seven Autumn Herbs (specimen drawing)
©Junzo Fujishima ">

Seven Autumn Herbs (specimen drawing)

Ominaeshi
It grows in sunny mountainous areas and fields, and is also cultivated for cut flowers. It is also known as ominameshi. It is one of the seven herbs of autumn. ©Shogakukan ">

Ominaeshi

Dianthus arvensis
It grows in mountain grasslands and riverbanks, and produces pink flowers at the end of its stem. It is also called Dianthus or Yamato Dianthus. It is one of the seven autumn herbs. ©Seishohmaru ">

Dianthus arvensis

Bellflower
The stem branches at the top and produces a blue-purple flower at the top. The roots are used for medicinal purposes. One of the seven autumn herbs ©Seishohmaru ">

Bellflower

Scum
A vine plant whose stems can reach lengths of up to 10m. It crawls along the ground and also wraps around other trees. Its roots are used to make kudzu starch and the traditional Chinese medicine kudzu root soup. It is one of the seven herbs of autumn. ©Seishohmaru ">

Scum

Japanese silver grass
It grows in clusters in sunny areas of flatlands and mountains. In autumn, it produces many slender, small flowers in a panicle shape. It is one of the seven autumn herbs. ©Seishohmaru ">

Japanese silver grass

Fujibakama
From August to October, it produces corymbs at the top of the stems, with numerous pale purple flower heads. It has been popular among people for a long time, but its numbers are currently declining. One of the seven autumn herbs ©Yukari Ozawa ">

Fujibakama

Yamahagi
One of the species commonly known as bush clover. It grows in sunny locations in the Kanto region and north of Honshu and Hokkaido. The leaves are elliptical and have three leaflets. One of the seven autumn herbs ©Seishohmaru ">

Yamahagi

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

観賞を目的として選んだ秋草7種をいう。『万葉集』巻8に収められた山上憶良(やまのうえのおくら)の歌に「萩の花　尾花(をばな)葛花(くずはな)　なでしこが花　をみなへし　また藤袴(ふぢはかま)　朝顔(あさがほ)が花」と、日本の代表的秋草が詠まれたことに始まる。このなかのアサガオについては、キキョウ説、ムクゲ説、ヒルガオ説、アサガオ説と意見が分かれているが、キキョウ説をとる場合が多い。また江戸時代に好事家(こうずか)が「新秋の七草」を選んでいるが、リンドウ、オシロイバナ、トロロアオイ、ヒオウギ、ゴジカ、ユウガオ、カラスウリと、外来種なども取り入れられている。1935年（昭和10）ごろにも新聞に発表された別の「新七草」があり、それは、ハゲイトウ、ヒガンバナ、ベゴニア、キク、オシロイバナ、イヌタデ、コスモスであった。そのほか、「薬用秋の七草」として、オケラ、クズ、キキョウ、マンジュシャゲ、リンドウ、ヤマトリカブト、ミシマサイコが選ばれたこともある。

［杉山明子］

秋の七草〔標本画〕
©藤島淳三">

秋の七草〔標本画〕

オミナエシ
日当たりのよい山地や野原に生え、切り花用などとして栽培もされる。別名オミナメシ。秋の七草の一つ©Shogakukan">

オミナエシ

カワラナデシコ
山地の草原や河原に生え、茎の先に桃色の花をつける。ナデシコ、ヤマトナデシコなどともいわれる。秋の七草の一つ©Seishohmaru">

カワラナデシコ

キキョウ

クズ

ススキ

フジバカマ

ヤマハギ