Green Fruits: young fruits of trees in early July, Kanagawa Prefecture

Global Warming. Well, these days we are talking summer is from June to October in Yokohama. Before, it was like from July to September. July was “early” summer. I don’t know if this definition is applicable for this July. But, one sure thing is, season for spring flowers is definitely over, and these former flowers are now young “fruits” in our forests. They are still very green.

When we walk in the cacophony of summer greens, it is often difficult to spot these fruits that are also green. It’s like they wear camouflages in the forest. What are they hiding from? ChatGPT says they prepare for emergencies when animals try to eat them before they are ready. OpenAI also says they are kids and still growing to produce proper seeds. So, they are doing photosynthesis and complement the nutrition they receive from the main body. Well, OK. In any case they are kids in July. They need more time to ripen. And they are cute.

Fruits for Euptelea polyandra,
Japanese endemic in the family Eupteleaceae,
early July 2025.

It was fun meandering through forests to spot baby fruits hiding between the leaves. It’s interesting they have so many forms from species to species, but all in green early July.

Fruits for Silvervine already become galls.
As ingredients for traditional Chinese medicine,
the fruits-galls are said to have stronger medicinal potency.
Though, it seems to me its effect for humans is
not yet definite scientifically.
Meanwhile,
everybody knows its leaves are hallucinogenic to cats!

Sapium japonicum.
It has spectacular autumn leaves in red.
When the fruits mature,
they burst out to spread seeds.
Oh, by the way we can see white flowers
 for Asiatic Jasmine in this photo.

Mallotus japonicas.
It’s one of the pioneer plants so that
we can find easily along the forestry roads in Kanagawa.
They’ve finished there flowers quite recently,
and fruits are not yet apparent.

Juglans ailantifolia (; my post for October 28, 2016).
In early July they already looked substantially big.
But don’t be greedy.
I once took them in August, and
 the nutty part inside was still VERY thin.
We must wait …

Parabenzoin praecox.
The fruits are also in green, but when we crush it,
it wafted noble woody aroma if not that strong
as the scent when they are mature.

Arisaema limbatum.
Within a month or so, they start getting red.
They are precocious.

Deutzia crenata. Their cup-like fruits are really unique.
When mature, they also burst out to spread the seeds.

Very young fruits for Cornus macrophylla.
When they ripen, the fruits are in dark purple,
and the stems are coral pink.
They are called “Mountain coral 山珊瑚” in Japanese.
Yet in July, they have some way to reach such beauty.

Oriental bittersweet.
They are green now but when matured in Autumn,
they have beautiful gradation from orange to red in one fruit.

Anyway, before ripening they have to survive harsh, humid and long summer in climate-changing Kanagawa. Good luck for all of us …

If you find environmental issues in Kanagawa Prefecture, please make a contact with

 

Kanagawa Natural Environment Conservation Center

神奈川県自然環境保全センター
657 Nanasawa, Atsugi City, 243-0121
〒243－0121　厚木市七沢657

Phone: 046-248-0323

You can send an enquiry to them by clicking the bottom line of their homepage at http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/div/1644/