Strange flowers: Flower problem in Yokohama, October 2024

 

Yeah. Fall has begun finally. Though it’s still too hot for the end of October. Weather forecasters say almost as a mantra, this is the weather for the end of September. Temperature et al are in a month delay. In Yokohama, this weekend has been more or less cloudy. The forecasters explained it was due to the autumnal rain front which was normally observed at the end of September. Oh, yes, we all know it. It’s hot these days. The temperatures are still dancing merrily above 20°C (68°F) during daytime. Still, early morning or late evening, it is chilly. Many people struggle to adjust to a rollercoaster ride of weather. Last Wednesday, some weather forecasters issued a warning for violent fluctuation of atmospheric pressure (and temperature) that may cause some people headaches, nausea, etc.

Such travail is not only for humans, perhaps. I told you a story about skinny vampire leeches in Tanzawa last week. Poor creatures. For more lovable organisms, narrative is more or less the same. Flowers are strange this month. Lots of news reported awkward flowering patterns all over Japan. Famous gardens for cosmos or roses do not have enough opening even at the end of October, the high season of autumnal tourism. Maybe, summer-like October lets the vegetables miss the chances of blossoming. They are confused, I guess.

Even sweet autumn clematis open its flowers
 in the end of October, a month late.

In my neighborhood, there are home gardens having full opening of morning glories. In Yokohama, morning glories are flowers for July and August. It is almost a summer tradition for the 1st graders to record and report how they open the flower as homework. I wonder how they managed such a difficult task this year. Morning glories did not open during their summer holidays. Poor kids …

Yeah. Certainly they are lovely. But it is the end of October.

Seniors of Niiharu Lovers murmured their concern for cherry trees in a park near Nagatsuda Station. One of them is flowering. “Isn’t it a kind that has flowers in fall?” “No, no. It’s Someiyoshino. The tree gives us every spring a chance for cherry blossoms party in spring. It’s flowering now.” “Wow.” “Something is happening definitely.” “No doubt.” When flowers are strange, it follows odd fruiting. Japanese snowbell has lots of pretty starshaped flowers in late spring here. In October, when it is a normal year, the flowers become tiny fruits dangling from the twigs. Come December they would be fully-ripen and become nice meals for small wild birds in sleepy winter forests in Yokohama. Sadly this year, the tits could have a harsh winter with fairly limited supply of food, including the fruits of snowbell. Not only that, some snowbells have flowers now. *Gee … what’s going on now …” Poor birds.

Still Chinese hwawei are now singing around in Niiharu.

I’m also worried about Harlequin Glorybower. They should flower during summer here in Yokohama. In standard October, they give us a view of charming blue fruits wrapped in lovely purplish red calyx. For several years by now I’m collecting their blue fruits for my winter project. I need lots of them. I collect them in forests and freeze the bounty for the use. Now in October, I should be busy collecting the fruits of Glorybower. This October, nope. They are flowering now. Yeah, their white and pink at the bottom flowers are lovely. But they should come in July or August … What would happen for my project in this changing climate? Can I report you my adventure with Glorybower fruits soon?

Flowering Harlequin Glorybower in late October …!?

Fruits are there, but in October their calyx is still closing.

If you find a problem in the greenery of north-half of Yokohama, please make a contact with

Office for the Park Greeneries in the North

北部公園緑地事務所

Yokohama Municipal Government Green Environment Bureau

横浜市みどり環境局

Phone：045-353-1166
FAX：045-352-3086
mk-hokubukoen@city.yokohama.jp