Mt Takao is located at the borderline of warm-temperature zone and cool-temperature zone and various plants from both zones grow. There are a lot of naturally grown plants and their visitors can enjoy seasonal flowers. Over 1,500 kinds of plants are confirmed which is relevant to the number of kinds naturally grow in England. Also, over 60 kinds of plants are first found in Mt. Takao such as Takao Sumire (V. yezoensis f. discolor) and Takao Higodai (Saussurea sinuatoides).
They are a perennial plant that grows at humid places such as in the plain field or under the forest in the mountain district. (Perennial plant takes several years to grow). A part of their name ‘Tsubo’ (one tsubo is 3.3 square m) means a garden. As the shape of the leaf looks like a ‘Nyoi’, a Buddhist altar article, they have another name ‘Viola verecunda’. The flower is 0.8 to 1 cm in diameter and the smallest among Violaceae seen in Japan, white color and the dark purple stripes at the flower petal stand out well. Tubular nectary or spur (Kyo: a portion of outpunching behind the flower petal) is almost a spherical shape, short about 2 to 3 mm. The leaves are cracked heart-shaped about 2 to 3.5 cm long, with the back tinged with purple. The characteristic is that the leaf stipule (Takuyou) grows at the leafstalk (Youhei) has not split, which distinguishes them from Viola grypoceras even when they don’t blossom.
●Season Early April to about Mid May
●Height about 5 to 10 cm
●Place Jyataki, Ura-Takao
●Season Early April to about Mid May
●Height about 5 to 10 cm
●Place Jyataki, Ura-Takao