There’s a nursery rhyme with the following contents in Japan. The title is “Summer comes”. “Hototogisu comes to the fence where the scent of the May-Flower is drifting, and they were secretly squeaking. It’s already summer”. It is an old song, so modern children may not sing. “The May-Flower” in this song is actually Utsugi. Since “Utsugi” means that the trunk of the tree is hollow, the name has come to be called. There are various types of Utsugi, and the double-flowered flowers in the photo are called “Yae-Utsugi” or “Sara-Utsugi.” I think it’s the most beautiful of all Utsugi. Utsugi has been popular with Japanese people since it appeared in The Tale of Genji 1000 years ago.

「卯の花の　匂う垣根に　時鳥(ホトトギス)　早来鳴きて　忍音(しのびね)洩らす　夏は来ぬ」、童謡『夏は来ぬ』です。今の子たちは歌うのでしょうか。卯の花とはウツギのこと。漢字で書くと「空木」。幹が空洞になっていることから、こう言う名になりました。ウツギにもいろいろな種類があって、写真の八重咲きは「ヤエウツギ」とか「サラサウツギ」とかいいます。ウツギの中でも最も美しいと思います。源氏物語にも「卯の花の垣根ことさらにして」というくだりがあるように、ウツギは昔から親しまれれてきた木であり花です。