Speaking of Nanten(Nandina), I remember the round red can “Nandina throat lozenge”.  In addition, Nanten, which bears beautiful bright red fruits from late autumn to early winter, can be found everywhere and is an indispensable flower material for the New Year as a happy lucky charm.  The origin of Nanten is Japan and China, but it has been prized as a lucky tree because the sound of the name leads to “rolling through difficulties”, and it seemed that it had come to be planted in the house.  The flowering time of Nanten is from June to July, and white flowers come in bloom.  However, in general, Nanten is enjoyed by the red fruits and the change in the color of the leaves during the autumn leaves rather than enjoying the flowers that have bloomed, so the best time to see them is around October when the autumn leaves are beautiful and around November to February when they bear fruit.  It is almost always planted in the precincts of shrines and temples.

南天と言えば、丸い赤い缶の「南天のど飴」を思い浮かべます。また、晩秋から初冬にかけて真っ赤な美しい実を付けた南天はどこにでも見かけ、めでたい縁起物としてお正月にも欠かせない花材です。南天の原産地は日本や中国ですが、名前の音が「難を転ずる」に通じることから縁起木として珍重され、江戸時代になると火災除けとしても植えられるようになり、さらに魔除けとしても多くの家に植えられるようになったそうです。ナンテンの開花時期は6〜7月頃で、白い花を咲かせます。しかし、一般的にナンテンは開花した花を楽しむというよりも、赤い実や紅葉期の葉色の変化を楽しむため、見頃は、紅葉が美しい10月頃や、実を付ける11～２月頃とされています。神社やお寺の境内には必ずと言っていいほど植えられています。