Following along the mountain stream for a short distance from the nearby village, you’ll find the Shuukaidou (Hardy Begonia) thriving, covering the rocky outcrops with its lush growth. Amidst its large, vibrant green leaves, you’ll notice tiny flowers scattered and blooming. True to its name, it exudes a charming and distinctly autumnal allure. Retaining a wild charm and evoking a Japanese aesthetic, it is a mysterious flower. Despite often being thought of as native to Japan due to its semi-wild presence throughout the country, the Shuukaidou is actually an introduced species that arrived from China in the early Edo period. It earned the name ‘Hardy Begonia’ because it bears flowers similar to those of the Rose family’s KaiDou (Begonia) in the autumn. Its flowering season ranges from late July to mid-October, and it comes in white and pink varieties, known for their sparkling, glistening quality when touched by sunlight. It produces numerous small flowers, about 3cm in size, on stems that emerge from the leaves’ base. There are both male and female flowers, with the conspicuous yellow ovaries of the female flowers catching the eye. In English, it is referred to as ‘Hardy Begonia’ due to its cold-hardiness, and it is also known by the name ‘Elephant ear,’ highlighting its large leaves.

近くの集落から谷川に沿って少し進むと、シュウカイドウ(秋海棠)が岩肌を覆う様に生い茂っています。大きな緑濃い葉に比べて余りにも小さな花が散らばって咲いています。その名の通り、いかにも秋を思わせる楚々とした風情が魅力です。野趣感を残していて、和の趣を感じさせる不思議な花です。シュウカイドウは、日本の各地で半野生化していることから、日本原産と思われがちですが、江戸時代の初め頃に中国から渡来した帰化植物です。バラ科のカイドウ(海棠）に似た花を秋に咲かせていることから、秋海棠との名がつきました。開花期は７月下旬〜10月中旬頃で、花色は白、ピンクがあり、日が差すとキラキラと光るラメのような質感が特徴的です。葉のわきから花茎を伸ばし、３cm前後の小さな花を多数咲かせます。雄花と雌花があり、雌花の黄色い子房が目立ちます。英語では「Hardy begonia（耐寒性のあるベゴニア）」と呼ばれます。また、大きな葉に注目したElephant earという呼び名もあります。