FLOWERS BLOOMING AT NIGHT

The flowers look like pure white laces that stand out in the darkness of the night.

“Karasuuri” or Japanese snake gourd planted on the fence of a bamboo grove of a private home in the southeastern part of NISHIOGI. The plants are climbing perennials and originated in Japan and China.

It is said that they are one-day flowers that bloom at night and wither in the next morning, and the edges of the petals split into thin pieces to attract nocturnal moths.

Incidentally, the flower language of “Karasuuri” is, for example, sincerity or good news. 

夜咲く花

夜の暗がりの中で浮き出た純白のレースのようです。

西荻の南東地区にある民家の竹藪の垣根に植栽されている「カラスウリ（烏瓜）」。日本、中国原産のつる性多年草。

花は夜咲き、翌朝にはしぼむ一日花で、花弁の縁が細かく裂け、夜行性の蛾を誘い込むため目立たせているのだそうです。

因みに、「カラスウリ」の花言葉は、例えば、「誠実」、「よき便り」。