日本ナツメに1輪だけ開花が見られました。たったの１輪でも、顔を近づけると良い香り。私にとって５月の3大芳香は、開花の順に、シナノキ（科の木）、スイカズラ、ナツメです。海外の情報によると、ナツメは7月以降の高温の時期に開花したものが着果につながるとのことです。これは私自身、痛感しています。５-6月の開花からの幼果はほぼ全て落ちて、７月以降の2度目の開花で実がとどまるというのが、練馬区の気候での経験です。
I found a flower this morning on the Japanese jujube tree. Although it is only one flower, the scent is really good. For me, this is one of the 3 fragrant flowers of May, together with Japanese linden and honeysuckle.
According to the information I picked up overseas, flowers opening during the hot climate of July-August have a better chance of fruit setting, whereas young fruits from May-June flowering tend to fall off. From my experience, I agree totally with this.
I bought this small plant in March this year at a shop near the Nerima Ward Office. Already, the plant is more than 25 cm taller than originally and has lots of flower buds. Among the several jujube plants on the shelf I saw that day, this one was unstable at the base, which I suspected was because it had been put into that pot just before being placed on the shelf. However, I chose this for its straight tree trunk. When I came home, I took it out of the pot and confirmed that the roots did not hold the soil in the pot. So, I replanted it in a much larger, 30 cm pot and it has been doing well.
去年の春に買ったコーネリアンチェリーのカザンラクは順調に育っています。鉢植え管理で実を着けさせたいので、枝は短く切っています。園芸店で見かける日本のサンシュユは、直径15cmほどの鉢で、しかも土はカチカチ。その厳しい環境では枝を短く剪定・維持して開花させるのは容易に見えますが、10号鉢と十分な肥料だと、どうしても枝が伸び伸びになります。
The Cornus mas "Kazanlak" that I bought in spring last year is doing well. Since I want to grow this plant in a pot, I keep the branches short and close to the centre of the tree. However, with a large pot and plenty of fertiliser, the tree is too vigorous to be kept small.
ナツメ同様、虫が着かず健康そうな葉っぱです。花芽の分化は７月頃だそうで、その近辺では水やりを控えると花芽の分化が起きやすい、という内容の記事を読んだことがあります。なので、６月の梅雨どきは屋内にひっこめるかも。
As with the jujube plant, this tree is free of harmful bugs. According to the information on the internet, flower buds for next year will start to form in July, and watering should be kept to the minimum around that time. Now, our rainy season lasts from late May to early July. Therefore, I may pull the plant indoors to avoid excessive watering during that period.
