西洋サンシュユに花芽 Flower buds on Cornelian cherry

 コーネリアンチェリーに、ほんの２，３個ですがもう花芽が確認できています。

これはパイオニア、25年５月１日に届きました。初年度に着いた２個の蕾は、今年の冬の嵐で吹っ飛んでしまいました。栽培２年目なので樹姿が充実してきました。

I have noticed a few flower buds on both of my Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) plants.  I never knew that you could see them so early in the summer.

This plant is 'Pioneer' which arrived on 1st May 2025.  Last year, it had two flower buds, even though the tree was still tiny.  However, the buds were blown away in a winter gale -  they were probably not really viable.  This being the second year of growing, the plant looks a lot more like a proper tree.

これ↓が蕾で、先端がぷっくらしています。他にも少しあるので、今度の冬を乗り越えることを期待しています。

These are two of the flower buds on Pioneer.  Since there are a few more others, I am hoping that some of them may survive the next winter.

これが葉芽。先がシャープに尖っています。

To show the difference, these are leaf buds, looking much sharper like the tip of a toothpick.

こちらはカザンラク：23年3月に購入。３年目ともなると枝の分岐が十分おきています。

This is Kasanlak which arrived in March 2023.  In its third year of growing, the plant looks mature with a lot of short branches.

でも、花芽の数はパイオニアよりずっと少ない（無いよりはマシ）。カザンラクは自家受粉するけどパイオニアは他品種の花粉を必要とするので、来年 是非両方とも開花してほしいです。

However, the flower buds are not as numerous as on Pioneer (although better than nothing).  Kasanlak is said to be self-pollinating while Pioneer needs cross-pollination, so I hope both plants will bloom next spring.

こちらはカザンラクの葉芽。

These are leaf buds on Kasanlak.

ノコンギクの桃山があちこちで咲いています。現在は蕾全部の３割くらいが開花しています。開花が終わったら切り戻して、晩秋にも咲くか実験する予定です。何年もずっと探していた品種なので、眺めているうちにほっこりします。

Earlier this year, I divided the Japanese aster's roots into many small units and replanted them in several places.  They have started to bloom here and there.  Of the total flower buds that currently exist, about 30% are in bloom which means that I can enjoy the flowers for some time to come.  When all the flowers are gone, I plan to cut the stems down close to the ground, to see if they will regrow during the summer and bloom again in late autumn.  I searched for this variety for many years, and now this is one of the most precious plants in my place.