Tuesday, July 16, 2024
A large wild lily growing on the edge of a field in the Nakajima family's natural garden.
This mysterious lily flower grows to a height of over 1m and produces 10 to 20 large, greenish-white trumpet-shaped flowers at right angles to the long flower stalk.
It takes more than seven years for this plant to grow from seed to flower, and it only flowers and bears fruit once in its life. Once the plant has flowered, it dies, but new plants grow next to the original plant.
[Ouba lily (Ouba lily) also known as Ezo bayuri:Wikipedia reference）】
In Hokkaido, the Ainu people consider it a valuable food source (starch is extracted from the bulbs) under the name "turep." Incidentally, a dish made with Oubayuri also appears in the comic "Golden Kamuy"! (Reference: Classical）
In addition, a protected area for the giant lily has been established in the Tonden windbreak forest in Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido.
The flowering of the giant lily, which only blooms and bears fruit once in a lifetime, was a precious and magical moment for me to witness, and I am filled with boundless love, gratitude, and prayers.
◇ ikuko (photo by noboru)
