サンシュユ（山茱萸、学名:Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc.）

サンシュユは葉が開くより先に開花するため、株全体が鮮やかな黄色に包まれます。花は黄色い小花が30個ほど集まり、直径2～3cmほどの小さな花房（散形花序）をつくって開花します。各花には4本の雄しべがあり、これらが花序の輪郭をぼかし、花序全体が輝いているように見えます。開花期以外も、若い枝の樹皮が薄くはがれて琥珀のように日光に映え、秋には紅葉とともにサンゴのようにつややかな赤い実が楽しめます。

The whole plant is covered with a bright yellow, because it is flowering before the leaves are opened. About 30 yellow florets gather in the flower, and flower is formed by forming small flower clusters (dispersed inflorescence) about 2-3 cm in diameter. Each flower has four stamens, which blur the outline of the inflorescence and make the entire inflorescence appear to glow. Outside the flowering season, the barks of the young branches are peeled off and shine like sunlight into the sunshine, and in autumn you can enjoy the red leaves like autumn leaves as well as corals.