Wisteria, a birthday flower of April 29th

Wisteria, known in Japanese as "fuji", is one of spring's most graceful and beloved spring flowers. They are the birthday flower of April 29th as well as April 5th and May 31st. I took the photo in this post on April 29th in a previous year.

For years, wisteria bloomed from April to May, with prime viewing often during Golden Week in the Kanto plain (Greater Tokyo area). However, in recent years, by the second half of Golden Week, i.e. the dates in May, the wisteria are often finished. End of April has become the best time to see them in the last few years.

In the Japanese language of flowers, hanakotoba, wisteria represent "kindness" (優しさ), "welcome" (歓迎), "never parting" (決して離れない)  and "intoxicated by love" (恋に酔う). Meanings that reflect both its elegant form and its long cultural history.

The name Wisteria honors the American anatomist Caspar Wistar, while the Japanese name "fuji" is said to derive from the idea of the petals "scattering softly". Although this is debated and several other theories also exist. Regardless, it is a beautiful flower with Japan boasting an impressive selection of ancient wisteria many of which are designated as natural monuments.