Katakuri, a birthday flower of January 28th

There are four different birthday flowers on January 28th annually. They are Nemophila, Gazania, Snowflake and Katakuri. In this post, Katakuri (カタクリ) , which is a beloved wildflower of Japan.

It is not in bloom yet, but it is still one of the birthday flowers. In the Kanto plain (Greater Tokyo area) it tends to bloom in March, usually the second half of March. The photo in this post was taken at the end of March. They are a very interesting flower that goes through growth phases. They start with their flower closed, much like a closed umbrella. Then the petals slowly start to lift upwards. Finally, they curve upwards.

In the Japanese hanakotoba, flower language, it means “first love” and “enduring loneliness”. Supposedly the meaning comes from the stage when the blooms are facing down as it suggests unspoken feelings and gentle longing. Katakuri has deep cultural roots in Japan, once known as katakago, and is treasured in mountain forests where it carpets the ground in early spring.