乗鞍高原で出会うスプリング・エフェメラル（春の儚きものたち）

Spring finally arrives after a long winter. Flowers bloom quietly for a short time in early spring, disappearing when the trees start to turn vibrant with new green leaves. Did you know that there are plants that can be called spring fairies?"The fleeting life of spring" = "Spring ephemeral"It is said that...
This time, we will introduce the spring ephemerals that can be found at Norikura Plateau in early spring.

Spring Ephemerals Encountered at Norikura Kogen

❶ What are spring ephemerals?

Spring ephemerals are plants that bloom just after the snow melts, long before trees produce leaves. They are also known as "spring fairies" because of their delicate beauty. They take advantage of the sunlight while it is still plentiful and reaching the ground, before other plants have woken up, to bloom and pollinate, produce seeds and store nutrients. By doing so, they apparently monopolize insects and increase pollination efficiency. Some plants complete the process from flowering to producing seeds in just two weeks.

In this way, spring ephemeral plants wait patiently under the forest floor for the spring sunlight to penetrate the broadleaf forest, and once they emerge above ground, they enjoy the fleeting spring."Fleeting Things of Spring"It is said that they are truly fascinating. Spring ephemerals can also be found in Norikura Highlands.

❷ Examples of spring ephemerals seen at Norikura Plateau

Here are some spring ephemerals that can be observed at Norikura Plateau.

Anemone nirinsou

It is a perennial plant of the Ranunculaceae family, the Anemone genus, and its name comes from the fact that two flower stalks grow from one stem, first producing one flower, followed by a second flower. The young leaves are edible as wild vegetables, but care should be taken as they resemble the young leaves of the poisonous Aconite. Before early summer arrives, the plant sprouts, develops leaves, flowers, and bears fruit, after which the above-ground parts wither and disappear, and it goes into a dormant state. In autumn, it begins to form buds for the following year.

Scarlet laurel

It is a typical plant of early spring, living in marshes and forest areas with bright shade (half sun), and its pink, firework-like flowers are very eye-catching. The name Shojobakama comes from the legendary Chinese creature "Shojo," which looks like a monkey and is red in color (shojo-iro).
The flower colour varies widely, from white to pink to reddish purple.
It flowers only in the spring and then hides underground, spending most of the year underground.

Adonis

This perennial plant of the Ranunculaceae family can be found in the ground shortly after the snow has melted. It was given the name "Fukutsugusou" (a plant that announces good fortune) during the Edo period, as it is the first to announce the arrival of spring. Later, the word "jujusou" was replaced with the auspicious "ju" (longevity), which sounds better, and it became "Adonisu-sou." When the golden Adonisu-sou blooms against the rust-colored ground, it makes you happy, as it means the long-awaited spring has arrived! The vibrant color of the flowers instantly brightens your heart. In Norikura Plateau, the flowers bloom around March, and by June the leaves wither and the plant goes dormant.

Corydalis japonica

It is a perennial plant that grows in mountain forests. Its flowers are uniquely shaped, with lip-like ends. They come in a variety of colors, from nearly blue to purple. They have spherical tubers underground, from which they grow stems above ground in early spring and produce flowers. By the time the young leaves of deciduous broadleaf forests begin to spread, the above-ground parts wither and disappear, and the plant survives on the underground tubers until the following spring.

3. Head to Norikura Highlands in early spring to see the spring ephemerals

If you come across them in the stillness before the surrounding plants have woken up, you may feel a special joy at the sight of them blooming to the fullest with a unique presence.Some of the spring ephemerals introduced here can be seen in the gardens of some accommodations, but we also recommend going on walks around and looking for them.
Why not head to Norikura Plateau in early spring to see the spring ephemerals?

The proprietress recommends walking here