apoitachitsubosumire
Violaceae (violet family)
Viola sacchalinensis var. alpina
- Physical characteristics:
- This perennial grows to approximately 10 cm in height. The stems are subterranean. The heart-shaped leaves have pointed tips and are thick and glossy. The undersides of the leaves are purple. The flowers have five petals, with short hairs on the inner side of the lateral petals.
- Blooming period:
- May to early June
- Habitat:
- areas in and above the fifth stage
- Other information:
- an endemic variant species in Hokkaido
- Japanese name origin:
- The “tachi,” meaning “standing,” refers to the upright growth of the stem, while the “tsubo” suggests that the plant can be found in various places, such as in small gardens (“tsuboniwa”) and along the roadside. As for “sumire,” one theory is that the name comes from the flower’s resemblance to a traditional Japanese inkpot, although there are other theories as well.