nemophila
Japanese Name:
ネモフィラ
Romaji Name:
nemofira
Description
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Nemophila, also known as baby blue eyes, is a small flowering plant with bright blue, cup-shaped flowers. It is popular in gardens and parks for its beautiful, vibrant color and is often seen blooming in spring.
History
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Nemophila is native to North America, especially California. It has been known and admired there for centuries, and wild fields of nemophila are a famous spring sight in California. The name comes from Greek: nemos (grove) and philos (loving), meaning “loving shady places.”
The flower was introduced to Japan in the 19th century (Meiji period) as part of Western ornamental gardening. Today, nemophila is especially famous in Japan at places like Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture, where millions of blue blossoms bloom each spring, attracting many visitors. It has become a modern seasonal symbol of spring in Japan.