18 July 2010: (mostly) lilies
Late July on the Izu Peninsula is marked by three very hard-to-miss natural events:
- the fading of the hydrangeas, which have been in bloom since the start of rainy season about a month ago,
- the emergence of the cicadas, whose buzzing can reach deafening levels, and
- the blooming of the lilies along the coast.
The bright oranges, reds, and whites of the lilies look like flares burning among the black volcanic rocks of the Izu Peninsula.
Lilies are special to this country: of the 100-plus species known worldwide, fifteen are native to Japan. Many of the photos here are of Lilium maculatum, called sukashi yuri, the "see-through lily" because the tepals are separated at their bases enough to see through.