 |
tree peony. However, it seems that this species is called
that time, noble people loved flowers with good fragrance but
these were not so popular among the general populace. Later,
UME became popular as a medicinal plant. You cannot eat fresh
UME fruit because they are too sour. However, the Japanese
utilize pickled UME fruit as a seasoning or preservative. For
example, they often make ONIGIRI (rice balls) as a take-out
lunch, and put pickled UME fruit in the middle of the rice ball to
prevent it from rotting.
cultivars with big flowers and big fruit. The UME gained popularity
and was also utilized as a material for Bonsai potting. At the end
of the Edo Period, many UME gardens were created all over
Japan and people visited them for sightseeing. The owners of
UME gardens sold food to the visitors in early spring, and also
sold the fruit in summer, thus earning money on two occasions.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
The background of this page is a traditional pattern
for KIMONO (Japanese costume)