february - Japanese Flower Calendar
FEBRUARY - PLUM Japanese name is Ume also known as Japanese Apricot
The herald of Spring in the Orient is the Plum blossom arriving before the end of the frost and before the leaves arrive on the trees. This beautiful and delicate flower has the meaning of courage in adversity it is used with pine and bamboo in the Three Friends of Winter. The fruit is different to our plums, they are small and hard and are usually used as traditional pickled plums.
Inspirational in art and literature one of the best known paintings is Red and White Plum blossom by the famous Rimpa painter Korin Ogata it is now a National Treasure.There are many stories about Plum blossom but the most famous is the story of the Imperial Plum tree. Story of the Imperial Plum tree.
Many years ago it was the Imperial tradition to plant a single plum tree in front of the Palace in Nara.( these days replaced by a cherry tree)
The tree was called O-shuku-bai which means Nightingale Dwelling Plum tree and this name came from a wonderful story. In the 10th century the Imperial Plum tree died and needed to be be replaced.
Searchers looking for this honoured tree spotted a beautiful tree in the courtyard of the famous poetess Kano Tsurayuki and officials demanded that the tree be sent to the Emporer at once. This order could not be disobeyed so she sadly wrote a poem for her tree and tied in the branches just before it was taken away.
Claimed for our sovereigns use
Blossom I have loved so long
Can I in duty fail?
But for the Nightingale
Seeking her home of song
How shall I find excuse?
When the tree arrived with the Emperor, as he admired it he saw the note in the branches. He read the poem and was overcome with remorse at the sadness he had caused so he returned the tree to the delighted poetess, its rightful owner.
Haiku for Plum
In the moonlight
The white Plum tree becomes again
A tree of Winter
