クサギの葉は触ると特異な臭いがしますが、花は甘い香りを放ちます。果実は染料になり、毛糸や絹糸が淡い空色に染め上がります。
The leaves of the harlequin glory bower have a peculiar smell to the touch, but the flowers give off a sweet scent. The fruits become dyes, and the yarns and silks are dyed in a pale sky blue.
【仮名】クサギ
【和名】臭木
【英名】Harlequin Glory Bower
【学名】Clerodendrum trichotomum
【誕生】10/ 26
【開花】07, 08月
【花色】White
クサギ
クサギの分布と自生
クサギはシソ科の落葉小高木です。国内では北海道から九州、沖縄まで、国外では朝鮮から中国、台湾まで分布。欧米では観賞用に栽培され、日本では日当たりのよい原野に自生しています。
クサギの葉と名前
クサギの葉は長い葉柄、大きく薄い葉身、密生する柔らかな毛が特徴です。触ると特異な臭いがし、これが臭木の名前の由来。しかし、若葉はお茶になるほか、茹でれば食べられる山菜です。
クサギの花と受粉
クサギの花は甘い香りを放ちます。昼間は大型のチョウ、夜間は大型のガが訪花。雄しべが花粉を出すときと、雌しべが花粉を受けるときをずらし、同じ花で受粉しないようになっています。
クサギの萼と果実
クサギの花は緑色の萼が次第に赤くなります。その赤い萼が開くと紺色の果実が出現。５つの赤く肉厚な萼片の中心に紺の液果です。白く可憐な花からは想像できないくらい官能的な造り。
クサギで草木染め
クサギの果実は染料になります。青い色素トリコトミン。毛糸や絹糸が淡い空色に染め上がります。赤い萼も染料になり、鉄媒染で渋い灰色に。臭木で草木染め…いわばクサギ染めですね。
Harlequin Glory Bower
harlequin glory bower distribution and native
harlequin glory bower is a deciduous small tree of the Labiatae family. It is distributed from Hokkaido to Kyushu and Okinawa in Japan, and from Korea to China and Taiwan overseas. It is cultivated for ornamental purposes in Europe and the United States, and grows naturally in sunny wilderness in Japan.
Harlequin glory bower leaf and name
The leaves of the harlequin glory bower are characterized by long petioles, large and thin blades, and dense, soft hair. It has a peculiar smell when touched, which is the origin of the name of the odor tree. However, young leaves are not only tea, but also edible wild plants that can be eaten if boiled.
Harlequin glory bower flowers and pollination
Harlequin flowers give off a sweet scent. Large butterflies visit during the day and large moths visit at night. The time when the stamens produce pollen and the time when the pistils receive pollen are staggered so that they do not pollinate with the same flower.
Harlequin glory bower calyx and fruit
The green calyx of the harlequin glory bower flower gradually turns red. When the red calyx opens, dark blue fruits appear. Navy blue berries in the center of five thick red calyxes. A sensual structure that cannot be imagined from the pretty white flowers.
Plant dyeing with harlequin glory bower
The fruit of the harlequin glory bower becomes a dye. Blue pigment trichotomin. Yarn and silk threads are dyed in a pale sky blue. The red calyx also becomes a dye and becomes astringent gray with iron mordanting. Plant dyeing with odorous wood … So to speak, it is harlequin dyeing.
