Weigela japonica ("Tsukushiyabutsugi")

Japanese name: ツクシヤブウツギ （筑紫薮空木）
Scientific name: Weigela japonica

[Overview]
A deciduous shrub 1–5 m tall, found in mountains.
Young branches, leaves, the outside of the corolla and the ovary bear ascending or appressed hairs.
Leaves are simple and opposite, elliptic, about 5–12 cm long, and densely hairy, especially on the veins of the underside.
The leaf margins are serrate.
The petiole is long, 0.5–1.2 cm, and hairy.
Corymbs arise from the leaf axils and branch tips, each bearing 2–3 flowers.
The flowers are white from bud to early bloom and later turn reddish purple, but some plants bear deep purplish red flowers from the start.
The corolla is funnel-shaped, 2–2.7 cm long, with the upper part widening like a bell and the tip 5-lobed.
There are 5 stamens.
The fruit is a narrow cylindrical capsule 1.8–2.7 cm long; when ripe it splits in two, leaving the tip and the central axis, and releases fine seeds.

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