Omphalodes verna (creeping navelwort, "Hanaruriso")

Japanese name: ハナルリソウ （花瑠璃草）
Scientific name: Omphalodes verna

[Overview]
A semi-evergreen perennial 10–30 cm tall, seen mainly in mountain forests in its native range.
It spreads by extending stolons.
The leaves consist of basal leaves and stem leaves; the basal leaves are ovate to ovate-lanceolate, with pointed tips and heart-shaped bases, slightly covered with fine hairs, with sunken veins and long petioles.
The leaves on the stem are simple, alternate and stalkless.
A short raceme at the stem tip bears 3–5 blue flowers shaped like an umebachi (plum-blossom crest), about 0.7–1.5 cm across.
The flower has a white eye in the center and five white veins radiating outward from the center.
The fruit consists of 4 nutlets; the nutlets are hairy and have entire margins.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by division.
Sow in autumn as a rule.
If the conditions suit it, it also multiplies well by self-sown seed.
It prefers a cool climate.
It prefers fertile, well-drained soil in bright partial shade.
It dislikes summer heat and strong direct sun, so when planting in the ground it is good to plant it under deciduous trees or similar.
Water when the soil surface begins to dry.
If it dries out, the leaves drop or it fails to flower, but if it is too wet, the roots rot.
Apply slow-release fertilizer at planting, and also place slow-release fertilizer on the soil in spring and autumn.
If you are not collecting seed, cut the flower stalks off at the base after flowering has finished.
Pests and diseases include aphids and slugs.

View this page in Japanese (日本語)