# A "few" C. japonicum



## KyushuCalanthe (Nov 5, 2017)

Not very well videographed, but still you get the point. Fast forward to 2:56 to see this incredible colony of C. japonicum in Fukushima Prefecture.

https://youtu.be/O6zwe1S8l8w


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## Ozpaph (Nov 5, 2017)

Oh my goodness!


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## MorandiWine (Nov 5, 2017)

HOLY CYP BATMAN!!


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## Linus_Cello (Nov 5, 2017)

Definitely good drainage. What are the trees they grow under?


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## TyroneGenade (Nov 5, 2017)

Wow.


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## Secundino (Nov 5, 2017)

Oh wow ...


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## naoki (Nov 6, 2017)

Wow, estimated to be 30000 plants! I wonder how long it took to fill up the space.


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## Happypaphy7 (Nov 6, 2017)

So many!!! 

It looks like they might have been planted there for the landscape. 
The area looks more like a developed park of some sort. 
Or they just fenced around the natural population? 

Without tight security, such large population wouldn't stand a chance in Korea. 
Too easy to be found and taken away. 

I have seen some small populations in the mountains long ago, and there were in typical mixed forest with heavy cover of fallen leaves, under which rotten leaves plus soil on the ground, which is also typical of forest floor. 
These are never completely dry but moist at all times.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Nov 6, 2017)

This is of course not a natural colony, as Naoki intimates. In Japan gardens are often mass planted - a trend which probably is more a product of modern times. So it is with this colony. The trees are also planted - even aged Japanese cedars, Cryptomeria japonica. 

In nature this species lives in far looser colonies, though no doubt many were quite large. Since Japan's temperate forests were dominated by deciduous trees of many types, it is likely that is where they were found historically. Currently the species is considered endangered throughout the country, but was historically widespread. Only in Nagasaki Prefecture is it considered probably extinct. That said, I can tell you it is not common these days due largely to loss of habitat. Fukuoka is said to have a large population, but its whereabouts is kept secret and it is watched carefully for poaching.


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## paphioboy (Nov 9, 2017)

Mind-blowing!


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## NYEric (Nov 10, 2017)

Not even one close-up Goji?!


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## KyushuCalanthe (Nov 12, 2017)

NYEric said:


> Not even one close-up Goji?!



Be thankful he kept his hand steady enough to see the plants! :rollhappy:


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## JeanLux (Nov 16, 2017)

:drool::drool::drool: !!!! Jean


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## My Green Pets (Nov 16, 2017)

Wait, did the subtitles say over 30,000 plants?? （三万以上）？？
クマガイソウ　kumagaisou is the name of the orchid in japanese? kawaii :O)


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## KyushuCalanthe (Nov 17, 2017)

CambriaWhat said:


> Wait, did the subtitles say over 30,000 plants?? （三万以上）？？
> クマガイソウ　kumagaisou is the name of the orchid in japanese? kawaii :O)



Indeed, 30,000 flowering stems. Maintained colonies of this size are scattered here and there throughout Japan. Even my area is said to have a large population, but its whereabouts is strictly concealed except to a few. I've see photos of it only.

C. japonicum was named after the famous Japanese soldier, Jiro Kumagai, during the Genpei War. He later reformed himself and became a Buddhist monk, and atoned for his sins. The name was given to the flower since the inflated lip looks something like a helmet cape worn into battle to protect ones neck and back from arrows. Famously, Kumagai killed Taira no Atsumori in battle, and this lead to calling C. macranthos Atsumorisou. C. macranthos is critically endangered throughout its range in Japan these days, and populations are no where as extensive as for C. japonicum. That said C. japonicum has become quite rare in the wild outside these huge maintained populations, which in fact are not naturally occurring.


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## SlipperFan (Nov 17, 2017)

wow!

Tom, how long did it take you to get used to driving on the left side of the road? That was the first thing that caught my eye. Then there's all those flowers!


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## KyushuCalanthe (Nov 17, 2017)

SlipperFan said:


> wow!
> 
> Tom, how long did it take you to get used to driving on the left side of the road? That was the first thing that caught my eye. Then there's all those flowers!



Dot, it is not my video, so its not me driving in the vid. I do not drive in Japan - getting a license here is expensive and maintaining a car is also expensive. Since I don't need a car in Japan (everything is close by and public transportation is excellent), I don't miss having a car.


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## cnycharles (Nov 18, 2017)

Amazing sight! A site in Ontario has a few thousand showy ladyslippers propagated and placed artificially but the plants aren&rsquo;t as dense as this


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## SlipperFan (Nov 19, 2017)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> Dot, it is not my video, so its not me driving in the vid. I do not drive in Japan - getting a license here is expensive and maintaining a car is also expensive. Since I don't need a car in Japan (everything is close by and public transportation is excellent), I don't miss having a car.



Oops -- I misunderstood.


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## abax (Nov 22, 2017)

Aside from the wonderful plants, I noticed that beautiful
stone wall.


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