花菖蒲(はなしょうぶ)

はなしょうぶ
noun
Japanese iris
plant-flower
1. Japanese iris (Iris ensata)
A tall, large-flowered iris with sword-shaped leaves, planted in damp gardens and along stream banks. Blooms June through early July in a wide range of cultivated colors.
花菖蒲(はなしょうぶ)を植(う)えた。
I planted Japanese irises.
花菖蒲(はなしょうぶ)は梅雨(つゆ)の時期(じき)に見頃(みごろ)を迎(むか)える。
Japanese irises reach their peak during the rainy season.
花菖蒲(はなしょうぶ)には江戸(えど)系(けい)・伊勢(いせ)系(けい)・肥後(ひご)系(けい)など、産地(さんち)ごとに特徴(とくちょう)のある品種群(ひんしゅぐん)がある。
Japanese irises come in regional cultivar groups — Edo, Ise, Higo — each with its own characteristics.

Often confused with アヤメ and 杜若(かきつばた) (rabbitear iris). The dividing rule of thumb: 花菖蒲(はなしょうぶ) is the tallest and is grown on damp land, 杜若(かきつばた) grows in shallow water, and アヤメ prefers drier soil.

Similar words

  • 杜若(かきつばた): rabbitear iris — water-grown; smaller; blooms slightly earlier
  • アヤメ: Siberian iris — drier soil; smaller flowers
  • 菖蒲(しょうぶ): sweet flag — different plant entirely; the iris is the "花(はな)" (flowering) version of the name only

In the iris-festival custom on 端午(たんご)の節句(せっく) (Boys' Day, May 5), it is the leaves of 菖蒲(しょうぶ) (sweet flag), not 花菖蒲(はなしょうぶ), that are used in the bath.

Related Words

Related: 杜若(かきつばた) (rabbitear iris)
Compare: 菖蒲(あやめ) (Siberian iris)
general
Added 2026.6.4 13:07 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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