Category:

Municipally Designated Natural Monument

Title:

Mikura no ikariso

The Large-Flowered Barrenwort of Mikura

御蔵のイカリソウ

No. of features:

One group

Designated:

November 6, 1965

Location:

Mikura, Minuma Ward

Owner:

Under private ownership

Description:

These large-flowered barrenwort plants (Epimedium grandiflorum) grow wild across about 800 ha (~3 sq mi) of sloping land on the eastern bank of a private residence.

Once standing with the dogtooth violet (Erythronium japonicum) as representative wildflowers of the former Musashi Plain,  the large-flowered barrenwort has become rare in recent years.

Large-flowered barrenwort is in the family Berberidaceae. It grows between 20-30 cm tall, flowering with purple blooms in mid-April. The plant’s common name in Japanese is “ikariso” (lit. “anchor grass”), a reference to the delicate, spurred petals’ resemblance to traditional four-pronged anchors.  

Associated Texts:

(1970). “Designated Cultural Properties in Omiya City”. Omiya Municipal Board of Education.

(1971). “Designated Cultural Properties in Omiya City”. Omiya Municipal Board of Education.

(1987). “Cultural Properties in Omiya” (vol. 3). Omiya Municipal Board of Education.

The owner of this natural monument has kindly agreed to make the flowers available for public viewing for a fee during their blooming season. Please be courteous towards other visitors, locals, and the site’s owners/curators when visiting this cultural property.

Inquiries (Japanese only)

Cultural Heritage Preservation Division, Department of Lifelong Learning, Board of Education Secretariat　

TEL：048-829-1723 FAX：048-829-1989

https://www.city.saitama.jp/004/005/006/001/005/002/003/p000560.html