A new Japanese plant has joined our little Japanese garden: a mountain hydrangea: Odoriko Amacha. I found this very special Japanese hydrangea in the hydrangea nursery Ajisai in Sijsele. This variation, Amacha (ama means sweet and cha means tea) is often cultivated in temples.
On April 8th (the birthday
of Buddha) visitors of Buddhist temples are offered a tea made of the
leaves, and this tea is also poored over the head of Buddha statues.
Only the leafs of this hydrangea variation may be consumed, as the other
ones are poisonous.
