Local Plants: Yamamomo (Japanese Bayberry; Morella rubra)
This evergreen tree favors the kind of warm, mountainous coastal area typified by Naruto, where it flourishes in Naruto Park, as well as in home gardens and along the streets. Yamamomo trees grow to a height of around 15 meters and the trunk reaches a circumference of around 1 meter. The short-stemmed leaves have an elongated oval shape. Around April, petal-less flowers bloom beside the leaves, developing into plump fruits that ripen from green to a dark red-purple. Their tangy juice is popular as both a healthy drink and a cooking ingredient. Yamamomo bark is also valued, being used to create brown dyes.