Flower Photo: Ixora Chinensis from Okinawa, Japan

This flower grows almost everywhere in Okinawa and may be found throughout Asia.

In Japan, it is called Sandanka.

Today Doc Graff and I were on a mission down at the southern end of the island.

It's been awhile since I posted any new flowers so we decided to stop at the DIY store.

That's where I shot photos of the Fox Face plant and thought I was going to jail.

This time, though, I had a plan.

It went like this. Find a plant with nice flowers and some sort of name on it.

Pay for the thing. Get out of the store. Take it home and shoot as many photos as you like.

That's what I did. Only, I took it to my new office.

The place is still under construction.

So, this is all you get to see.

Should I take the flowers home ?

Say something like, "Look, sweetheart. I was thinking about you today."

Er, maybe I should wait until right after I do something real stupid.

And get out of jail !

Learn more about Ixora Chinensis here.

Plant Lovers: A Fox Face Plant (Photos) with Some Udder Names

Here's what caught my eye today Fox Face (Solanum mammosum) at a DIY store in Okinawa, Japan

So you could get a good look at them, I shot photos from different angles.

Nobody walking through the Lawn and Garden Center knew what kind of plant it was when I asked them.  

So, I decided to ahem, ahum, reposition the price tag which had a name on it.

That wasn't exactly a good composition for a photo so, I decided to reposition it, again.

My plan, after I took this photo with the Japanese name, Fox Face on the plant, was to put the sticker back where I originally found it.  Sometimes, plans just don't happen.

  This was one of those times.

I GOT CAUGHT TAKING PHOTOS WHERE PHOTOGRAPHY ISN'T ALLOWED !

You'd think I was some sort of criminal, or someone doing industrial espionage.  Groan. 

Why me ?

So, thinking real fast while I was shaking in my flip flops, I showed the guy my camera and said "Watch.  I'll DELETE, Gomenasai ( I'm sorry )" and a buncha other stuff.

It worked.  I got out of there, photos and all.  Next time, I'll ask, first.  Or, I could bring the little Canon G12, and don't get caught.  Hmm.

Anyway, while the camera was downloading, I did my research on Fox Face.

An Anthropoligist named Jared Braiterman has a website called

TOKYO GREEN SPACE

He talks about the plant and says people decorate their homes with them.

Sure enough, he has a photo of the plant and it looks like my photos.

They call the plant Fox Face because somebody decided that's what the fruits look like.

Well, there wasn't a scientific name for the plant on the Tokyo site so, I dug a bit further.

WIKIPEDIA TELLS ME THIS:

In Japan, Solanum mammosum is called Fox Face.

In China, it's called Five Fingered Eggplant.

But, whackos in other places around the world call the plant:

Nipplefruit, Titty Fruit, Apple of Sodom and  Cow's Udder.

Udder than that, I have nothing more to tell you about the Solanum mammosum except, if I ever decide to photograph them again at the DIY store, I might ask for permission first !