| Sakaki | |
|---|---|
| |
| Sakaki, Cleyera japonica | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Pentaphylacaceae |
| Genus: | Cleyera |
| Species: | C. japonica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cleyera japonica | |
Cleyera japonica (sakaki) is a flowering evergreen tree native to warm areas of Japan, Taiwan, China, Myanmar, Nepal, and northern India (Min and Bartholomew 2015). It can reach a height of 10 m. The leaves are 6–10 cm long, smooth, oval, leathery, shiny and dark green above, yellowish-green below, with deep furrows for the leaf stem. The bark is dark reddish brown and smooth. The small, scented, cream-white flowers open in early summer, and are followed later by berries which start red and turn black when ripe. Sakaki is one of the common trees in the second layer of the evergreen oak forests. It is considered sacred to Japanese Shintō faith, and is one of the classical offerings at Shintō shrines including Tamagushi and masakaki .[1][2][3]
- ^ D, John (2015-04-05). "The Colours of Shinto (masakaki)". Green Shinto. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
- ^ "What is a Masakaki Offering?". Retrieved 2023-11-27.
- ^ "Sakaki | 國學院大學デジタルミュージアム". 2021-09-21. Archived from the original on 2021-09-21. Retrieved 2023-11-27.