Even in cold weather, you can still collect botanicals. Introducing winter botanicals in Japan.If you go into the mountains, you may find more botanicals, but the plains of rural areas.
Winter Botanicals: A Quiet Season of Growth
In the winter months, the herbs in the garden quietly await the arrival of spring. The surroundings are peaceful and calm, but even during the cold, plants are still growing, albeit slowly.
Camellia Sasanqua (Sasanqua Camellia)
The Sasanqua is a member of the Camellia family and blooms from October to December. Though it closely resembles the more famous Camellia flower, the Camellia usually blooms a bit later, from December to April. One notable difference is that the Sasanqua flowers have a fragrance, while Camellia flowers are unscented.
By mid to late January, most of the flowers have fallen, but some still remain, with a few fresh buds blooming. While the number of flowers has decreased, there are still some that have just started to bloom.
The scent of the Sasanqua is not overpowering but is sweet and rich, often compared to roses or jasmine. Depending on the variety, there may be subtle differences in fragrance. The Sasanqua near my garden has a rose-like fragrance. Its delicate aroma intensifies when the flowers are steeped in alcohol for extraction.
As a relative of the tea plant, the Sasanqua leaves can also be brewed into tea. While it’s typically the fresh new leaves in May that are used for tea, this winter I’ve harvested the leaves and am naturally drying them. The scent is milder than regular tea, but as they are still drying, I haven’t tasted them yet to evaluate the flavor.
Magnolia (Hakumokuren)
Magnolia flowers bloom from March to April. Unlike the Sasanqua, the Magnolia flowers bloom all at once, only to drop within 2-3 days.
Right now, in late January, I’m using the buds and young branches of the Magnolia as my botanicals. Unlike the sweet scent of the flowers, the buds have a fresh, lemony fragrance. They also carry a hint of spiciness and a medicinal bitterness reminiscent of herbal remedies. The young branches are reddish, while older branches have turned white, and the white branches do not carry the same scent.
I steeped the buds in alcohol for 4 days, and the branches for 2 days. The resulting scent is subtle but intriguing. It may not be bold, but it adds a unique supporting note when distilled. This fragrance will help balance and enhance the main botanicals, adding a touch of complexity.
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