Komakusa (Alpine bleeding heart)

　The Komakusa, which produces delicate pink flowers. In Zaō, it reportedly begins to bloom in mid-June and reaches its peak in July.

　A large colony can be found near the Komakusa-daira car park, located on the Miyagi Prefecture side of the Zaō Echo Line road. As it blooms in gravelly terrain where other plants cannot grow, giving it an air of nobility, it is known as the ‘Queen of Alpine Plants’.

　It has long been used as a medicinal herb to relieve stomach ache; indeed, some mountains have seen the plant driven to extinction by poaching, and some local authorities have designated it as an endangered species. To avoid trampling the plants, it is recommended that you use a telephoto lens when taking photographs.