also: やちくさ
great variety of plants; many kinds of herbs
Literary or poetic term for a lush, diverse collection of plants or herbs, often evoking a natural, abundant landscape.
野原には八千草が生い茂っていた。
The field was thick with a great variety of plants.
春になると、八千草が一斉に芽吹く。
In spring, many kinds of herbs sprout all at once.
Standard kanji spelling; the reading やちぐさ is the most common.
Alternate reading; less common than やちぐさ.
Compound of 八千 (yachi, 'eight thousand', meaning 'a great many') and 草 (kusa, 'grass, plant'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is conventionally associated with the idea of countless plants.