mountain hydrangea; tea-of-heaven
A species of hydrangea native to Japan, Hydrangea macrophylla subsp. serrata. Often written in kana. Related to 沢紫陽花 (さわあじさい).
See also: サワアジサイ (さわあじさい)
Mountain hydrangeas grow wild in moist mountainous areas.
I planted a mountain hydrangea in my garden.
紫陽花 refers to the common garden hydrangea, while 山紫陽花 is a smaller, wild mountain species that beginners sometimes assume is the same plant.
Katakana spelling is common for this plant name; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling is used but less common than kana.
Compound of 山 (yama, 'mountain') and 紫陽花 (ajisai, 'hydrangea'). The exact origin of 紫陽花 is uncertain, but it is a jukujikun reading for the plant.