tree project

Hi Hiroshi,  Finally!!! One sprouted. The other one still in 'coma' state.  Regards, JL Ng

Hello Hiroshi How are you doing these days. I notice that you are doing wonderful things, meeting exciting people and enjoying life to the hilt. Am happy for you. I have finally managed to locate a friend to send me a photo of my prized hibaku. Hope you will like it nestled in the midst of Singapore's luxuriant flora. It is looking good don't you agree? This friend is keen on growing hibaku too, would you be able to spare us some more seeds? Do you think this would be possible. Looking forward to hearing from you.   Wish you all the best Marianne

A Tree Lesson in Resilience This Camphor sapling is grown from the seed of a Hibaku Jumoku: the trees that survived the atomic bombing of  Hiroshima on 6th August 1945.  Scientists from the Manhattan Project had predicted that ‘Hiroshima will be barren of life and nothing will grow for 75 years’.  But in the spring of 1946, new shoots sprang up amongst the debris of the city. This surge of life gave hope to survivors of the atomic bomb and now provides us with a powerful reminder of the resilience of life. Germinated in the backyard of:  Mr Tan Yew Meng in  Oct 2013   Transplanted to CASS  grounds on 3 Jun 2015 Look at how beautiful they are! They are about 11 months old.  Corrie Tan

Hi Hiroshi, the Botanical Gardens has got back to me and put me in touch with a environmentalist, grant Pereira who is doing a lot of good work in South East Asia. He is adopting my hibaku and planting it in a garden that is frequented by college students. Am pleased as the word will spread about the hibaku and it's resilient nature. I will take a photographe and send it to you before the hibaku leaves my corridor. I Am relieved that my hibaku will find mother earth finally as i know it was suffering in the small earthen pot. Marianne Pereira

I have been moving apartments....my hibuki plants are mow growing with a rainforest view... Katy harris Singapore

Hi Hiroshi, Only half of my seedlings have survived but I feel like a proud mother, watching how much these have grown. My family does not refer to them as seedlings or plants, instead we call them trees. I really hope they grow into trees. Thanks Hiroshi! Regards, Cindy

I decided to plant these Hibaku seeds because of how the survivor trees bloomed the following Spring after the A-bombing. To me, it was a deeply moving testimony of life after death, resurrection hope after destruction. It is the power of Nature and life to push back death, in defiance of the prediction of scientists. I am a womb twin survivor; and I remember keeping the seeds for months after it arrived. Waiting. Until the morning of my birthday and what would have also been hers, I planted the seeds into the womb of a single pot. I told myself it would be a sign to me - whether the seeds will overcome the odds and bloom.   Miraculously, two seedlings popped up. Just like me and my twin. I re-potted and transplanted my seedlings into separate pots while they were a little bigger. Every day I watered them and blessed them to grow up well. To me, the two plants are a living parable and re-enactment of the miracle of life and resurrection hope. There is alwa...

Hey Hiroshi! Hope everything's going ace on your end!  Here's a photo of the hibaku plants under our care (Kian Peng and Melissa). They're all faring pretty well and I'm surprised they're doing alright despite having only partial sunlight. I'd always thought camphor trees were sun-loving plants!  One other thing which might not be very obvious in the photograph - most of the plants have little weeny branches and leaves sprouting very close to the soil. I'd initially wondered if they were weeds - but obviously not. I thought it was unusual to see tenacious little branches at the base. Keep me posted if you get other seeds soon! Warmest regards, Melissa