Environment Chiba town cultivates edible flowers and cacti to revive unused land

[thomas]

Town officials in Otaki, Chiba, explained that they had been looking for crops that could withstand poor soil, rough weather, and damage from wild animals. Their answer turned out to be unusual: two edible flowers—roselle and rose—and a type of cactus. The town, located east of Tokyo, began the revitalisation effort in 2022 to put increasing stretches of abandoned farmland back into use as the local farming population continued to age. A seed company and a former Chiba prefectural official with a background in agricultural policy joined the project.

Photo credit: Haraguchi Shinya via Asahi.

Those involved said it took time to identify plants that would grow reliably in Otaki's heavy, poorly drained clay. They also wanted varieties that were not widely cultivated elsewhere in Japan, hoping that limited competition would give the town a better chance of establishing its own niche.

The municipal government specifically selected roselle — a type of hibiscus — in 2023 as the first step toward nurturing a new local speciality. The calyx surrounding the roselle petals becomes suitable for consumption after its white flowers finish blooming. It is processed into tea, jam and jelly for use in confectionery and other purposes. In response to the municipality's call for cooperation, 14 residents produced roselle on a trial basis in their own fields. The finished roselle in the tests had a distinctly sour taste overall, reducing concerns that wild boars or muntjac deer would devour the plants. This success gave the project a burst of momentum, with 17 people planting roselle in fiscal 2024 and 23 this fiscal year.

Chiba town grows edible flowers, cactuses to revive land | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis