Canola flower Coloring Pages

Canola flower is the general group name for plants in the mustard family. There isn't just one plant called "Canola flower". The flower buds of rape plants, as well as yummy greens like komatsuna and napa cabbage, are all called "Canola flower". Big fields of yellow flowers are a special sign of spring in Japan.

English Name and Origin of the Name

• English name: People usually call them Rape blossoms or Canola flowers.

  • Rapeseed: This means the seeds used to make oil.

  • Canola: This comes from a special type created in Canada (Canadian Oil Low Erucic Acid).

  • Mustard flower: This name is used for spicy mustard plant flowers.

• Origin of the name:

  • The word "Na" means "plants you can eat". So "Canola flower" means "flowers that bloom on plants you can eat".

  • Long ago in the Edo period, people grew a lot of them to make oil for lamps.

When They Bloom

• Season: Around February to May

  • In warm places like Chiba, they start blooming in January. The best time to see them across Japan is March and April.

  • They bloom at the same time as cherry blossoms. You can see pretty pink and yellow colors together in spring.

Flower Meanings

Canola flower has many happy meanings just like its bright color.

• "Cheerful": Comes from how happy they look blooming in the spring sun.

• "Bright Hope": Comes from being the first flowers to bloom after cold winter ends.

• "Little Happiness": Comes from many tiny flowers coming together to make a big shine.

Here are tips to make your picture look even more alive!

Use Different Bright Yellows

• Make it pop: Color all the petals with lemon yellow first. Then, add a little golden yellow or orange to the shadowy parts and the centers. This simple trick adds real depth to the flower cluster!

• Use white as a friend: Leave the very top of the flowers uncolored. Leaving it white makes it look shiny, like bright spring sunlight!

Natural Shades for Stems and Leaves

• Canola flower stems can look a little white sometimes. Color them with yellow-green first. Then, add a light layer of light blue in some spots. This gives the stems a soft look!

• If the front leaves are big, draw the leaf lines with a darker green. This makes your leaves look strong and neat!

Match with the Background

• Pair with cherry blossoms: For pictures with both cherry blossoms and Canola flower, color the blossom petals light pink. Use a lighter pink for falling petals. You can almost feel the spring breeze!

• Sky colors: Color the big sky behind them with soft light blue. It makes the yellow Canola flower stand out so bright!

Is There No Plant Called "Canola flower"?

Actually, even if you look in a picture book, you won't find a plant named "Canola flower." It is not the name of a specific flower. It is a group name for "plants in the mustard family," like rapeseed, turnips, and Chinese cabbage, that bloom with yellow, cross-shaped flowers.

The Name Means "Vegetable Flower"

The character "菜" (na) means "a side dish (leaves you eat)." So, a Canola flower is not just a flower growing in a field. It originally means "the flower of a vegetable you eat."

It Turns Into Yummy Oil!

You can get a lot of "canola oil" for cooking from the seeds that grow after the flower finishes blooming. Long ago, people also used it as fuel for "lights" to make rooms bright at night. It is a very important plant for people!

A "Slightly Bitter" Taste of Spring

The Canola flower sold at the supermarket is in a "bud" state before the flower blooms. If you eat it boiled, it tastes a little bit bitter. But that bitter flavor is popular as the "taste of spring" that wakes up your body after winter!