Kerria japonica
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KER-ee-a juh-PON-ih-kuh
- Description
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Japanese kerria is a deciduous shrub in the Rosaceae (rose) family that grows natively from central and southern China to southern Korea and Japan. It has upright, arching, slender stems that form a broad, dense, twiggy mass, reaching 7 feet tall and up to 9 feet wide.
Japanese kerria is meant for the shade garden, as its flowers fade in full sun. This plant requires loamy, well-drained soil of medium fertilization. Avoid high fertilization, because it becomes weedy. This plant also tends to become leggy and therefore requires heavy pruning as necessary.
Place Japanese kerria as an accent plant or specimen in a butterfly or children’s garden. It also works well in a drought tolerant garden, as it is resistant to drought as well as deer.
Quick ID Hints:
- Deciduous shrub with cane-like growth
- Leaves are plicate; stems are green, zig-zag, and shiny
- Solitary, terminal bright yellow flowers that are 1 to 1.5 inches
- Flowers are five-petaled or double and spherical
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. This plant occasionally suffers from blights, cankers, leaf spots, and root rot.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Golden Guinea'
- K. japonica 'Pleniflora'
Has double flowers that are nearly ball-shaped and 1"-2" in diameter. - 'Plena'
- 'Golden Guinea'
- 'Golden Guinea', K. japonica 'Pleniflora', 'Plena'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Golden Guinea'
- K. japonica 'Pleniflora'
Has double flowers that are nearly ball-shaped and 1"-2" in diameter. - 'Plena'
- 'Golden Guinea'
- 'Golden Guinea', K. japonica 'Pleniflora', 'Plena'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Kerria
- Species:
- japonica
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central & Southern China to Southern Korea and Japan
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer resistant, drought tolerant
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 7 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 9 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Dense
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- 6-feet-12 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Saucer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are bright yellow in spring and are at the terminal end of short leafy stems of previous year's growth. There are usually 5 petals, but there is a double cultivar. Flowers are 2" in size.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Doubly Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are alternate, simple, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, cuneate, double serrate, and plicate. They are bright green and glabrous above and are paler and slightly pubescent below on the veins. In fall, some leaves turn yellow. They are 1 1/2"-4" long and a littler over 1" wide.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Zig Zags
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are slender, green, zig-zag, glabrous, glossy, supple, cane-like, suckering, and are branching in second season of growth.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Problems:
- Frequent Disease Problems
- Frequent Insect Problems
- Weedy
