Kerria japonica
Japanese kerria
Common names: Kerria, Japanese marigold bush
At a glance
- Light
- Partial shade
- Hardiness
- Hardy
- Pruning
- May–Jun
- Flowering
- Apr–May
Photo: Jeffdelonge · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Description
Kerria japonica, a summer‑green shrub from East Asia, has drooping green shoots that provide color even in winter. In April and May, yellow, ranunculus‑like flowers open densely along the arching branches. The ‘Pleniflora’ cultivar bears fuller blooms and appears especially lush. The plant spreads by runners over the years into a loose thicket, making it suitable for wild borders and naturalistic hedges. It is completely non‑poisonous and safe for children and pets.
Care instructions
Kerria japonica thrives in semi‑shaded to sunny spots on normal, well‑drained garden soil and tolerates slightly drier periods well. After flowering in May, June, cut back the spent shoots close to the ground to encourage fresh, blooming shoots the next year. Because the plant spreads via rhizomes, a rhizome barrier or annual removal of runners is advisable if you wish to limit its spread. The shrub is fully winter‑hardy and requires no winter protection. Remove yellowed or dead shoots in early spring before new growth begins.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
FloweringApr–May
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, humus-rich, nutrient-rich, loamy
The kerria likes loose, humus-rich garden soil with good water supply. It tolerates waterlogging poorly, but it can root without trouble in partial shade under trees, because the soil does not dry out there. A spot with some wind protection keeps the arching shoots from being battered.
Feeding
Medium feeder
Months
Mar, May
One dressing of mature compost in early spring is usually enough for the whole season. If you like, add some horn shavings after the first pruning in May to support new growth. The undemanding shrub really needs no more than that.
Pruning
Straight after flowering, cut the oldest shoots that have finished flowering out close to the ground so that young wood can grow back. Pruning too radically in winter costs you the next year's flowers, because the kerria flowers on last year's wood. Regular thinning keeps the shrub open and stops it going bare from the inside.
Overwintering
The kerria is hardy in our latitudes and needs no special protection. Only for young plants in their first winter does a mulch layer of leaves over the root zone help. The green shoots stay attractive in winter too and add structure to the garden.
Propagation
Methods
- Cuttings
- Division
- Layering
Propagation is easiest by root runners, which can simply be cut off and replanted in spring. Hardwood cuttings from this year's shoots also root reliably if you take them in late summer and heel them in at a shady spot. If you are patient, you can also layer a shoot close to the ground and let it root as a layer before separating it from the parent plant.
Companion planting
Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.
Some of these explanations were machine-translated.
For your garden
Grow Japanese kerria yourself
Gartenkern tells you when frost is coming, when to sow and when to harvest, for your location.
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