Japanese kerria is a hardy shrub with gracefully arching stems and cheerful, rose-like yellow flowers in the spring.
Also known as the Japanese rose, kerria is an old-fashioned shrub making a comeback in the garden.
This easy-to-grow shrub isperfect for shrub borders.
Credit:Denny Schrock
Or you’ve got the option to plant several kerria together for aliving garden screen.
How and When to Plant Kerria
Plant kerria in the spring.
Dig a hole that is twice as wide as the root ball and has the same depth.
Place the shrub in the center.
Backfill with original soil and tamp it down.
Water kerria regularly during the first year after planting to establish a strong root system.
Credit: Rob Cardillo
Space shrubs 4 to 8 feet apart, depending on the variety and its mature size.
In full sun, the flowers fade.
Soil and Water
Kerria performs best in loamy, rich, moist butwell-drained soil.
Credit: Lynn Karlin
It is not particular about soil pH but it does not tolerate heavy clay soil or poorly draining soil.
Pruning
Mature kerria shrubs occasionally experience winter dieback.
Older, central stems often die.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Remove the dead stems as soon as they are noticed in early spring.
Old, ragged kerria shrubs can berejuvenated by renewal pruning in early spring.
Maintain the desired size and shape by pruning kerria moderately in spring just after flowering.
Choose a container with large drainage holes.
Place a layer of rocks or pebbles in the bottom of the container for stabilization.
Fill it with potting mix and a few handfuls of compost and plant the kerria in the container.
Pests and Problems
Kerria is not often affected by any serious pests or diseases.
How to Propagate Kerria
The easiest way to propagate kerria is from cuttings in the early summer.
Remove all the leaves from the lower third of the cutting.
Dip the cut end in rooting hormone powder.
Insert the cutting about halfway in a 4-inch pot filled with damp potting mix.
Keep the cutting moist in a moderately warm (not hot) location away from intense sunlight.
It takes about four to six weeks for roots to form.
New growth is an indicator that roots have formed.
Wait at least another month for the plant to get bigger before transplanting it in the landscape.
It grows 6 feet tall and 8 feet wide.
It has dense foliage with toothed, grayish-green leaves edged in pure white.
With 6 to 8 feet in height, this cultivar is taller than others.
Zone 3-10
Weigela
Weigelais not finicky about its location; this low-maintenance shrub grows just about anywhere.
It blooms for about two weeks in the early spring.
The bloom time varies depending on the location.
It often blooms around Easter, thats why the shrub is sometimes referred to as Easter rose.
