Kerria japonica - Japanese Kerria () ------Kerria japonica is an upright to arching, green- Trunk stemmed with golden-yellow late spring and -not applicable sporadic summer . USAGE FEATURES Function Form -foundation, specimen, group planting, or mass -small ornamental shrub planting shrub, good for naturalizing in the border or -maturing at up to 5' tall x 6' in erosion control situations wide -good winter stem contrast against red brick or white -arching clump growth habit, stone walls becoming rounded with age Texture -rapid growth rate from its basal shoots, but slow -medium-fine texture in foliage and very fine-texture growth rate from the established stems when bare Culture -open to average density in foliage but thick density -full sun to full shade when bare (for mature ) -prefers a moist, rich, well-drained, slightly acidic Assets soil in partial sun, but will tolerate poor soils, various -evergreen (light green) stems on a shrub soil pHs, heat, drought, and various sun or shade showy yellow flowers in late spring and sporadically conditions thereafter -propagated primarily by rooted stem cuttings, but -rapid growth and vigor once established also by separation of the rooted suckers Liabilities -Rose Family, with few disease or pest problems, -spreads underground beyond its original space and is although death of the older, usually central stems in invasive by peripheral suckers, except in a root- the winter is fairly common with mature restricted site (such as in a raised bed, or between a moderately available in container form sidewalk and a foundation) -tolerant of heavy pruning, which can be used to -central stems on mature plants often dieback during rejuvenate old plants winter (especially when sited in poorly drained soils) Foliage and turn off-white, and result in necessary -emerging as a bright medium-green maintenance for their selective removal in early color and changing to dark green as the spring season progresses Habitat deciduous, alternate, ovate to -Zones 4 to 9 lanceolate, doubly serrated, with -Native to China impressed veins and an acuminate apex SELECTIONS green to yellowish green autumn color Alternates that is persistent into Nov. -shrubs with winter stem appeal (Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku', Chionanthus retusus, Cornus sericea Flowers , Corylus avellana 'Contorta', etc.) -bright -shrubs with showy yellow flowers in spring (Cornus golden- mas, Forsythia, Hamamelis x intermedia 'Arnold yellow, in Promise', etc.) Apr. and May -naturalizing shrubs that can be used in the border or and for erosion control sporadically (Acanthopanax throughout sieboldianus, Cornus alba, the summer Salix purpurea, Sambucus -1.5" canadensis) diameter Cultivars - Variants - solitary flowers can be very dense on the stems if Related sited in full sun -K. japonica 'Picta' - gray- -each golden-yellow is effective for 2-3 weeks green are irregularly and has a good contrast against the green foliage variegated white on the background extreme outer margins; a very good variegated shrub -small, brown, and ornamentally inconspicuous for partially shaded to fully Twigs shaded sites, but of low -bright kelly green, even in winter availability -stems are very thin, somewhat zigzag, and have -K. japonica 'Pleniflora' small brown conical winter buds (right) - has double- -dead stems are white-brown, noticeable, and often in flowering, golden-yellow flowers that resemble the center of mature shrubs, and should be annually miniature button mums removed every late winter or early spring