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Japanese Kerria Wikimedia Commons
Rosaceae

Japanese Kerria

Kerria japonica

warmth in the shade.

Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Kerria
Native to
China, Japan
Bloom season
Spring
Type
shrub
Height
4-8 ft
Sunlight
part shade
Soil
well-drained, moderately fertile
Water
moderate
Hardiness
4-9
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Japanese kerria is the only species in its genus, making Kerria a monotypic genus within the rose family.
  • The common double-flowered form 'Pleniflora' was introduced to European gardens in 1804 — decades before the wild single-flowered species was discovered.
  • Its stems remain bright green year-round, providing winter interest even in zones where the plant is fully deciduous.
  • Unlike most members of the rose family, kerria has no thorns and produces no fruit — the flowers are sterile in most cultivated forms.
  • Named after William Kerr, an early 19th-century Scottish plant hunter who collected extensively in China for Kew Gardens.

Color meanings

0

warmth

1

resilience

2

cheerfulness

Uses

  • ornamental shrub
  • shade garden
  • cut flower