Japanese Kerria

Light Needs

Partial Shade

(3 - 4 Hours Of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

4-6 Feet

Mature Spread

6-8 Feet

Growing Zones

4 to 8

Gardeners with shady landscapes know how difficult it is to find flowering shrubs that bloom well without a fair amount of sunlight. This ability makes the Japanese Kerria, also known commonly as the Japanese rose, features bright golden yellow flowers that resemble an old-fashioned rose or chrysanthemum. They appear on slender, arching stems en masse in spring and then sporadically throughout the summer.

The Japanese Kerria also offers year-round interest. Light green leaves become a warm yellow in the fall before dropping to reveal stems that stay a bright green throughout the winter. Few maintenance requirements, the ability to thrive in shade, and resistance to deer make the Japanese Kerria a great option for woodland plantings. It also has a tendency to sucker and form colonies, a habit that makes it suitable for mass plantings and erosion control.

Japanese Kerria Care

This shrub grows well in a range of conditions; the ideal site is in partial shade with average, medium moisture, well-drained soil. It can tolerate full shade and dry or wet soil. Flower color fades in strong sunlight. The Japanese Kerria is drought tolerant once established, but check the soil around the plant regularly during the growing season following planting and water during extended dry spells. Work compost into the site at planting if soil is heavy and drains poorly and fertilize the plants lightly in spring with a balanced fertilizer. 

The Japanese Kerria is a vigorous grower with a tendency to sucker. Prune the shrub anytime to remove unwanted suckers at the base. To shape the plant, cut stems back to above a bud in spring just after flowering. Waiting too long after flowering to prune can affect the next year’s bloom.

Japanese Kerria Spacing

The height and spread of Japanese Kerria depends on the specific cultivar and plants grow three to eight feet tall. Most cultivars can reach a spread of up to six feet wide but all have a tendency to sucker and form small colonies. Space plants six to eight feet apart.