Kirin Japanese care and cultivation. Keria japonica: care, propagation and use in landscape design. When and what to prune

Kerria (lat. Kerria) is a genus of ornamental deciduous shrubs with thin bent branches, neat leaves and sunny yellow flowers. The genus belongs to the Rosaceae family (lat. Rosaceae). Flowering lasts from spring to mid-summer.

Interesting fact! Kerria is often called the Japanese Easter rose in Europe for its rose-shaped flower structure and for its rather early, abundant flowering.

Kerria - Japanese Easter rose - Japanese Easter rose

Kerria is native to the forests and mountainous slopes of southwestern China and Japan. It received its name in memory of William Kerr, gardener at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, an avid lover and collector of oriental plants. At the beginning of the 19th century, he went on an expedition to China to find new unknown plant species, where he stayed for eight years. During this time, the naturalist discovered many plants unknown in Europe: Rosa Banks, Nandina domestica, Pieris japonica, etc., but he gave his name to the bright, memorable kerria.

Description

The fast-growing kerria shrub reaches 1-3 m in height. The greenish-purple branches of the plant form a cone-shaped crown. In the wild it is found in thickets on mountain slopes. The flowers and leaves have a decorative appearance - lanceolate, alternate, 4-10 cm long, with double serrations, elongated-pointed, the upper part is smooth, the lower part is pubescent. The petiole is bare, 5-15 mm long. In summer they have a delicate light green color, and in autumn they become impressively bright yellow.

Kerria structure

The most remarkable thing about kerria is its flowers, up to 5 cm in diameter, with broadly elliptical petals of rich yellow color, mostly single, often double, with a persistent aroma of dandelions. The flowering period is 25 days, sometimes the flowering period reaches 50 days, and repeated autumn flowering often occurs.

The fruit is a compact, brownish-black, obovate or hemispherical, wrinkled drupe 4.8 mm long. Fruits are not set in the middle zone.

Forms and varieties

The genus has only one representative - Japanese kerria (lat. Kerria japonica), which has several forms and varieties:

“Pleniflora” is the most attractive and frequently occurring showy form with large, large pom-pom flowers, found singly or in groups in the leaf axils.
“Albo-marginata” (“Albomarginata”) - with an unusual openwork coloring of the leaves, consisting of a narrow white border along the edge of the leaf. This form is characterized by restrained development and disproportion of leaves, which creates a misleading impression of weakness and instability of the vital forces of the plant. The bush looks touching and decorative even without flowers.
"Albiflora" is a non-double variety of kerria with snow-white flowers with five petals, but it is extremely rare. Both forms require the creation of special conditions for their development.

Kerria "Pleniflora"

The most popular varieties:

"Variegata" or "Picta" are very elegant, low shrubs 0.7 m high. The leaves are covered with creamy white spots. The flowers are single, bright yellow. It grows quickly in width.
"Golden Guinea" is a shrub with large ordinary flowers, reminiscent in color and size of the guinea gold coin, which was no longer used in England.
"Simplex" and "Kin Kan" "Kin Kan". Two varieties with the usual simple yellow flowers.

Photo gallery of species

Growing

In the middle zone, kerria does not grow higher than 1 m. In order for the bush of the plant to be lush and blooming, it is necessary to provide it with proper care. And this is not at all difficult if you adhere to basic rules and pay a little attention to the plant.

Landing location. The plant is light-loving, but in the sun the flowers have a paler appearance. Kerria is capable of developing in a semi-shaded corner, where it will bloom less abundantly. The main condition when choosing a location is to protect the plant from cold winds and drafts.

The soil. Calcareous and clayey soil will disturb the kerria. It is a relatively drought-resistant shrub, but develops better in moist and organic-rich soils.

Landing. Planting in a permanent place is carried out in the spring, while the buds have not yet bloomed. You can plant kerria in the fall, before the onset of cold weather, but spring planting is more effective. At the end of spring and summer, only seedlings are planted from containers with a protected root system. Before starting work, we draw up a specific plan, which takes into account the possible growth of the bush in the future. This will help avoid shading plants that need light.

Remember! Kerria develops more intensively in width than in height.

Kerry grown in pots

When a detailed plan for landscaping the site has been drawn up, we proceed to planting:

We dig a hole measuring 45x45 cm in advance.
We put the nutrient mixture into it and pour water on top.
We install the seedling so that all the roots are not intertwined and cover it with soil.
We water the entire area around the bush generously and mulch.

Please note! It is not recommended to apply manure when feeding and planting kerria.

Planting kerria

Watering. Water the plant as needed.

Top dressing. The plant is fed from the second year. Early in the spring we add a solution of urea 23 g per 10 liters of water under the bush, then from May to autumn we apply complex mineral fertilizers. After summer pruning, full feeding is required. You can use mature compost as a top dressing; to do this, pour a 5-6 cm layer of fertilizer around the bush with the addition of ash.

Trimming. Pruning is very important, otherwise the bush will look sloppy. In early spring, we remove old dried out shoots. Young ones are shortened by 1/4. Thanks to this procedure, many side branches appear on which next year flowers will bloom profusely and the bush will become more lush.

We carry out the second pruning immediately after flowering, cutting off old shoots that are more than 5 years old to the ground.

Kerria 'Picta' needs less drastic pruning, but it is important to watch for branches with uncolored leaves as it tends to revert from variegated to green.

Kerry in the Moscow region

Diseases and pests. The shrub is resistant to diseases and pests.

Wintering. Kerria's winter hardiness is slightly below average. Try to protect the bush from the cold in the fall with fallen leaves and make sure that the snow covers the plant as high as possible. In frosty, harsh winters, the ends of the shoots located above the snow cover freeze, but after decorative pruning, the aesthetic external qualities are quickly restored. If for some reason all the branches of the plant have died, do not be upset, the kerria will begin to develop from the root. Of course, the flowering period will be delayed a little, and the flowering will not be abundant, but the bite will be restored.

Preparing for winter

Reproduction

The process of propagation of kerria occurs by green cuttings, air layering, but the simplest is propagation by offspring, i.e. extraction of young shoots with roots.

Cuttings. We cut the cuttings at the end of summer and place them in a damp sandy trench in the open air. The stems of the plant are hollow, so you should cut it directly under the leaf node, where there should be no voids. If you are unable to cut a tight stem, you can seal the top end with hot candle wax. To do this, heat the wax to a liquid state and quickly lower the end of the cutting there for a second. Before placing the cutting in a horizontal position, you need to hold it vertically until the wax dries completely.

By layering. For propagation we use branches located in the outer circle of the bush. In early autumn or early spring, we dig shallow holes near the intended branches. Pour water into the hole, carefully bend the branch, trying to keep the tip of the branch open, and cover it with earth. We secure the branch with wire staples or other devices. After a month, the cuttings will take root and can be replanted, but it is better to leave them in place for a while, separating them from the main bush. And next spring, plant the grown seedling in a permanent place.

Kerry blossoms in the spring garden

Use in landscape design

Kerria is a highly ornamental shrub, so it is used as a tapeworm or as a member of a small group against the background of a lawn and ground cover perennials, such as primrose aurica, Julia, stemless, in a composition with periwinkle, heuchera, tiarella, and tenacious purple. Suitable neighboring shrubs include: fruticose cinquefoil, purple-leaved common hazel. Kerria is also grown in tubs and pots. It will find use in the background of a mixborder and as a member of a hedge.

Kerria japonica - fast-growing shrub

In central Russia, this shrub does not bear fruit.

In cold winters, the ends of the shoots protruding above the snow may freeze, but after decorative pruning the bush quickly grows back, and its decorative appearance is restored within two weeks.

Japanese kerria has 2 decorative forms. Very beautiful and the most common in gardens is ‘Pleniflora’ - with densely double pom-pom flowers about 3 cm in diameter. She's very impressive.

Kerria has the form ‘Albo-marginata’ - the foliage has a white border along the edge. This form is characterized by slow growth and asymmetrical leaves, which gives the impression of a lack of vitality.

No matter what, the fashion for variegated shrubs is doing its job. And this form of Japanese kerria is bought with pleasure by collectors of rare plants.

It can grow in partial shade, but it will not bloom profusely. Needs a location protected from cold winds. Requires moist, rich soil.

In early spring, you need to trim all broken and shriveled shoots back to healthy wood. Healthy shoots must be shortened by one quarter. This method produces side shoots.

The Japanese kerria bush will become thick and fluffy, and the number of flowers will increase. After flowering completely, the old 4-year-old shoots are cut out. Then a complete feeding with microelements is necessary. Manure is not recommended. Watering depends on weather conditions. Kerria can freeze over in harsh winters; its shoots require shelter. The shelter must be dry.

Japanese kerria should be covered in October, when dry days arrive. To do this, the bush needs to be tied, a frame of stakes built over it, covered with dry leaves, and covered with transparent plastic film on top.

The cover should be removed gradually, when the threat of frost has passed, gradually reducing the layer of leaves by 10 cm. At the last moment, the film is removed, preferably on a cloudy day. With this shelter, all shoots are preserved, which contributes to lush flowering at the end of May.

Japanese kerria propagates by cuttings and layering.

Keria japonica is picky about the planting site. The plant does not tolerate drafts and cold winds. The shrub's favorite habitat is quiet, semi-shaded spaces with loose, moisture-absorbing soil. Full shade is also suitable for growing the plant, but the flowering of Keria japonica will be sparse, and small flowers will not show their beauty in full force.

Keria japonica can also grow in open sunny places. But it should be remembered that the shrub loves moisture and in dry, arid summers, keriya must be watered and the soil kept moist. In the bright sun, the yellow flowers of Keria japonica partially fade and lose their decorative effect.

Keria japonica looks excellent as a tapeworm when planted on the lawn. The bright green grass contrasts beautifully with the yellow color of the bush's flowers.

Successful planting neighbors will be forsythia, weigela, mahonia and deutia shrubs - plants that bloom in spring and have similar growing conditions. Keria japonica can also be used as a beautifully flowering hedge.

If the garden plot is blown by cold winds, the plant is planted in a quiet place in the garden near trees and bushes.

Tips for growing Keria japonica

1.The root shoots can be lightly pinched to stimulate branching of the branches.

This stimulates the lateral growth of new branches, on which new flowers will be formed, and the young shoots will become stronger over the summer and will delight you with lush color in the spring.

In late autumn, when the leaves have fallen and the skeleton of the shrub is clearly exposed, it is convenient to examine the Keria bush from all sides, trim the crown, remove excess branches and finish forming the bush.

2. The roots of Keria japonica are located close to the surface of the earth, so the bush forms a lot of shoots with a diameter of 1.5 m from the mother plant. Loosening the bush is not recommended to avoid damage to the roots.

3. After flowering, the plant should be fed with organic matter or complete mineral fertilizer. After two weeks, fertilizing can be repeated. At this time, flower buds are being laid for next year.

4. You can increase the number of ornamental shrubs on the site. Various methods of growing the plant are practiced. Keria successfully reproduces by layering, green cuttings and shoots that grow rapidly near the mother plant.

Gardeners prefer to propagate keria by shoots. It's easy and the plants take root easily.

In the fall, a young shoot is dug up and transplanted to a place of future permanent growth. Light loamy, moisture-intensive soils are suitable for planting.

Dense soil is not suitable for growing the plant. The planting hole is filled with organic fertilizers and compost. After planting, the young bush is watered and covered with spruce branches for the winter.

5. Keria japonica is resistant to various diseases and pests. The shrub does not require chemical treatment.

There are several decorative forms of keria:

Albomarginata - white-edged
Piсta (Variegata) - variegated

However, the most beautiful and most common is “Pleniflora” with densely double flowers on 2-meter branches.

The natural habitat of this shrub is in the mountainous areas of Japan; the culture is also widespread in China. Kerria japonica botanically belongs to the large Rosaceae family and occupies not the last place there. The shrub has excellent aesthetic properties and is used in landscape design. Proper planting and care of shrubs in the Moscow region allows you to maintain their visual appeal for many years. All the intricacies of growing can be found in this article. Look at the photos of Japanese kerria varieties (“Pleniflora”, “Aureovarigata” and “Terry”):

Description of Japanese kerria and photo of the bush

It’s worth starting with the fact that this is a plant with a shoot height of up to 2 meters. This circumstance should be taken into account when planning a landing site. The description of Kerry japonica has been proposed by several botanists, but basically it agrees on all points. At the initial stage of development, the shoots are long green branches without the formation of a covering bark. The root system is distributed evenly deep into the soil. It has the ability to quickly increase the number of shoots already in the first year after spring planting. Look at the photo of the Japanese kerria shrub in various ways of using it on a personal plot:

The lack of the ability to actively branch forms a rather dense, uniform crown, which, with high-quality haircut, is maintained throughout the entire season. The decorative value of a crop is its leaves and buds. Each leaf is slightly elongated and has a serrated edge. Closer to autumn, the light green shade gives way to rich orange and crimson tones.

The duration of flowering is up to 2 months due to the continuous formation of new buds in the axillary buds of the shoots. Flowering begins in mid-June. The flower has a shape similar to a rose. The predominant color of the petals is yellow. The diameter of the blossomed bud is 60 mm.

Varieties of Japanese kerria for the Moscow region (with photo)

Growing any crop requires a careful approach to choosing suitable species. Varieties of Japanese kerria for the Moscow region are resistant to adverse environmental factors. They have the ability to withstand fairly harsh snowless winters. Even if the ground part freezes out, it is enough to carry out spring pruning and by mid-July the shrub will completely restore its decorative value. Next, let's look at some varieties - descriptions and photos can be found on the page.

Keria japonica "Pleniflora" is distinguished by its greatest decorative effect during its flowering process. The height of the bush is up to 2 meters with a crown circumference diameter of up to 1.5 meters. Green elastic branches are decorated with curly leaves that turn rich yellow in autumn. Refers to deciduous forms. It requires a little shelter for the winter; for this purpose, after dropping the leaves, the branches bend to the ground and are fixed in this position. The top is covered with pine spruce branches, straw or plastic bags. In spring, the shelter is removed immediately after the snow cover melts. If the entire mass of shoots is preserved after wintering in the conditions of the Moscow region, flowering begins on the 20th of May. The buds have a compact, rose-like shape, with a diameter of up to 5 cm. They are painted in bright yellow tones. Often, under favorable conditions, a second wave of flowering is observed at the end of August.

Kerria japonica "Aureovarigata" is a double variety with a complex bud structure. It is characterized by medium bush growth and long flowering, reaching 3 months with proper care.

Among other varieties that deserve close attention, the dwarf form Variegata stands out, with a bush height of only 60 cm. It is suitable for decorating flower beds, rockeries and alpine slides. Looks great as a border crop along garden paths. The buds are simple in shape with 5 petals of bright yellow color.

Crops with atypical colors of leaves and flowers are of particular value in landscape design. Japanese kerria "Albomarginata" is one of these varieties. Its curly leaves with a rich green color are framed by a white stripe. By itself, this plant looks simply magnificent. And during the time of active flowering, it turns into a real yellow cloud due to the abundance of blossoming buds.

For exotic lovers there will also be a valuable Japanese kerria “Albiflora”, pleasing to the eye with the pleasant boiling whiteness of large terry buds. Tall bushes up to 2 meters are decorated with densely planted figured foliage of dark green color. White flowers of complex and simple shapes bloom on the shoots in large numbers. Looks attractive in group planting with other varieties of kerria.

Reproduction, planting and care of shrubs in the Moscow region

The culture is quite unpretentious. Reproduction is carried out mainly by cuttings during spring pruning of bushes. Rooting cuttings is not difficult even for novice gardeners. Proper planting and care of shrubs in the Moscow region are presented in detail later in the article.

The basic rule is choosing a place for planting Japanese kerria - the shrub prefers bright sunny places, without the influence of strong winds. In partial shade, the color of the foliage may change, and the shoots may become strongly elongated. Due to this, decorative properties are lost. The soil must be sufficiently fertilized with organic and mineral substances. It is very important to dig a deep trench up to 1.5 meters deep before preparing the planting site. Broken brick or coarse gravel is laid at the bottom in a layer of up to 70 cm. Then a layer of organic humus is laid up to 30 cm. The remaining space is filled with planting soil. After this, the holes are prepared and Japanese kerria is planted with grown and rooted cuttings.

Proper care of Japanese kerria includes regular watering (the soil should not dry out to a depth of more than 10 cm). Every week mineral fertilizing is carried out with special preparations for ornamental and flowering crops. They are added to water for irrigation.

For propagation, apical shoots up to 6 cm long should be taken. They are cut with sharp pruning shears and placed in water with the addition of succinic acid tablets. This drug is diluted at the rate of 4 tablets per 1 liter of water, stimulates the process of formation of the root system. After small roots appear, the cuttings go deep into the ground on a separate tree. They can be covered on top with small improvised greenhouses. In the fall you will get ready-made seedlings. But they should be planted in a permanent place only in the spring.

Landscape design: pruning and crown formation

Landscape design is the main area of application of Japanese kerria as an ornamental crop. But only by organizing the correct care of the shrub, you can get a magnificent appearance of the crop. Not the least important place in this process is pruning and the formation of the correct crown.

Young bushes in the second year of life are pruned completely at a height of 15 - 2 cm from the ground. This is how a rich crown of regular shape is formed due to the formation of lateral branches.

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