I have been admiring a particularly nice shrub for two months now and felt it was time to celebrate a few of its lesser known virtues. I'm talking about kerria, a shrub that is primarily grown for its bright yellow flowers, a minor perk for a shrub that delivers in many seasons. From Japan, it is also known as Japanese Yellow Rose. A deciduous shrub, the leaves remain well into late fall and can turn bright yellow. The tendency for the leaves to remain on the bright green stems is what I notice most, on windy days they flutter, a delightful little flutter that is hard to ignore in an otherwise drab garden.

Hardy to zone 4, kerria is named after William Kerr, a 19th century English botanist and Kew gardener. He introduced the double flowering form in 1804 and 200 years later there have been various other cultivars that vary in stem color or type of flower. I first became interested in kerria about 15 years ago. At that time the only variety that was readily available was the original double flowering form. Much has changed since then as smart nursery people have come to recognize the demand for the single flowering forms. The most recent of the bright yellow single flowering forms is Kerria j. 'Golden Guinea' which produces larger flowers than the single species. The flowers look like small single yellow roses which also reveals their relationship to roses, they are in the same family. Another, very note worthy selection, is Kerria j. 'Albaflora' with flowers that are a pale creamy yellow. I have been told that this is a rather weak selection, but I beg to differ, my plant is 3 years old, grown from a single sucker and it has become a beautifully robust shrub, 5 feet across. I also love the variegated form which is known as Kerria j. 'Picta'. The leaves are so liberally marked in white that the plant looks like a frosted mound. Flowers are single and bright yellow. The variegation on this prized form is reason enough to grow it, the flowers are simply an extra bonus. The latest in the line of unusual forms is Kerria j. 'Kinkan' which produces stems that are striped with yellow and green. It's a subtle variegation and stems sometimes revert to all green, but the naked green winter stems are one of the great reasons to plant kerria.

The growth habit for kerria is a broad, mounding, groundcover-like shrub. Suckers are produced below the ground and one shrub can spread to 9 feet. Reaching an average height of 4 or 5 feet, the stems have a wonderful way of arching over each other and pruning is highly discouraged. Kerria can be a great stabilizer on a steep bank because of its suckering habit but it also works well at the corner of a house where it can wrap around the structure. Sometimes referred to as the Easter Rose, flowers are produced in early spring but will flower sporadically through fall. Tolerant of drought and poor soils, this is one tough shrub. Ideally if prefers partial sun, a north exposure or a high canopy. Sun or shade will suit it and I have grown it well in full sun, but kerria prefers that intermediate light.

There are a great many companion plants for kerria. Helleborus foetidus and rohdea are two partial shade or shade perennials that remain green all year and look great against the green winter stems of kerria. I also like the native Pachysandra procumbens or Allegheny pachysandra which can be used as a groundcover beneath it. Spring bulbs are great under its skirts, especially daffodils and deep purple crocus. Best yet, the leaves arrive in spring and help hide the curing leaves on your bulbs.