Xela's Garden
Batchelor's Buttons [V]
Genus: Kerria.
Species: Kerria japonica.
Hardy, deciduous, suckering shrub grown for bright yellow flowers that bloom in spring. Suitable for an open border or can be wall/fence trained. Originates in the woodlands of China and Japan.
Habit - arching, upright, slightly lax. S: 2.5m, H: up to 3m.
Stem - arching, green, round.
Leaves - lanceolate with serrated edges, bright green
Flowers - double flowered in a cup shape, bright yellow, up to 3cm across.
Aspect: Full sun to partial shade.
Soil: Fertile, well drained.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Photos of this plant
Reminders for this plant
Due about 16 years ago:
Prune
remove the old shoots that die back after flowering, or cut out all the flowered branches as they fade, leaving room for the elegant new wands that will bear next year's flowers. You can be quite brutal; whether you cut it as low as the new shoots, or right down to the ground, it doesn't seem to mind.
Due over 15 years ago:
Take cuttings
a piece of wandering root or take cuttings at the end of the summer and put them in a sandy trench outdoors. The stems are hollow, so cut immediately below a leaf node where there should be pith in the shoot. If you fail to find any solid stem, you can always seal the end carefully with hot candle wax. This works as long as you dip the shoot quickly and then wait for the wax to dry before putting the cutting in.
Due about 15 years ago:
Tidy
remove the old shoots that die back after flowering, or cut out all the flowered branches as they fade, leaving room for the elegant new wands that will bear next year's flowers. You can be quite brutal; whether you cut it as low as the new shoots, or right down to the ground, it doesn't seem to mind.
Due almost 15 years ago:
Prune & mulch
Prune in late-spring after flowering removing one in three stems to ground level. Cut back the remaining flowered stems to different levels to encourage flowering shoots at different heights. Apply a 5cm - 7cm (2in - 3in) mulch around the base of the plant.
Due about 14 years ago:
Tidy
remove the old shoots that die back after flowering, or cut out all the flowered branches as they fade, leaving room for the elegant new wands that will bear next year's flowers. You can be quite brutal; whether you cut it as low as the new shoots, or right down to the ground, it doesn't seem to mind.
Due almost 14 years ago:
Prune
Prune in late-spring after flowering removing one in three stems to ground level. Cut back the remaining flowered stems to different levels to encourage flowering shoots at different heights.
Mulch
Apply a 5cm - 7cm (2in - 3in) mulch around the base of the plant.
Due over 13 years ago:
Take cuttings
a piece of wandering root or take cuttings at the end of the summer and put them in a sandy trench outdoors. The stems are hollow, so cut immediately below a leaf node where there should be pith in the shoot. If you fail to find any solid stem, you can always seal the end carefully with hot candle wax. This works as long as you dip the shoot quickly and then wait for the wax to dry before putting the cutting in.
Due about 13 years ago:
Tidy
remove the old shoots that die back after flowering, or cut out all the flowered branches as they fade, leaving room for the elegant new wands that will bear next year's flowers. You can be quite brutal; whether you cut it as low as the new shoots, or right down to the ground, it doesn't seem to mind.
Due almost 13 years ago:
Prune
Prune in late-spring after flowering removing one in three stems to ground level. Cut back the remaining flowered stems to different levels to encourage flowering shoots at different heights.
Mulch
Apply a 5cm - 7cm (2in - 3in) mulch around the base of the plant.
Due over 12 years ago:
Take cuttings
a piece of wandering root or take cuttings at the end of the summer.Put them in a sandy trench outdoors. The stems are hollow, so cut immediately below a leaf node where there should be pith in the shoot. If you fail to find any solid stem, you can always seal the end carefully with hot candle wax (This works as long as you dip the shoot quickly and then wait for the wax to dry before putting the cutting in).
Take root cuttings
... carefully...select vigorous young shoots growing near the outside edge of the rootball, and gently tease them out from the root mass with your fingers or hand fork. Cut them from a main root so that theyhave some root attached. Shorten each sucker to a plump bud about 20cm./82 above soil level and pot up in fresh potting mix, three or four to a 25cm/8" pot, at about the same depth as before. Water to settle in. Protect from frost. [Source: The Contained Garden by Kenneth A. Beckett, David Carr, David Stevens]
Due almost 12 years ago:
Prune
Prune in late-spring after flowering removing one in three stems to ground level. Cut back the remaining flowered stems to different levels to encourage flowering shoots at different heights.
You can be quite brutal; whether you cut it as low as the new shoots, or right down to the ground, it doesn't seem to mind.
Due about 11 years ago:
Tidy
See previous notes
Due almost 11 years ago:
Prune
See previous notes
Mulch
See previous notes
Due over 10 years ago:
Take root cuttins
See previous notes
