Kirengeshoma (kih-ren-geh-SHOW-mah) Common Name:  Yellow waxbells Light:  - Part sun to full shade Soil:  Well-aerated, moist but well-drained, humus rich Moisture:  Average moisture, never wet Blooms:  Late summer Zones:  5 - 9

Kirengeshoma palmata clump Kirengeshoma palmata flower

Kirengeshoma Description and Cultural Information

Kirengeshoma koreana, yellow waxbells. (30") This native plant from Korea has multiple, upright growing purple stems with 3 - 4" wide, thick, bluish-green, maple-like leaves. Oval shaped buds develop at the top of the stems in summer, later opening to reveal 1 - 2" flowers with overlapping soft yellow petals. The flowers never fully open but make a nice effect in numbers.

Kirengeshoma palmata, yellow waxbells. (30") This species is native to Japan. It differs from K. koreana by having slightly larger leaves, more rounded buds, and drooping rounded flowers.

How to Grow:  Grow yellow waxbells in moist but well-drained and well-aerated, humus-rich soil in bright, open shade. Plants wilt quickly when dry and can get ragged looking when allowed to dry out too much, but at the same time they should never be wet. They look best when naturalized and can spread slowly to form a colony. Grow from seed or propagate by division in spring or fall.

Landscape uses:  Kirengeshoma makes a great effect when naturalized in the woodland garden. Combine it with hostas, ferns, Ligularia, Aconitum, Dicentra, Tricyrtis, Tiarella, and other shade loving plants.