Kerria is a perennial grown for its yellow blooms, which open in spring and return year after year. It's hardy across USDA zones 4 through 9 and shrugs off deer. Its spring flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees and native bees.
Zones
4-9
pH Range
5.5-7.5
Sun
Shade
Days to Maturity
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Score Kerria on your exact land.
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What Kerria is
Kerria grows as a perennial and reaches around seven feet at maturity. It blooms yellow in spring. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Kerria
Kerria grows in USDA zones 4 through 9. Kerria does best in shade — at least 2 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. It needs a growing season of at least 110 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
4-9
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.5 - 7.5
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Shade
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
7 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
110+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant kerria in shade with at least 2 hours of direct sun. It grows in the cool halves of the year, so sow it in spring or late summer rather than waiting for midsummer heat.
Match the soil
Kerria prefers pH 5.5 to 7.5 (Growable Ground Plant Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at its peak
Cut kerria blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — kerria isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Kerria offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators.
Where Kerria thrives
Kerria is hardy across USDA zones 4 through 9. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 4–9·Where Kerria growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Kerria can grow in these states:
See if Kerria will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether kerria actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Kerria in my zone?
Kerria grows in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 9 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Kerria?
Kerria is a cool-season crop, so it goes in during the cool halves of the year — early spring, and again in late summer for a fall planting — rather than at the height of summer heat. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Kerria need?
Kerria is shade-tolerant — it gets by on as little as 2 hours of direct sun, so it earns a place most vegetables can't use. A north-facing strip or the ground under a leafy canopy is right where it belongs. A Growable Ground report shows which corners of your land stay shaded through the day, turning those dim spots into planting spots.
What soil does Kerria need?
Kerria prefers soil pH 5.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (Growable Ground Plant Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Kerria attract pollinators?
Yes — kerria's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees and native bees.
Is Kerria safe for pets?
Kerria is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data. Always supervise pets around new plantings. (Source: ASPCA.)