Disporum sessile ‘Kinga’

Japanese Fairy Bells Colchicaceae

 An elegant Japanese woodland Disporum with beautifully marked foliage and the sort of quiet charm that improves rather than diminishes with familiarity. Slender, arching stems carry pointed leaves attractively patterned in creamy white and green, giving the plant a luminous quality in dappled shade. In spring, small, pendent white to greenish-white bells appear beneath the foliage, followed by dark blue-black berries later in the season.

‘Kinga’ is a Japanese selection of Disporum sessile and was already being offered by specialist Japanese growers by the late 2000s. It subsequently crossed into Western specialist collections, where it has also been circulated under the name ‘Sunray’. The original Japanese locality and selector have not, however, been traced, so we prefer to leave the provenance honestly mysterious rather than manufacture a mountain for it.

The species is native to woodland habitats in Japan, Korea and parts of China. Grow ‘Kinga’ in humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil and partial or dappled shade, where its variegated foliage makes an excellent companion to ferns, Hosta and other woodland treasures.

Height: 50–70 cm
Spread: 50–70 cm
Flowering: April–May
Hardiness: H5, approximately –15 to –10°C
Position: Partial shade to shade
Soil: Moist, humus-rich, well-drained

Introduction: Japanese selection; recorded in specialist Japanese nursery catalogues by 2008 and subsequently introduced to Western specialist horticulture as ‘Kinga’ and ‘Sunray’.