Kirengeshoma palmata

Kirengeshoma Hydrangeaceae

One of the great plants for late-summer shade, Kirengeshoma palmata combines architectural foliage with flowers that look as though they have been cast from wax. The large, maple-like leaves form a substantial clump, carried on handsome dark purplish-maroon stems, while from late summer into autumn the stems arch beneath clusters of fleshy, creamy-yellow, pendulous bells. At their best, the flowers are beautifully luminous against a darker woodland background. 

Native to south-eastern China, Korea and central and southern Japan, it inhabits cool, moist woodland and mountainous habitats. Kew recognises K. palmata as the accepted species; K. koreana and K. palmata var. koreana are treated as synonyms. 

In cultivation it wants moist, humus-rich, lime-free soil and is particularly valuable for partial or full shade. A thick mulch of leaf mould suits it perfectly, while protection from drying winds is worthwhile. It is a splendid woodland-garden plant, particularly where other late-season flowering perennials can complement its pale yellow bells. The RHS gives it the formidable H7 rating, so despite its rather exotic appearance, winter is emphatically not the problem — keeping it moist in summer is more likely to be. 

Height: 80–120cm
Spread: 60–90cm
Flowering: August–October
Position: Partial to full shade
Soil: Moist, humus-rich, lime-free and well drained
Hardiness: H7, below −20°C