PLANT OF THE MONTH

August 2022 — Yellow Wax Bells

Latin Name:  Kirengeshoma palmata

Family:  Hydrangeaceae

Type:  Herbaceous Perennial

Origin:  China and Japan

Location at Bloedel Reserve:  The Glen and Camellia Trail

Garden Uses:  Woodland Shade Gardens

Fun Fact:  In spring, purplish stems emerge from the soil soon followed by waxy, drooping, bell shaped flowers. These flowers give way to interesting, alien-like, greenish-brown seed pods.

The genus name comes from “ki”, meaning yellow, “renge” meaning lotus blossom and “shoma” meaning hat.  The specific epithet, “palmata”, refers to its maple-like leaves that are coarsely toothed, and deeply lobed.