Kaeda Platycrater or Tea-of-Heaven. This is a relatively unknown genus to most Western gardeners. It is considered a rare and endangered species in its native Japan and China, and as its common name indicates, its leaves are used for medicinal purposes in the East. With the genus, "Platy" means "flat" and "crater" means "bowl" in reference to the shape of the flowers. "Arguta" means silver, referring to the white flowers. It is a Japanese deciduous sub-shrub in the Hydrangea family which produces terminal panicles of delicate flowers with both complete and sterile florets mixed together. Barry Yinger of Asiatica Nursery says that it "should be in every shade garden." The overall appearance of the shrub resembles a smallish Hydrangea serrata, with its narrow lanceolate leaves. When visiting Japan I always carry some gift plants to share with the nurserymen there. We found a nursery near Nagoya owned by the Ishiguro family and operated by the older gentleman, his daughter and son-in-law. Upon giving him a gift pack of plants, he gave me this new cultivar which he had yet to release. The leaves are two to three times the size of the species and are a darker green, hanging gracefully down as they cover the plant. The flowers are also twice the size of the species. I'm sure this selection has never before been offered in America, because it is even rare in Japan. It does best in filtered sun with uniform moisture and good drainage. One added asset to this selection is its incredible clear yellow fall color, coloring up here between late November and December. Extremely easy to grow with the same requirements as an Hydrangea macrophylla, filtered sun with uniform moisture and good drainage.
Zones 7-9
