Pertya scandens ("Koyaboki")

Japanese name: コウヤボウキ （高野箒）
Scientific name: Pertya scandens

[Overview]
A deciduous shrub 50–100 cm tall, found in slightly dry places in mountain forests.
It branches well, and the branches are thin and hard.
The winter buds are covered with white hairs.
There are two types of leaves: those on the first-year long shoots, and those on the short shoots that emerge from the leaf axils of the previous year's branches.
The leaves on the long shoots are simple and alternate, ovate, 1.5–5 cm long and 1–3.5 cm wide, with sparse projecting serrations.
The leaves on the short shoots are simple and clustered, elliptic, 2.5–5 cm long and 1–1.5 cm wide, with shallow serrations.
Three veins stand out on the leaves, and both surfaces are hairy.
A single flower head is borne at the tip of each first-year branch.
The flower head consists of 10–13 white tubular florets.
The petals of the tubular florets are deeply 5-lobed and twisted.
The involucre is bell-shaped, with the involucral bracts in 7 rows.
The fruit is an achene with a white to pink pappus.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed.
It prefers fertile, well-drained places in sun to partial shade.
When planting in the ground, it is best to plant it under deciduous trees.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient unless sunny weather continues through summer and the soil becomes dry.
In spring, apply slow-release fertilizer placed on the soil.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

[Notes]
The Japanese name comes from the fact that brooms were once made from its branches on Mt. Koya.

View this page in Japanese (日本語)