I have two of these beautiful plants in my front yard and I was
wondering if and when I can trim them up. I want to keep them low
since they are in front of my windows. Can you tell me when would be
the best time to trim these guys up?

Keeping Pieris small will be quite a chore - they grow into really
high and wide shrubs at maturity. However, I have one next to a 4'
split-rail fence and I've managed to keep it only 4' tall for the
past 15 years. Simply cut it back to the desired size. I cut the
branches at random lengths so the plant looks normal, not sheared.
It will respond by growing new stems and becoming more dense in the
center of the plant.

Best wishes with your landscape!

I have a two pieris which are/were? living in pots and doing "ok".
They have both recently turned an orangey brown colour (flowers and
leaves a like)and look rather sad. I think we may have had a recent
frost would this have effected them? What can i now do? 

Keeping in mind that the new growth on pieris is a reddish color,
what you describe can be simply the new growth. On the other hand,
it might also indicate environmental stress. I'd wait a few weeks to
see whether or not the color changes to green. If not, the new
foliage and flowers may have been nipped by frost. If this is the
case, prune off the damage portions of your shrubs and they should
begin to produce healthy new growth.

Hope so!

Hi Patt,

We have a very large pieris in our front yard that needs to be
pruned.  I'm worried about cutting into it because the foliage is
only at the very ends of the bush, and it will be quite unsightful
if we cut anymore than a few inches off.  Is there a certain time of
the year that's better to prune than others?  Or will it send out
new growth at any time?

Thanks for your insight.  Brooke

Because it is a broadleaf evergreen, pieris tends to lose its oldest
leaves, usually lower down on the shrub and towards the insides of
the branches. Because of their dense growth habit, no light gets to
the branches and stems, they are slow to replace lost leaves. As
you’ve discovered, the only new growth will be at the ends of the
branches. I’ve pruned my pieris shrubs back hard and they’ve always
responded by sending up lots of healthy new growth. But I never
remove more than about a third of the growth in any pruning session.
If yours is really overgrown you may need to renovate it over a
period of 2-3 years. Now, in July, you can prune your shrub back by
about one third. Next spring, after flowering has finished, prune it
back by a third again. If it is still too large, you can prune it
back again the following spring. After you’ve cut it back you can
reach into the center of the plant and shorten or remove some of
oldest the branches. Your plant will send up healthy new stems
wherever you prune old ones out. Pieris is a vigorous grower and can
be kept full and lush with annual pruning. So, once you’ve gotten
your shrub back into shape, remember to prune after flowering each
year and you’ll be able to control its size.

Hi Patt,
We've just inherited a large, happy Pieris at our new house (maybe 7
feet tall with several thick stems), but the problem is that it's
growing right up along a set of concrete steps and large granite
boulders that need to be replaced. I am not sure how long it's been
in the ground, but by its size I assume it's pretty well
established. Any hope of transplanting this? I am not sure if it
would survive being taken out of the ground?
Thanks!

I think your mature pieris can be transplanted successfully but it
will take some advance preparation. Here in the PNW we can prune
shrubs as late as September and the new growth will have time to
harden off before our first frost (usually mid-November). With that
in mind, you’ll want to reduce the size of the plant for easy
handling. Prune it back by one-third and then remove some of the
oldest stems right at ground level. Pruning prior to moving will
lessen transplant shock. You will undoubtedly sever some roots
during the digging process. Having to support fewer leaves and
branches will be less stressful to the plant while it is
re-establishing itself in its new home. I’d prune it in September
and move then. It should become established over the winter and
begin growing in the early spring. Be sure to water it regularly if
rainfall is less than normal this winter.

In the spring, when new growth begins, you can prune it back again.
With a few pruning sessions over the summer months your pieris
should evolve into a bushy, compact shrub. It will probably take 2-3
years for your pieris to look attractive after the move.

Considering the amount of work involved in digging, moving and after
care, you may want to think about simply purchasing a new pieris to
replace the old one. They are readily available, inexpensive and
fast growing. You won’t need to do any remedial pruning to make a
new pieris look attractive and a new shrub will grow and flower
reliably for years and years. Just a thought!

I was just wondering how fast do Peiris grow? I have one that is
about 2 feet from soil level to the top, and I was thinking of
transplating it to my front yard. I think this kind is supposed to
get up to 10 feet or so. Thanks.

I think the answer depends upon which Pieris you are growing. Some
maintain a height of only about two feet and others grow upwards of
eight feet in height. I am growing Pieris japonica 'Mountain Fire'
which reaches about four feet in height. It tends to want to get
bigger but I keep it pruned to about four feet because it is planted
in front of a small fence. I have found that they are slow to
establish but quick to regrow after pruning. You might try pruning
yours back by a few inches to promote new growth. Enjoy!

I planted three Pieris (2 valleyrose and one valentine) this past
fall amending the soil based on an analysis from the MSU extension. 
The plants survived our harsh Michigan winter weather without any
problems.  However, none of the plants flowered in the springtime. 
They did have the old "brown" berrylike bracts attached and did not
seem to lose them overmuch.  I left them on because I found them
attractive. I read that they are usually removed and that they are
generally not admired. Anyway, I decided to snip off all of the
dried berries from one of the Pieris.  Ever since, it has been very
droopy and sad looking - my other 2 plants are thriving - new leaf
growth - yet no sign of flowers - what have I done to my ailing
Pieris and will it recover? 

I just planted a Pieris in a large container with some slightly
acidic soil and used the one that was recommended by the nursery for
having good drainage.  It had the lovely, healthy white blooms on it
when I transplaned it, but now, after 4 days, the flowers are
softening and turning brown, and the leaves are drooping.  Help!
Could it be that I watered it too much since I transplanted it?  Is
it just having some transplant shock? What should I do to help it
recover?

Dana, it sounds as though you're overwatering your pieris. Well
draining soil is a must and if you planted with potting soil rather
than garden soil, you're on the right track. The difficulty with
watering containerized plants is our tendency to either overwater or
underwater. I usually allow the top inch of soil to dry out between
waterings. You can even stick your finger down into the potting soil
to check the moisture content. If it is still moist one inch below
the surface, you won't need to water for another few days; if it
feels dry to the touch one inch down, it's time to water. I hope
this helps you determine just when to water your pieris. In the
meantime, place it in a garden spot that gets a few hours of morning
sun but shade from hot afternoon sunshine. When it recovers and
begins to show new growth you can prune away any dead flowers or
damaged leaves and move it to a sunnier spot. Best wishes with your
new pieris!

I planted 2 Pieris' (Mountain Fire) in  large containers this spring
and they're doing great. I'm wondering how to look after them in the
winter. I live in Toronto, Canada and it can get very cold but the
plants are somewhat protected. Someone suggested that I wrap them in
burlap (including the container). Please advise.

Hi Tracy! I understand your concern about containerized plants - the
roots are really susceptible to cold damage because they are above
ground. In general, pieris is hardy to about zone 5 and Toronto is
classified as zone 5-6 so the tops of the plants should be okay
throughout the winter months, especially if they are kept in a
protected area, away from drying winter winds. I think there are
several ways to protect the roots. You can bury the pots in the
ground to help insulate them, or you can wrap the containers with
insulating material such as bubble wrap or burlap to help keep them
a little warmer than the air temperature. I wouldn't wrap the entire
plant in burlap - they can develop fungal diseases. I hope this
information helps