Home  •  About NGA  •  Grants & Awards  •  Sponsors  •  ADOPT A GARDEN 

In My Garden Blog

August 4, 2005
Pacific Northwest
By Patt Kasa,
Seattle, WA

The trailing flowers of pieris make a delicate springtime display.

In Praise of Pieris

My interest in pieris began ten years ago when I was mentally designing the greenbelt that surrounds our property. I wanted a low-maintenance evergreen shrub with seasonal interest that would be equally happy in sun or shade. As I scoured local nurseries for just the right plant, I kept finding pieris. There was no single feature that attracted me most, but the combination of all its attributes convinced me that pieris was just the right plant to ease the transition from greenbelt native understory to our more formal landscape.

Also called andromeda, pieris is a medium-tall shrub that requires little care and can be grown from USDA Zones 4 to 8. Like other members of the heath family (Ericaceae), which includes rhododendrons and azaleas, pieris requires an acid pH, humusy soil, and organic mulch to keep the roots happy.

The rich green, glossy foliage of pieris stands out year-round, and in early spring a profusion of small, cup-shaped flowers ranging from deep pink through cream to white hangs in clusters like strings of beads. As a bonus, the flowers of some cultivars emit a light, fruity fragrance reminiscent of grape hyacinths. When the bronze-red new leaves appear, pieris assumes a soft, feathery look that can last as long as a month until the new leaves turn green. In winter the flower buds, which range in color from green to dark red, look striking against the leaves. And pieris leaves don't curl in cold weather and look sorry like rhododendron leaves do.

Landscape Uses
Green all year and dense in habit, pieris makes an excellent informal screen, either by itself or combined with other broadleaved evergreens, such as laurels, rhododendrons, and hollies. Lilies, daffodils, and other shade-loving plants make a pleasing scene against a backdrop of pieris. A single pieris can be a good focal point in a shady, secluded corner. For any garden that is lovingly tended and frequently visited, pieris shows well, even under close inspection.

Growing Conditions
Pieris performs well in full shade to full sun and will bloom beautifully in either. To provide the woods-like acidic soil conditions, I work 2 to 3 inches of peat into the top foot of soil when I plant. In humus-poor soils, you can add another 2 to 3 inches of peat. Other organic materials, such as composted leaves or pine needles, also will help loosen the soil.

The roots require excellent drainage to prevent waterlogging and to avoid phytophthera, a fungus that causes root rot. If your soil drains poorly, consider planting pieris in raised beds.

Pieris can be planted in spring or fall, when weather is cool and rainfall abundant. After removing the plant from its pot, tease out about an inch of roots all around the rootball with your fingers to encourage roots to grow out into the surrounding soil. The plant should be set at the same depth it was growing in the nursery pot. To allow for their mature size, space plants 6 feet apart. (Dwarf cultivars can be planted closer.) For a more immediate effect, you can plant them as close as 3 feet apart and later transplant them farther apart.

It's important to water well the first year. Once the plants are established, irrigation is less crucial, but a thorough watering during summer dry periods is beneficial.

In spring I fertilize with a 10-6-4 formulation applied at half rate. Proper soil preparation and an acidic mulch should prevent chlorosis.

Since pieris are shallow-rooted, mulching is essential. I rake wood chips or pine needles over the soil surface, but you can use any organic mulch material. Other than removing dead or broken limbs, it's not necessary to prune pieris. The natural form is picturesque, but you can certainly prune them back if they overgrow their spots in the landscape.

Pieris Choices
Pieris japonica cultivars begin blooming around mid-March. 'Valley Valentine' is one of the earliest bloomers. It has exceptionally glossy, dark green leaves that contrast with very elegant white flowers. This compact low-grower reaches about 3 feet tall and bears a profusion of pink and white flowers that appear deep pink from a distance.

The bright red new leaves of 'Mountain Fire' provide a fiery display for several weeks. The flowers are white and less showy than those of other pieris, but this cultivar takes more sun and is quite vigorous. It grows into a 5-foot-tall plant with a pleasing asymmetrical shape. 'Scarlet O'Hara', a similar cultivar, has showier flowers but does not hold its fiery color as long.

I've combined pieris with a few of its later-blooming relatives, enkianthus and leucothoe, both white-flowered shrubs. Even during the quiet months from midsummer through early fall, the graceful form of pieris creates a cool, serene feeling among the deep shadows of our native hemlocks and Douglas firs.

If you're looking for an abundant display of colorful foliage, and the bonus of fragrant springtime flowers, one of the many cultivars of Pieris japonica is sure to be a delightful addition to your garden.

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!

Contact Us | Advertising | Content Licensing | Custom Publishing | Research | Press Room | Jobs