Pieris

( PEER - iss )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus of evergreen shrubs, commonly called Andromeda, Lily-Of-The-Valley Bush or Fetterbush, includes species which need filtered sunlight to partial shade and regular water to perform well in the landscape. These plants provide a handsome background of foliage year-round, and produce flowers in small clusters. Buds in early winter look almost like strings of tiny beads in pink, green, red, or white and open to reveal their blooms in midwinter through springtime. Flowers have a light, sweet, honey-like scent similar to that of Lily of the Valley. New growth is commonly brightly-colored, maturing to dark green. These plants are wonderful in containers, in woodland plantings, and in Japanese-style gardens. Take care when planting these shrubs in your yard, as both the leaves and nectar are poisonous if ingested.

Pieris Species and Varietals

The genus Pieris is a member of the plant family Ericaceae and includes seven species. Plants in the genus are closely related to those in Azalea & Rhododendron, Kalmia (Mountain Laurel), Leucothoe (Doghobble), Vaccinium (Blueberry, Cranberry, Huckleberry), Calluna (Heather), and Erica (Heath). The genus name is derived from Pieris, a location in Greece home to the mythological character Muses. The best growing zones for Pieris vary depending on the species. For more information, refer to the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Pieris floribunda (Andromeda floribunda) (Mountain Pieris, Mountain Fetterbush, Mountain Andromeda)
This species grows well in USDA hardiness zones 4-8 or Sunset growing zones 2-9 and 14-17; it is native to the southeastern United States. These shrubs reach 6 feet tall and 10 feet wide, with pale green new growth that mature to a dull darker green. Flowers are held in upright clusters. This species is cold-hardy, and can tolerate heat, sun, low humidity better than others.

Pieris formosa forrestii (Pieris forrestii) (Chinese Pieris, Himalayan Pieris, Himalayan Andromeda, Mountain Pieris, Lily of the Valley Bush, 美丽马醉木)
This species is native to China and grows well in USDA hardiness zones 7b-10b or Sunset growing zones 8, 9 and 14-17. Dense habit to 10 feet tall and 12 feet wide, with new growth in scarlet to salmon, maturing to green. Flower clusters are large and drooping. Great planted as an espalier in a shady area of the garden.

Pieris japonica (Lily-Of-The-Valley Shrub, Japanese Andromeda, Japanese Pieris)
This species is native to Japan and grows best in USDA hardiness zones 5-8 or Sunset growing zones 2b-9 and 14-17. It has an upright habit, reaching 9-10 feet tall and just as wide. New foliage is bronze-pink-red and matures to glossy green. Flower clusters are drooping, and come in white, pink, or red blooming from red buds. There are many commonly grown cultivars of this species, listed and described below:

'Bert Chandler'
Salmon-pink new foliage ages to creamy white and matures to pale green. White flowers.

'Bisbee Dwarf'
1 foot tall and just as wide, with smaller leaves that emerge red. Flowers are white.

'Cavatine'
2-3 feet tall and wide. Red new growth. White flowers.

'Compacta'
4-5 feet tall and wide with white blooms.

'Crispa'
Reaches 6-7 feet tall and wide, with wavy edged leaves. Flowers are white.

'Flaming Silver'
Great hybrid variety, 4-5 feet tall and wide. New leaves are red with pink margins and mature to green with white edges. White blossoms.

'Karenoma'
Compact variety reaching 3-5 feet tall and wide, with upright clusters of white flowers.

'Little Heath'
2-4 feet tall and just as wide, with white flowers. foliage is grey-green and edged in white.

'Mountain Fire'
This species has bright, fiery red new growth and white blossoms.

'Prelude'
2-3 feet tall and wide with pink new growth and white flowers.

'Pygmaea'
Tiny form reaching just 1-2 feet tall and wide, with sparse white flowers and narrow leaves.

'Sarabande'
Vigorous but compact, 3-4 feet tall and wide with white flowers.

'Spring Snow'
Compact, 3-5 feet tall with upright white flower clusters.

'Valley Fire'
With brilliant red new growth that matures to green, and white blossoms.

'Variegata'
Slow grower, reaching 6 feet tall and wide. Foliage edged in creamy white.

'Brouwer's Beauty'
5-7 feet tall and 5 feet wide, with deep red buds that open to reveal white flowers. Clusters are nearly horizontal.

'Christmas Cheer'
Blooms early with bicolored (white and deep red) flowers borne on rose-red flower stalks.

'Dorothy Wyckoff'
Deep red buds open to reveal pink flowers that age to white. New foliage is bronze. Compact grower.

'Purity'
3-4 feet tall and wide, with large white flowers. Late bloomer.

'Temple Bells'
This variety is a slow grower, eventually reaching 3-5 feet tall and wide. Flowers are ivory.

'Valley Rose'
With light pink blooms.

'Valley Valentine'
5-7 feet tall and just as wide; deep red buds open to reveal red flowers.

'White Cascade'
Very profuse bloomer; flowers are pure white.

Forest Flame'
6-10 feet tall and 3-5 feet wide, red new foliage fades to cream-pink and matures to dark green.

Caring for pieris

Take care when planting these shrubs in your yard, as both the leaves and nectar are toxic to humans and pets if ingested. Plant your Pieris shrub in a location with full to partial shade that has protection from hot afternoon rays and strong winds. Ideally, they appreciate between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day for the best blooms. They prefer well-draining, acidic soil (with a pH of between 5.0 and 6.0) with a generous amount of incorporated organic matter. Pieris shrubs are intolerant of salty water and soil, so they are not great choices for coastal gardens. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. Prune shrubs in late springtime after flowering has finished size and shape. Remove spent flower clusters as they appear, and rejuvenate older plants by thinning out the older wood. Lower branches can be removed as well to reveal attractive bark and create more of a tree form. Pieris shrubs flower on old wood, and if it is pruned too late in the season, it risks the loss of flowers in the next year. Pieris shrubs are long-lived perennials, and can last in the landscape for 40 years or more.

Caring for Pieris in Containers
Barberry shrubs are wonderful in the ground, but can also be grown in containers. Choose a container that is at least a few inches wider and deeper than the nursery pot or root ball. Ensure that the pot has adequate drainage holes on the bottom to allow for excess water to flow away. Fill with a well-draining potting mix amended with organic material and perlite, and top with a layer of mulch to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water regularly as the plant establishes itself in its new home. Once established, waterings can be lessened. Berberis plants grown in containers will need more frequent irrigation than those grown in the ground. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top few inches of soil feels dry to the touch. Prune to remove dead, damaged, or diseased foliage at any time during the growing season. Every few years, check the bottom of the pot to ensure that the plant is not outgrowing its root space. If roots are growing through the drainage holes in the bottom of the container, it is a good indication that it needs to be potted up; choose a slightly larger container and repot.

Propagation

Pieris plants are best propagated via semi-hardwood cuttings taken in late summertime, though they can also be propagated from seed. Because there are so many different varieties and hybrids available, it is likely that you will not end up with an identical clone of the parent plant if you are harvesting Erica and growing it from seed. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Pieris by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In late summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 2 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Pieris by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. Hybrid plants for the most part are sterile, and will not be able to be propagated in this way. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds a few weeks after flowers have faded. The seed pods will feel dry and fall off the plant easily when they are ready. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 2-3 months from sowing.
Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot. After the seedlings have sprouted their first sets of true leaves (above the cotyledons, they should be about an inch tall at this point), pinch the tops off to encourage a bushier habit.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed) or fall, when you can transplant it to its new home.