Pick Pieris for Year-Round Beauty

Many gardeners use these shrubs as speciman plants; they're showy enough to dress up an entryway or become the focal point of a suburban yard. A row of Pieris makes an attractive hedge; either alone or grouped, Pieris are often used as foundation plantings. And because they have the same cultural requirements, Pieris is an ideal companion for Rhododendrons and Camellias, as you see in this picture from Salisbury State University's Arboretum. I have several Pieris in a "woodland" garden under large firs, providing companionship to an assortment of rhododendrons. They can also be grown in containers, and there's even at least one variety suitable for bonsai. A shrub with that many uses is obviously popular!

Unlike many shrubs, Pieris is attractive throughout the year. Right now (in January), the glossy, green evergreen leaves of my Pieris plants are dressed with long hanging panicles of pink flower buds. In late winter or early spring, they'll burst into sweetly-scented clusters of white or pink bell-shaped flowers. Pieris flowers are long-lasting; in the Pacific Northwest they bloom from Febrary through April. Even before the flowers fade, Pieris busily put forth new growth, that in many cases, makes the shrub even more spectacular. Eventually, the flower panicles become bunches of tiny hanging fruit.

The season of new growth is especially beautiful, as many of the Pieris varieties have leaves that change colours as they grow. The new growth of Pieris Japonica in early spring, for instance, is a gorgeous coppery shade. The new leaves of 'Mountain Fire' are red, changing to green as they age. My favourite is the hybrid 'Forest Flame'; its new growth is red, then changes to pink, and then turns cream-coloured before becoming green! A more extensive list of varieties is available on the Michigan State University Extension site.

Native to the forests and hillsides of East Asia, the Himalayas, and the West Indies, Pieris, also known as the lily-of-the-valley bush, is only hardy to Zone 5. Its cultural requirements are the same as Rhododendrons and Camellias; Pieris needs humus-rich, moist but well-drained acidic soil; mulch the roots with rotted oak leaves or pine needles. It can be grown in exposures ranging from sun through partial shade; Pieris is actually quite shade tolerant, but the more shade, the fewer flowers will be produced. For best performance, and to avoid problems such as dessication and dieback, choose a site that is sheltered from wind.

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