Other Names:  Dwarf Lily-of-the-valley Shrub, Japanese Andromeda

Description:

An elegant dwarf selection, prized for its delicate and showy chains of small white bell-shaped flowers, and narrow, feathery foliage that emerges bright red; slow growing, dense and upright; performs best in moist, organic and acidic soils

Ornamental Features

Dwarf Japanese Pieris features dainty chains of white bell-shaped flowers hanging below the branches from late winter to early spring. It has attractive dark green evergreen foliage which emerges red in spring. The glossy narrow leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Dwarf Japanese Pieris is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Dwarf Japanese Pieris is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Dwarf Japanese Pieris will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will die in standing water. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have rich, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in both summer and winter to conserve soil moisture and protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.