Japanese Pieris (Pieris japonica)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Shrub
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun to Partial Shade Partial or Dappled Shade Partial Shade to Full Shade
Water Preferences:	Mesic
Soil pH Preferences:	Strongly acid (5.1 – 5.5) Moderately acid (5.6 – 6.0) Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 5a -28.9 °C (-20 °F) to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 8b
Plant Height:	9 to 12 feet (2.7-3.7m)
Plant Spread:	6 to 8 feet (1.8-2.4m)
Leaves:	Unusual foliage color Evergreen Broadleaf Other: New leaves emerge red to red/green.
Flowers:	Showy Fragrant Blooms on old wood Blooms on new wood Other: Flower buds form in late summer
Flower Color:	White
Flower Time:	Spring
Uses:	Provides winter interest
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Hummingbirds
Resistances:	Deer Resistant
Toxicity:	Leaves are poisonous
Propagation: Other methods:	Cuttings: Stem
Containers:	Not suitable for containers

Common names

Japanese Pieris
Andromeda
Japanese Andromeda
Lily of the Valley Shrub
Lily Of The Valley Bush

Botanical names

Accepted: Pieris japonica
Synonym: Pieris taiwanensis

Photo Gallery

Location: My backyard in Allentown, PA
Date: 14 March 2016
Rainy day afternoon closeup on 14 March 2016.

Uploaded by marsrover

Location: Zone 5
Date: 2021-05-09
Spring blooming bush

Uploaded by Fleur569

Location: Sandhills Horticultural Gardens Southern Pines, NC
Date: March 7, 2024
Japanese pieris #12 nn LHB p. 772, from"Pier is' of mythology ( I

Uploaded by WebTucker

Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2019-02-24
Japanese Pieris - Pieris japonica 004

Uploaded by dawiz1753

Location: Southern Pines, NC (Boyd House garden)
Date: February 14, 2023
Japanese pieris #12 nn; LHB p. 772, "From 'Pieris' of mythology."

Uploaded by WebTucker

Uploaded by bumplbea

Uploaded by glengarry23

Location: My garden in Gent, Belgium
Date: 2011-03-29

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: Fairfax, Virginia
Date: 2022-04-20

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by bumplbea

Location: Utrecht Botanical Garden
Date: 2023-03-25

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by JebobaTea

Location: At a local nursery
Date: 2012-03-09

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Uploaded by JebobaTea

Location: My garden in Gent, Belgium
Date: 2010-04-21

Uploaded by bonitin

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by bumplbea

Location: My backyard in Allentown, PA
Date: 2015-03-23
Close-up taken on 23 Mar 2015.

Uploaded by marsrover

Location: My garden, Pequea, Pennsylvania, USA
Date: 2019-04-08

Uploaded by csandt

Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2018-02-27
Japanese Pieris 003

Uploaded by dawiz1753

Location: Front Garden, Maryland Zone 7a
Date: 2015-02-03
Pieris japonica in winter

Uploaded by lovesblooms

Uploaded by JebobaTea

Location: My garden in Gent, Belgium
Date: 2008-04-13

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: Matsudo, Chiba, Japan
Date: 2011-04-30
Photo courtesy of: tmizo

Uploaded by admin

Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2007-03-17

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Brussels)
Date: 2019-01-23

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: z6a MA, My Garden
Date: 2012-04-12

Uploaded by eclayne

Location: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2011-04-28
full-grown shrubs in bloom

Uploaded by ILPARW

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by JebobaTea

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Location: My garden, Pequea, PA 17565
Date: 2016-03-21

Uploaded by csandt

Uploaded by cocoajuno

Uploaded by bonitin

Uploaded by Lily_Lover

Location: Pleasant Grove, Utah
Date: 2012-03-23

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2010-04-10
big, full-grown specimen

Uploaded by ILPARW

Location: Media, Pennsylvania
Date: 2011-04-06
mature specimen

Uploaded by ILPARW

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2015-04-18

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: Aberdeen, NC
Date: January 1, 2022
Japanese Pieris #12 nn; LHB p. 772, "From 'Pieris' of mythology."

Uploaded by WebTucker

Uploaded by eclayne

Location: Jenkins Arboretum in Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Date: 2011-12-18
group of full-grown shrubs

Uploaded by ILPARW

Location: central Illinois-
Date: December, 2015

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: Southern Pines, NC
Date: January 1, 2022
Japanese Pieris #12 nn; LHB p. 772, "From 'Pieris' (Paris) of myt

Uploaded by WebTucker

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by eclayne (Pioneer Valley south, MA, USA - Zone 6a) on Aug 2, 2012 9:35 AM concerning plant:

After a few missteps in locating, it has proven to be a very care free shrub. With its nice mounding habit and fine foliage, P. japonica is a pleasure in all seasons. In cold winter climates, I'd recommend placing in part shade with some protection from drying winter winds. Our soil is naturally acidic and I don't remember ever fertilizing or watering our Pieris. Maybe that explains its height which is only about 5' and a bit wider after nearly 30 years. The sunny side is covered in blooms in April.

Reply to this comment
Posted by mcash70 (Near Kamloops, BC, Canada - Zone 3a) on Jan 24, 2012 6:12 PM concerning plant:

Growth habit is stiff, upright branching, with clusters of spring blooms resembling lily of the valley cascading near the ends of the branches. New spring growth is bright red or pink when emerging. Mature foliage is lustrous dark green. Requires rich acid soil and ample moisture, protect from hot winds and sun.
Water regularly as needed. Feed in spring with an all purpose fertilizer prior to new growth. Prune as necessary. Remove old blooms.

Reply to this comment
Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Mar 21, 2019 4:57 PM concerning plant:

This is the only Pieris species commonly planted in the Mid-Atlantic, the Northeast, the Midwest, and the South USA. Some are offered in many nurseries whether as the mother species or various cultivars. It is a high quality but expensive plant, growing slowly of a little less than 1 foot/year. Its white, waxy urn-shaped flowers are borne in drooping panicle clusters in March-April. I had a teacher in college in the landscape design class in the western suburbs of Chicago, IL, who would place her used Christmas tree over her shrub in winter for winter protection, as this shrub must be sheltered from strong winds, especially in Zone 5 or possibly Zone 4b. This species is native not to just Japan, but also Taiwan and eastern China.

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Pieris Japanese Pieris (Pieris japonica)

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Japanese Pieris (Pieris japonica)