Are you looking for an evergreen plant that will enliven your garden even in the coldest months? A great choice is Japanese pieris.
Are you a rose lover? We have a tip for their elegant and unpretentious alternative. Decorate your garden with a plant called Japanese pieris. Its charm lies in its beautiful flowers and variegated leaves, which change according to the current season. How to grow this beautiful plant so that it benefits you and becomes an unmissable decoration of your green oasis?
Want to learn more about pieris japonica? Watch an interesting YouTube video on the Garden that heals channel:
Source: Youtube
Japanese Pieris or Pieris japonica
Pieris japonica is an ornamental shrub that is native to the regions of Japan, China and Taiwan. It belongs to the heather family and stands out for its elegance and unpretentiousness. It has become popular in our gardens due to its attractive appearance throughout the year.
What pieris looks like
Pieris grows to a height of 1.5 to 2 m when mature, depending on the selected cultivar. However, you can also choose between low and dwarf types. It is therefore perfectly suited to both larger gardens and smaller outdoor spaces, and it can also be grown in containers.
The bush is richly branched, with narrow lanceolate, dark green leaves. Newly sprouting leaves, however, tend to be distinctly colored and different in shade from the other leaves that pieris already has. You can therefore look forward to leaves in bright red to purple, pink, ocher or lime green, which give the bushes the appropriate attractiveness.
The flowers are also very impressive. They are bell-shaped, ranging in color from white to pink to deep red, and are arranged in beautiful overhanging clusters. They usually bloom in spring, but some varieties can bloom repeatedly throughout the season. The flowers are not only beautiful, but they also smell wonderful. And how exactly to grow Japanese pieris?
Planting
This shrub can be planted in warmer climates even during early autumn. However, in areas with cooler weather, spring is more suitable.
Location
The plant is suitable for semi-shade, but it also tolerates full shade very well. It thrives best in locations that provide at least 4 hours of sunlight during the day. Thanks to this, you can achieve even the most colorful coloring of the leaves.
Soil
Pieris thrive in acidic, humus and well-drained soil, a mixture of peat and garden soil is ideal for them. As they belong to heathland plants, they will thrive in the neighborhood of rhododendrons, azaleas and all kinds of heather. However, heavy and clay soils do not suit them in any case.
Dressing
Shrubs like slightly moist soil and do not tolerate waterlogging. Therefore, never overdo it with the dressing. Give the pieris a thorough watering before winter arrives.
Frost-resistant shrub
Another advantage for cultivation is the fact that pieris is fully frost-resistant and can withstand temperatures down to -32 °C. However, even with this characteristic, the bush does not thrive in bare frosts, which are becoming more and more frequent in our country. It is therefore better to cover the plant with straw or straw for the winter.
Rust
If you want the pieris not to get unnecessarily weak and to thrive in the long term, cut it immediately after flowering. In this way, you will support the set of new flowers for the next growing season. Always remove only damaged or dead branches in early spring. So if you are looking for an evergreen plant that will please you for many years, Japanese pieris is the right choice.
Resources: www.gardendesign.com, www.ceskestavby.cz
