Description
Pieris –
There are about 7 evergreen shrubs rarely small trees in the Ericaceae family, in this genus. They occur in forest and on hillsides in the Himalayas, Eastern Asia, North America, West Indies and Cuba. They are grown for their alternate or spiral arranged, oblong or lance shaped to obovate, smooth edged or toothed, pointed, glossy, mid green to dark green leaves, often attractively colored when young, and their terminal panicles of small, bell shaped spring borne usually white flowers, sometimes scented, are 1/4-3/8″ long. Grow in a shrub border or in a woodland garden, or rock garden. Leaves may cause severe discomfort if ingested.
Grow in moderately fertile, humus rich, moist but well drained, acidic soil in full sun or light shade.
Prone to canker, dieback, phytophthora root rot, lacebug, and menatodes.
P. nana – Arcterica Nana – This wiry stemmed, slow spreading, cushion forming, dwarf shrub from Russia and Japan grows 3″ tall and 12″ wide. It produces ovate-elliptic, leathery, toothed, dark green leaves, to ½” long, in pairs or whorls of 3, tinted red bronze in winter. In late spring and early summer it bears fragrant white flowers held in pendent, terminal panicles, to 2 ½” long.
Zones 3-6
