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    • Pruning Roses
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    • Rose Bloom Balling
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    • Aucuba, Japanese Spotted Laurel
    • Autumn Crocus
    • Bear's Breeches
    • Beautyberry, Callicarpa
    • Black-eyed Susans
    • Bleeding Heart, Lamprocapnos spectabilis
    • Calla Lilies
    • Dahlias
    • Daylily
    • Delphiniums
    • Devil's Walking Stick, Aralia spinosa
    • Dwarf Alberta Spruce
    • Dwarf Burning Bush
    • Fall Asters
    • Flowering Currants
    • Flowering Quince
    • Fritillaria
    • Garden Peonies
    • Garden Phlox
    • Ginkgo biloba
    • Grape-hyacinths
    • Handkerchief or Dove Tree
    • Harry Lauder's Walking Stick
    • Heathers
    • Hellebores, Lenten roses
    • Himalayan Sweet Box
    • Jack-in-the-pulpit, Cobra Lily
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    • Sneezeweed, Helenium
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    • Snowdrops
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    • Stewartia
    • Torch Lily, Kniphofia uvaria
    • Tree Peonies
    • Tuberous Begonias
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Lily-of-the-Valley Shrub
​Pieris japonica

Featured March 2019
Amanda's Garden Consulting Company
Pieris japonica,Japanese andromeda,Lily-of-the-valley shrub,March gardens,Gardening in March,March flowers,March plants,early spring gardening,The Garden Website.com,thegardenwebsite.com,Amanda’s Garden Consulting,Amanda Jarrett
Pieris japonica,Japanese andromeda,Lily-of-the-valley shrub,March gardens,Gardening in March,March flowers,March plants,early spring gardening,The Garden Website.com,thegardenwebsite.com,Amanda’s Garden Consulting,Amanda Jarrett
This picture was taken in April when both flowers and new foliage were showing off at the same time - wowzer!
Pieris japonica,Japanese andromeda,Lily-of-the-valley shrub,March gardens,Gardening in March,March flowers,March plants,early spring gardening,The Garden Website.com,thegardenwebsite.com,Amanda’s Garden Consulting,Amanda Jarrett
Pink Passion bears soft pink blossoms.
Pieris japonica,Japanese andromeda,Lily-of-the-valley shrub,March gardens,Gardening in March,March flowers,March plants,early spring gardening,The Garden Website.com,thegardenwebsite.com,Amanda’s Garden Consulting,Amanda Jarrett
Dorothy Wyckoff andromeda.
Pieris japonica,Japanese andromeda,Lily-of-the-valley shrub,March gardens,Gardening in March,March flowers,March plants,early spring gardening,The Garden Website.com,thegardenwebsite.com,Amanda’s Garden Consulting,Amanda Jarrett
Grape-like clusters full of flowers are the epitome of this beautiful plant.
Pieris japonica,Japanese andromeda,Lily-of-the-valley shrub,March gardens,Gardening in March,March flowers,March plants,early spring gardening,The Garden Website.com,thegardenwebsite.com,Amanda’s Garden Consulting,Amanda Jarrett
Valley Fire bears outstanding new foliage in pinkish tones.
Picture
Cream coloured margins contrast with the green foliage on variegated Japanese andromedas. Their white flowers add to their charm.
Picture
Mature Lily of the Valley shrubs can become quite large especially when they are happy, like this grand specimen.
Common Name: lily-of-the-valley shrub, Japanese andromeda
Botanical Name: Pieris japonica
Form:   upright, vase to oval shaped
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Pieris
Species: japonica
Plant Type:  broadleaf evergreen
Mature Size: 9 to 12 feet x 6 to 8 feet
Growth: medium
Origin: Japan, China, Taiwan
Hardiness Zone: 5 to 8
Foliage: alternate, to 3.5” long shiny deep green, new foliage red, orange, bronze or maroon
Flowers: 6 inch or larger mostly pendulous clusters of fragrant, urn-shaped white flowers in early spring, buds form on plant in autumn resembling while pearls
Fruit: brown round capsules
Exposure: full sun to part shade, afternoon shade beneficial
Soil: rich, moist, acidic soil, well-drained
Uses: borders, year round interest, hedgerow, specimen, foundation, accent, background, informal hedge, screen
Propagation:  seeds, softwood cuttings
Pruning: after flowering, if needed, pruning after April removes the flowers
​Problems: lace bug, spider mites, scale insects
Cultivars:  many with different coloured new foliage and flowers
Comments: 
This striking versatile shrub has something to offer every season. Not only does it drip with hanging clusters of little urn shaped flowers, it's foliage is also remarkable. Their broadleaf evergreen leaves provides a great background to other plants, but it is their new foliage that turns heads. Depending on the variety or cultivar immature leaves emerge in colours of red, pink, orange, chartreuse, copper or maroon. The lovely flowers and foliage sit on tiered branches on bushy shrubs that don't need pruning or shaping.
 
The lily-of-the-valley shrub flourishes when it grown in the conditions it favours, however, it will be a sad specimen without correct maintenance and location. Morning sun, afternoon shade and moist, but well-draining acidic soil rich in organic matter is ideal. Lily-or-the-valley shrubs do not like sandy soils, nor drought. Pieris must be mulched with 3 inches of an organic mulch. 
 
Incorrect conditions create problems. Lace bug insects mottle foliage, which weakens the plant and makes it look pale and sickly. To rectify, add compost, well-rotted manure and other organic matter. Mix at least 2 inches into the soil with a rake, trowel or cultivator, then apply the mulch on top of the soil. Water during times of drought, especially during the summer.
 
If you have the time and patience, remove the spent flowers. Leaving the flowers on and not deadheading right will result in fewer flowers next year. Remove dead stems at their base any time of year. To trim overly long branches, cut back to a strong side branch. Note that the leaves are toxic. ​
Pieris japonica,Japanese andromeda,Lily-of-the-valley shrub,March gardens,Gardening in March,March flowers,March plants,early spring gardening,The Garden Website.com,thegardenwebsite.com,Amanda’s Garden Consulting,Amanda Jarrett
Their round, woody seedpods are best removed to promote better flowering the following year - if you have the time and patience that is.
Pieris japonica,Japanese andromeda,Lily-of-the-valley shrub,March gardens,Gardening in March,March flowers,March plants,early spring gardening,The Garden Website.com,thegardenwebsite.com,Amanda’s Garden Consulting,Amanda Jarrett
Afternoon shade, moist rich soil and organic mulch promote healthy Lily-of-the-Valley Shrubs.
Pieris japonica,Japanese andromeda,Lily-of-the-valley shrub,March gardens,Gardening in March,March flowers,March plants,early spring gardening,The Garden Website.com,thegardenwebsite.com,Amanda’s Garden Consulting,Amanda Jarrett
Valley Valentine bell shaped flowers are attached with red calyxes that resemble X's.
Picture
This pieris is struggling with lace bugs as it is planted in dry and poor soil that lacks organic matter, no organic mulch. It's also in full sun.

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  • Home
  • About, Services, Contact
  • Ask Amanda
  • Roses
    • Types of Roses
    • Easy Roses
    • Climbing Roses
    • Portland's Rose Test Garden
    • Rose Insects & Diseases
    • Pruning Roses
    • Rose Sawfly
    • Rose Bloom Balling
  • Pruning Basics 101
    • Pruning Tools
    • Winter Pruning
    • Pruning Grapes
    • Pruning Clematis
    • Prune Your Own Garden Registration
  • Lawn Basics
    • Lawn Reno, Seed & Sod
    • Lawn Maintenance Schedule
    • Spring Lawn Care
    • Moss in Lawns
    • Lawn Alternatives
    • Lawn Grub Control
  • Mulch & Mulching
    • Living Mulches - Groundcovers
  • Propagation
    • Growing Seeds Outdoors
    • Growing Seeds Indoors
    • Taking Cuttings
    • Seed & Plant Catalogues
  • How to Garden Topics
    • Fall Garden Chores
    • Planting Know-How
    • Soil Building
    • Watering Tips & Techniques
    • Drought Gardening
    • Sheet Mulching, Lasagna Gardening
    • Cover Crops
    • Composting
    • Compost Tea
    • Houseplant Winter Care
    • Hummingbirds in Winter
    • Winterize Your Garden
    • Ponds in Winter
  • Growing Food
    • Spring Veggie Gardening
    • Crop Rotation, Succession & Companion Planting
    • Harvesting
    • Growing Potatoes
    • Winter Veggie Gardening
    • Taming Tomatoes
    • Speeding up Tomato Harvest
    • Tomato Tips
    • Saving Tomato Seeds
    • Tomato Troubles
  • Plant Pests 1
    • Plant Pests Part 2 - Controlling Insects
    • Garden Inspections
    • Helping Pollinators
    • Dogwood Anthracnose
    • Viburnum Leaf Beetle
    • Dormant Oil/Lime Sulfur
    • Japanese Beetles
    • Peony Blotch/Measles
    • Slugs & Snails
    • Horsetail, the Weed
    • June Beetle
    • Powdery Mildew
    • Soil Solarization
    • Rhododendron Leaf Spot
    • Plant Rusts
    • Black Knot
  • Container Growing
    • Choosing a Container
  • Feeding Plants 101
    • Fertilizers & Ratios
    • Nutritional Deficiencies & Toxicities
    • Organic Plant Food
  • Plant of the Month
    • Spring Flowering Bulbs
    • Colourful Fall Plants
    • Abelia
    • American Sweetgum
    • Ash (Fraxinus) Trees
    • Astilbes
    • Aubretia, Rock Cress
    • Aucuba, Japanese Spotted Laurel
    • Autumn Crocus
    • Bear's Breeches
    • Beautyberry, Callicarpa
    • Black-eyed Susans
    • Bleeding Heart, Lamprocapnos spectabilis
    • Calla Lilies
    • Dahlias
    • Daylily
    • Delphiniums
    • Devil's Walking Stick, Aralia spinosa
    • Dwarf Alberta Spruce
    • Dwarf Burning Bush
    • Fall Asters
    • Flowering Currants
    • Flowering Quince
    • Fritillaria
    • Garden Peonies
    • Garden Phlox
    • Ginkgo biloba
    • Grape-hyacinths
    • Handkerchief or Dove Tree
    • Harry Lauder's Walking Stick
    • Heathers
    • Hellebores, Lenten roses
    • Himalayan Sweet Box
    • Jack-in-the-pulpit, Cobra Lily
    • Japanese Anemones
    • Japanese Forest Grass
    • Japanese Maples
    • Japanese Skimmia
    • Japanese Spurge
    • Laurustinus viburnum
    • Lavenders
    • Lily-of-the-Valley Shrub, Pieris japonica
    • Mediterranean Spurge
    • Mexican Mock Orange
    • Montana Clematis
    • Mountain Ash
    • Oriental Poppies
    • Oriental Lilies
    • Paperbark Maple
    • Pink Dawn Bodnant Viburnum
    • Poinsettias
    • Oregon Grape Holly
    • Ornamental Kale
    • Peruvian Lily, Alstroemeria
    • Phalaenopsis, Moth Orchids
    • Persian Silk Tree
    • Portuguese Laurel
    • Rose of Sharon
    • Sneezeweed, Helenium
    • Snowberry
    • Snowdrops
    • Star Magnolia
    • Strawberry Tree, Pacific Madrone
    • Stewartia
    • Torch Lily, Kniphofia uvaria
    • Tree Peonies
    • Tuberous Begonias
    • Virginia Creeper
    • Weigela
    • Winterhazel, Corylopsis
    • Winter Camellia, C. sasanqua
    • Wintergreen, Gaultheria procumbens
    • Witch Hazel
    • Wood Anemones
    • Yews
  • Garden Tour Blogs
  • Monthly Flower Arrangements
  • Website Index
  • Subscribe
  • Need Help?