Plant of the Week - Episode 612
Other Featured Plants

T-shirt Winner:
Web Slaughter
New Bern, NC

Common Name:
Variegated Japanese Pieris

Scientific Name:
Pieris japonica ‘Variegata’

Common Name:
Dwarf Lily of the Valley Shrub

Scientific Name:
Pieris japonica ‘Prelude’

Type:
evergreen shrub

Flowers:
arching racemes of white, bell-shaped flowers in Spring
dwarf selection flowers later than other varieties
decorative flowerbuds

Foliage:
deep green
‘Prelude' has pink leaves in spring that turn to dark green

Growth:
varies depending on the cultivar, but slow-growing

Culture:
part shade to part sun
well-drained, but slightly moisture retentive, soil

Other:
Japanese pieris makes a good specimen shrub for the light shade under large oaks or pines.
The smaller cultivars are suitable for container growth, and the smallest ones are used for bonsai.