Pieris Japonica, Pearl Bush Andromedia Identification Fact Sheet

This is the tree, shrub, and vine identification project fact sheet for Pieris japonica, pearl bush or andromeda. This fact sheet may not be copied in part or in whole and submitted as one's own project, but may be cited as a source of facts during one's own research. See tree, shrub, and vine identification project main page for links to other plants, and evergreen shrub slideshow for pictures.
Plant Botanical Name: Pieris Japonica

Common Name: Pearl bush, Andromeda, Pieris

Family Name: Ericaceae

Plant is Native to What Country: Taiwan, Japan, and eastern China.

Plant Height at Maturity: 6-10 feet tall and wide.

Plant Habit and Form: Evergreen shrubs with upright spreading branching. Plants are rounded in shape and have dense, broadleaf foliage.

Foliage: Leaves glossy dark green, 0.5"-0.75" wide and 1.5"-3.5" long, margins shallow serrated. Foliage forms whorls at the tip of the new growth. New growth emerges red in spring before turning green. The foliage is evergreen.

Bark: Gray-brown, fissured vertically especially on older wood. Stems are hidden by the foliage.

Flower: Flower clusters 3-6 inches long and branching, pendulous, holding many small white flowers. Flowers resemble an urn or upside-down vase. Flowers last around three weeks. The flower buds are visible the previous fall and turn a red color in winter.

Fruit/Seed: Small round brown capsules on last season's flower stems contain the seeds.

Growing Requirements: Hardy to Zone 5, plants love acidic soils in part shade locations but tolerates full sun. Moist soils rich in organic content are preferable. Plant does not do well in windy or harsh locations.

Problems and Drawbacks: Plants are susceptible to lacebug, which causes unsightly yellow stippling of the foliage. Plants are susceptible to winter damage from winds, and cold damage in zone 5. Plants also get Phytophthora root rot. Plants do not tolerate road salt.

Special Uses: Plants are valued for deer resistance and early flowering as well as spring foliage color. Used in the landscape as a foundation plant or shrub for shadier locations.

ID Tips/Remarks: Unique characteristics include whorled leaves, red spring growth, flower buds present in winter and persistent seed capsules.

Bibliography: http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/p/piejap/piejap1.html,

http://plants.usda.gov/java/charProfile?symbol=PIJA3