Pieris japonica 'MOUNTAIN FIRE' lily-of-the-valley shrub

Lily-of-the-valley shrubs are very popular ericaceous plants with attractive foliage and abundant flowering. Mountain Fire is one the best old varieties. It produces abundance of vase-shaped, creamy white flowers hanging on pink stamens in slightly pendent, long racemes. After 3-4 weeks of flowering new leaves emerge. They are vivid red in spring, maturing to rich green in summer. Pieris’ leaves are evergreen and produced 2 or three times in a season which always brings you an extra colour in mid-summer and early autumn if the weather is good. Its ultimate size is almost 4m in its native habitat, we can expect a little over 1.5m.

Pieris does not require much maintenance. But if you wish to have a perfect plant here are a few suggestions: cut off spent flower racemes to prevent them from making seeds. During late spring and summer check the leaves 2 or 3 times for tiny spots on the upper sides – they manifest insect attack whose miniature worms are living inside the leaves and produce sticky sap on the underneath of the leaves. In such case spray it with a suitable insecticide – one dose is usually enough. In winter remove heavy and wet snow from the top of the plant to prevent its fragile branches from bending or breaking.

Ericaceous plants require soil that is light, acidic, and constantly moist (not wet). If your garden soil is too heavy do not dig a deep hole but make a mounded and wide bed topped up with a good mixture of peat, fine bark chips, and leaf (forest) litter. Keep the soil moist by mulching. Slow-release fertilizers for acid-loving plants are advised. Hardy to about -27°C.

Last update 09-01-2012