flowers on pieris

hi all...

i have a pieris which is about 4 feet tall... it seems to be very healthy, aport from a few yellowing leaves... there is new red-leaf growth in the lower parts of the plant...

my question regards the masses of little creamy bell-shaped flowers on the plant... it flowered last summer, but the flowers remained all through the winter and are still there !! the flowers are like bee-magnets, so i guess they're healthy enough...

should i cut off the flower clusters ro encourage new leaf growth ?

thanks...

 

I would leave well alone - but give it a feed of something like miracid for the next month or so. Its not unusual for the flowers to hang on for quite a time - but it may need some feeding now.

 

thank you, fran...

 

I've had my Pieris plants for many years & never do anything to them other than feed them regularly in the summer. They're covered in new red leaf growth @ the moment & look great.

Pauline.

 

I have two in a large container- beautiful just now. Although they're in full sun they're getting a bit leggy- I'd like to prune them to get them to bush out a bit- shall I wait 'til after flowers?

 

Can't help with that one Liz - I've never had to prune mine - but I have a bit of a feeling they don't take to pruning. Could be wrong.

 

Pieris like acidic conditions; if there is yellowish of some of the foliage it would be advisable to apply a suitable liquid feed appropriate for an ericaceous subject, such as your pieris. Use Sequstrene (brand name) at the manufacturers recommended rate, as a matter of course. The product is obtainable from a good garden centre or try on-line.

Only prune pieris after flowering. Good luck

Paul (M inst Hort)

 

i've always used phostrogen on all my plants, both indoors and out...

any advice ? is this okay for everything ?

 

Ive pruned pieris japonica hybrids all through the summer although never hard, just tidying. They take very well to it, it keeps them bushy. In my experience they aren't as fussy about soil as creativepaul above suggests. They will grow fine in neutral to mildly alkaline conditions like camellias, but like camellias dont tend to thrive in shade or early sun.