|
Pieris japonica ‘Variegata’
variegated lily-of-the-valley shrub
|
|
Image © Richard W. Hartlage/Courtesy of Great Plant Picks |
Printer-friendly Fact Sheet
|
|
|
| Outstanding Qualities |
|
Elegant, creamy-white-edged foliage tops the list of charming traits for this shrub. Its flower buds decorate the plant until late winter, when short cascades of small, ivory-white urn-shaped flowers appear. These are a favorite of mason bees, an important native pollenizer. Variegated lily-of-the-valley shrub is easy to grow, and its slow, refined habit of growth makes it ideal for a small garden. Use it to brighten up a shady location. This is the best variegated cultivar of Pieris japonica as it is resistant to sun damage and is the most cold hardy. Play off the delicate, evergreen foliage of variegated lily-of-the-valley shrub against coarser plants, such as rhododendrons, or other bolder, variegated plants. Ferns, hostas and epimediums also thrive in shady locations and contrast well with the fine leaves of Pieris. |
| Culture |
|
Plant variegated lily-of-the-valley shrub in bright shade with no hot afternoon sun. If it is planted in too much shade, flowering can be very sparse. This plant grows best in a rich, well-drained soil that is slightly acidic. To ensure this, add plenty of organic matter to the planting site and provide an annual mulch of well-rotted compost. Poorly drained soils can result in root rot. Faded flowers can be snapped off a the base of the truss if desired, although the dried seed heads are not unattractive. |
| Growing Habit |
|
Pieris japonica ‘Variegata‘ becomes an rounded compact evergreen shrub. It is a slow grower generally only putting on about 4 inches of growth a year. In ten years it will reach about 6 feet tall and about 4 feet in spread. |
| Hardiness |
|
USDA zones 6 to 9 |
|
© 2009 Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden
Funded by the Pendleton and Elisabeth Carey Miller Charitable Foundation
Administered by the Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden