Pieris, Mountain Fire Japanese Pieris japonica 'Mountain Fire' Height: 8 feet Spread: 8 feet
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Hardiness Zone: 5a Other Names: Japanese Andromeda Description: A popular ornamental broadleaf evergreen shrub with delicate and showy chains of small white bell-shaped flowers and fiery red emerging foliage, extremely colorful in spring; performs best in moist, acidic soils Ornamental Features Pieris, Mountain Fire Japanese features dainty chains of white bell-shaped flowers hanging below the branches in early spring. It has attractive red evergreen foliage. The glossy narrow leaves are highly ornamental and remain red throughout the winter. Landscape Attributes Pieris, Mountain Fire Japanese is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition. This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics. Pieris, Mountain Fire Japanese is recommended for the following landscape applications; Planting & Growing Pieris, Mountain Fire Japanese will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 8 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more. This shrub does best in partial shade to shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. This plant should be periodically fertilized throughout the active growing season with a specially-formulated acidic fertilizer. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets. Special Attributes Evergreens need to be watered during the winter. Our desert climate especially in late winter to early spring evergreens can suffer during next growing season. An easy way to remember check for dryness on the holidays Halloween, Thanksgiving, New Year's Day, Valentines Day & Easter.
