How Do You Prune Pieris Japonica?
Pieris Japonica, also commonly known as lily-of-the-valley bush and Japanese Andromeda, is a large shrub with highly decorative buds, long flower panicles and fruits. Native to Japan, Taiwan and Eastern China, Pieris Japonica grows up to 12-feet tall and 10-feet in width. Its growing habit makes for short branches with very dense green razor-tooth edged leaf foliage. Depending on the varietal, Pieris can flower with white to hues of pink and deep red blooms. Pieris Japonica responds well to deadhead pruning as individual blooms die off, which keeps the plant from fruiting and will bloom more profusely next cycle. An overall annual or biennial pruning for size and shape should be done in the spring or summer after a bloom. Cut away individual spent blooms with your secateurs at the base of the bloom stem where it meets the branch. Make your cut in the flower stem at least 1/16-inch above the main branch so as not to damage the branch itself. Weekly maintenance of this kind will encourag
