Pieris japonica 'Valley Rose'

Pieris japonica ‘Valley Rose’ is a solid performer in the garden. This evergreen shrub has a compact form, which makes it an excellent foundation plant for smaller home lots. But it’s the showy display of spring flowers that earns ‘Valley Rose’ a place in so many landscapes.

Airy clusters of pink flowers appear in March and April. Flowers can be so profuse that they almost hide the foliage. After the spring show fades, bronzy new growth continues to add interest to the garden. As foliage matures it takes on a dark, glossy-green hue.

Great pick

‘Valley Rose’ has earned the Great Plant Pick designation from the Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden in Seattle. This particular Pieris was originally selected at the North Willamette Research and Extension Center near Aurora, Ore., for its unusual flower color and strong disease resistance. It also went through extensive trials at the center.

‘Valley Rose’ is a slow grower, gaining 4-6 inches a year. It has an upright, rounded habit, and will typically reach 5-6 feet tall in 10 years. It’s hardy in USDA Hardiness Zone 6-8.

This shrub prefers well-drained, slightly acidic soil enriched with organic matter. Root rot can become a problem if good drainage isn’t maintained. Partial shade is best, but too much shade will cause spring flowering to be sparse. ‘Valley Rose’ can tolerate full sun, provided it has good soil and receives deep watering during summer.

‘Valley Rose’ is deer resistant and generally considered easy to grow. However, the UConn Plant Database (www.hort.uconn.edu/Plants) lists some liabilities common to most Pieris. Lacebug can cause stippling on foliage, making it yellow and unsightly, especially in hot dry sites. Foliage can also become desiccated in winter.

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Grower notes

Ruth Estrada, a grower at Monrovia’s Oregon Nursery, likes the versatility of ‘Valley Rose.’

“It makes a great woodland, foundation or specimen plant,” she said. “It’s also a very compact grower that you can put in a container.”

Estrada hasn’t encountered many problems with this plant in production. It’s important to make sure containers are spaced appropriately so they get enough light and air. It takes approximately 2 1/2 to 3 years to go from a cutting to a 2-gallon plant. Plants are pruned twice as 1-gallon plants and once more when shifted up to a 2-gallon.

“We sell everything that we grow, and we’d sell more if we had more,” she said.

For more: Monrovia, (800) 999-9321; www.monrovia.com.

Specifics

Name: Pieris japonica ‘Valley Rose’

Common name: Lily-of-the-valley shrub, Japanese pieris.

Family: Ericaceae.

Description: Compact, evergreen shrub with airy pink flowers in early spring. Slow grower gaining about 4-6 inches a year.

Propagation: Cuttings, tissue culture or seed.

Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 6-8.

Uses: Suitable for woodland or foundation plantings or as a specimen plant.

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- Sarah Martinez

May 2008