Japanese Andromeda - Pieris japonica: 6 varieties for pots

Pieris japonica 'Valley Valentine'

Let’s start with a standout Pieris, as it’s the only one to bloom in red! This handsome Pieris, one of the earliest to bloom because it reveals its multitude of bell-shaped flowers usually in March, is suitable for a lovely container planting. Valley Valentine measures, in fact, 80 cm tall at maturity, with a spread of around 60 cm when grown in a pot. Its habit remains nicely rounded, with trailing foliage, and its flowers, red when in bud, open to a very dark rose, purplish, between March and April. It is handsome from late autumn, as the flower buds are then very visible on the plant. Its foliage starts green-yellow to pink. Plant this Japanese Andromeda in partial shade, or in sun that is not scorching in the northern regions of France.
As with all Pieris, ‘Valley Valentine’ can grace all terraces and balconies across France, as it possesses excellent hardiness (-25°C).
N.B.: this variety has received the Award of Garden Merit from the RHS, the famous British institution (Royal Horticultural Society).

Pieris japonica 'Little Heath Variegata'

Here is a truly attractive Pieris, with its variegated foliage that makes it stand out on a balcony and attractive all year round. We adore in ‘Little Heath Variegata’ the olive-green and greyish tone of the small leaves edged with cream, which, on new shoots, appear red to copper-coloured. Its generous flowering is of course expected also in this dwarf variety, with buds slightly pink from November or December, which persist for a long time on the shrub before opening to a white colour fairly early, between February and April depending on the region.
It also has the advantage of remaining very compact over the years — it grows very slowly like the others — with a charming globular habit, not exceeding 50 cm in all directions. Plant it in a substrate mix of potting compost and heath soil and place your pot in partial shade on the terrace or balcony.

Pieris japonica 'Sarabande'

A very attractive white-flowered cultivar, perfect for balconies, even small, given its very modest dimensions within the Andromeda family: Pieris ‘Sarabande’ will reach 70 to 80 cm in height with a similar spread in pot-grown conditions. It features very dense foliage and a rounded habit, truly suited to containers. As with many varieties, this foliage emerges coloured, here between bronze, orange-tinged and salmon pink, then turns to a rich dark green. Flowers in bell-shaped clusters, typical of the genus, white, are arranged in clusters and appear from April to May. When grown in a pot, although hardy, as with other Andromedas in this selection, you should protect it over the first winters while still young by applying a layer of mulch at the base. This mulch will also keep the soil at just the right coolness it needs in summer, since the root system of Andromedas remains shallow. Place your pot in an east- or west-facing exposure.

Pieris japonica ‘Sarabande’ : foliage on the left, and on the right, flowering is about to begin (© Wikimedia Commons, David J. Stang)

Pieris japonica 'Passion'

Compact Pieris with red or pink flowering is very popular on small balconies, alongside early azaleas such as ‘Hino Mayo’ or ‘Kirin’,
With the Andromeda ‘Passion’, a cloud of small bell-shaped flowers in a vivid pink leaning toward red comes to brighten the shrub for several weeks between March and April. The flowers progress through all shades of pink as flowering advances. Then, the young shoots, also tinged with pink and red, will give this double appeal that we love in Pieris. Grown in a pot, it won’t grow very tall (it reaches up to 1 m in height when planted in the ground) and will be a key feature on your balcony alongside other shrubs in partial shade. As with other Pieris, it will need a good layer of mulch to help it through its first winter, and above all to retain the freshness it needs in summer.

The Pieris japonica ‘Passion’ (photo on the right © Bernard Blanc – Wikimedia Commons)

Pieris japonica 'Mountain Fire'

The Pieris ‘Mountain Fire’ also adapts very well to pot culture, as it will reach no more than 80 cm in height after a few years. With upright growth, it stands out for its very colourful emerging foliage, ranging from red to bright red, which persists for a long time in these warm hues. Its paniculate, trailing panicles are immaculately white, standing out well against the reddened petioles and the green foliage at this time (April to May).

Pieris ‘Mountain Fire’ (Left photo by David J. Stang – Wikimedia Commons)

Pieris japonica 'Little Frosty'

The Pieris japonica ‘Little Frosty’ is one of the smallest in development. An Andromeda shrub you can enjoy even if you have only a very small space, for instance in the city, as it can easily fit a windowsill. It does not, in fact, reach more than at ripeness 40 cm in height, with an even smaller spread. It features a very handsome variegated foliage, similar to that of ‘Little Heath Variegata’, which we praised above. This foliage margined with white also evolves, transitioning from a pink-tinged bronze-green to green in spring, and reddening in winter with the cold. Its spring flowering is white, a perfect match for this cream variegation.

Adopt this charming cultivar without hesitation if you want a small evergreen specimen, bright with its cream-edged foliage and superb with its flowering, and you have only a small patio in partial shade or a tiny balcony.

And also...

Other dwarf varieties are also suitable for pot culture, all remaining under 80 cm in height when grown this way, as ‘Christmas Cheer’, with pink flowers. Among the very slow-growing dwarf andromedas, with white flowers that tolerate shade we find ‘Débutante’ and its upright flower spikes, and ‘White Pearl’ with its very numerous, fairly large flowers. The classic and one of the most used in borders, ‘Flaming Silver’, can also be planted in a pot, where it will stay small and bear its white flowers quite late (May).