Pieris japonica Little Frosty - Japanese Andromeda

Pieris japonica Little Frosty is a dwarf variety of Japanese Andromeda that forms a small rounded and compact bush that does not exceed 40 cm (15.7 in) in height. It is also distinguished by its refined variegated foliage, green with white edges. In spring, its young shoots emerge in shades of red, bronze, and orange, and in winter its foliage turns pink in the cold. It flowers generously in April and May in clusters of small ivory-white bells. It modestly but beautifully embellishes borders, terraces, and small gardens all year round, in partial shade.

Pieris belong to the Ericaceae family, like heathers and rhododendrons. They are evergreen shrubs that prefer acid soil and have new shoots that turn pink or coppery, accompanying beautiful blooms in clusters of often fragrant small bells. They are very easy to grow when the right conditions are met. They appreciate a light, acidic soil that remains moist, and a semi-shaded or sunny exposure but avoiding scorching sun. Varieties derived from Pieris japonica are quite hardy once established.

The very bushy Little Frosty Japanese Andromeda forms almost a ball. The bush reaches about 40 cm (15.7 in) in height and 30 cm (11.8 in) in width at maturity. Its growth is slow. Its young shoots are colored red and bronze, with small lanceolate leaves edged with white on a glossy green background. In autumn and winter, the leaves turn pink. The ivory-white blooms, fragrant and slightly perfumed, are composed of rather erect clusters filled with a multitude of small bells. It is preceded by very decorative pink buds in winter. Flowering takes place from April to May.

Slow-growing and naturally compact, Little Frosty does not need pruning and requires very little maintenance. It is perfect for small gardens, in containers and planters, on rockeries or as a border for flowerbeds. A superb evergreen bush that is a must-have for acidic soils, having the same charm as heathers but without their somewhat austere aspect once flowering is over. It blends elegantly with small Rhododendrons and Azaleas, surrounded by a bed of Hellebores, Ferns, and Gaultheria procumbens.