Pieris japonica Sarabande - Japanese Andromeda

Pieris japonica 'Sarabande' is a recent variety of Japanese andromeda that stands out for its small size and its young red-bronze shoots in spring. It is a compact and rounded ericaceous shrub less than a metre tall and decorated with  shiny evergreen foliage that is almost orange when it buds. Pruning in spring encourages branching and the appearance of new coloured stems. From April to May it bears a profusion of pure white bell-shaped clusters, pink in bud, that effectively illuminate the darkest corners of the garden. These assets make it an excellent choice to bring colour all year round to a patio container or a partially shaded flowerbed, provided it is given a light, neutral to acid soil, and a bright site without scorching sun.

Pieris japonica, commonly called Japanese andromeda, is native to eastern China, Japan, and Taiwan. It belongs to the Ericaceae family, and is a cousin of heathers and camellias with which it forms beautiful flowerbeds. The 'Sarabande' cultivar, very bushy, has a compact and roundish habit. Its growth is rather slow, eventually forming a shrub measuring about 80 cm (32 in) tall and 70 cm (28 in) wide. It has beautiful evergreen foliage in winter, composed of long shiny lanceolate leaves, slightly dentate on the edges, measuring up to 10 cm (4 in) long. The young shoots are copper red, then the leaves become light green, and finally shiny dark green. The clusters of floral buds, pink in colour, appear in winter, enhancing the decorative effect of this Japanese andromeda during the dull season. In April, it is covered with a multitude of upright clusters, 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) long, composed of small urn-shaped flowers, ranging from pale pink to cream white, resembling lily of the valley or heather flowers. Bee-friendly, the flowers exude a sweet honey fragrance.

Pieris japonica are hardy shrubs that appreciate acidic and moist soils, as well as a partially shaded site. Due to its small size and extremely decorative aspect throughout the seasons, this 'Sarabande' Japanese andromeda is perfectly suited for container gardening on a terrace, patio, or partially shaded balcony. It will also fit perfectly under the cover of tall trees alongside other partially shaded shrubs, as a low hedge, in a shaded rock garden, and especially in an ericaceous  flowerbed in the company of other acid-loving plants such as camellias, rhododendrons, heathers, mollis or Japanese azaleas. With its generous flowering it will cause a sensation when combined with spring bulbs (daffodils, early tulips), hellebores, and primroses. It earns its rightful place in a Japanese-style garden!