Pieris 'Forest Flame'

The glorious combination of bright red spring foliage and slightly fragrant white blooms is irresistible on this eye-catching Japanese shrub. Evergreen, well branched, and very floriferous, Pieris 'Forest Flame' is a colorful and unusually beautiful Andromeda, just right for use as a specimen or the standout of the sunny to partly shaded border.

Pieris 'Forest Flame' begins each spring with long, lovely red leaves among last season's greenery. These are soon joined by racemes of bell shaped blooms of crisp white. The chains of color reach 3 to 5 inches long and last for many weeks, the flowers releasing a subtle candy like sweet scent that your pollinators will love.

A stunning shrub of extremely bright foliage and charming flowers providing year-round interest. New whorls of spring leaves metamorphose kaleidoscopically—emerging flame red, fading pink, and paling creamy white—before reaching its glossy dark summer green. It creates a striking backdrop for the hanging clusters of bead-like blushing buds (which are set the previous summer for the following year) blossoming into large showy panicles of waxy urn-shaped white flowers, similar to lily of the valley.

The broadleaf evergreen shrub is slow-growing and dense, with an upright habit. It typically grows 4 to 7 feet tall and as wide. It prefers organically rich, humusy, acidic, medium moisture, well-drained soil and a protected location with full to dappled sunlight and some afternoon shade. It is a good companion plant for rhododendrons and azaleas.

Uses: Shrub Border, Informal Hedge, Foundation Plant, Woodland Garden