How to Grow and Care for Fetterbushes

Japanese pieris (Pieris japonica) is an evergreen shrub that produces chains of small flowers. But be careful, it can cause seizures and temporary blindness if consumed by animals or people. Even so, is sometimes grown in the foundation portion of gardens along with other shrubs.

Also known as lily of the valley bush, this evergreen shrub is native to eastern Asia. It blooms in early spring with clusters of fragrant white flowers, attracting bees and butterflies. The glossy foliage turns pink or red in the fall, adding a splash of color to the garden.

The mountain fetterbush is less subject to damage from the Azalea lacebug that often infests the Japanese species. There is a cultivar of a hybrid between the American and Japanese species called 'Brouwer's Beauty' that does adapt easily to cultivation and bears intermediate flower clusters that are erect and yet drooping also.

A slow-growing variegated sport of the Japanese Pieris 'Forest Flame', this fetterbush cultivar balances red and silver in its foliage that its parent does not. The vibrant colors of its plant have led to its name, the japanese pieris 'Flaming Silver'. It has been awarded the Award of Garden Merit as a plant that offers both flowers and fruit.

Part of the pieris or fetterbush family, japanese pieris 'Blush' are a shrub-to-tree which can reach the height of 2.5 to 4 m. Blush was created and named for its panicles of blush-pink flowers. It is fragrant with a long blooming season. It is also very toxic to humans and animals.