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Mystery Shrub
Hi,
i got this beautiful shrub growing in my front garden. I havent got a clue of what's it's called or how to care for it. Was hoping someone could help me?
It has green leaves most of the year. in spring time new shoots appear and the crimson/ red in colour. They then fade back to yellow and eventually green as summer approaches. I've also notice what appear to be while flowers or blooms this year. have a look at the pictures and let me know what you think
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Hello Jangoo - its a Pieris
Looks like Pieris 'Forest Flame'.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Snap Ladybird!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Dove
I have a very large one in my garden-just stunning isn't it? I do wonder regarding pruning as a bit overgrown but I don't want to damage it(seems I've not done our overgrown rhododendron any favours by cutting it back last year unfortunately) The pieris does seem to have been quite badly affected by a frost last week too and a lot of the red foliage has turned orange/brown which is a shame as was in full bloom
Definitely a pieris - and a lovely one too!
Awesome! Thanks for the update
@Bee - It is so beautiful. We only moved in last year and the garden had been a bit neglected by the previous owns. I'm guess for a few years too as this particular shrub is a bit woody at the base and only has new growth at the top.
I had a quick search on Pieris and found some pretty good information:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/95172/pieris-forest-flame/details
Also, seems the question on pruning has been asked before:
http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/thread/?threadId=2354
I'm just a bit worried about cutting back. The base is so woody that I'm sceptical that new shoots would be able to appear...
Thanks very much Jangoo-will take a look at these links. Sounds a similar situation to us-people before us obviously had no interest and a lot of stuff overgrown,also waited expectantly to see what came up the next year...and there was nothing! Anyway,having lots of fun spending far too much money on new plants and experimenting with my own seeds-happy days!
I keep it in shape only by pruning new soft shoots as they grow on in early summer and sometimes through the summer I will prune a few more off. I have in the past cut the woody longer stems coming from below and have had different results. On another Forest Flame, new shoots never appeared the same year, but did the second. But it did change the shape with a bit of a gap. I've seen people quite brutally chop them and it's done no harm but am not that confident myself.
By the summer, when it has turned pale green, it goes well with the blooming of a yellow Rosa Grace, the Lime Marmalade Heuchera you see here and other shades of yellow and green in the rest of the bed. At this time in Spring, you can't see in the picture, but there are pink/red Dicentra and reddish plants around it which will go down in summer and all becomes yellow and green and white around it.
Last edited: 26 April 2017 12:22:49
One of my favourite plants. But mines seems to be struggling this year.