How do you recognise Japanese andromeda (Pieris japonica)?

Leaf

Liliane Roubaudi, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0

Japanese andromeda

Pieris japonica (Thunb.) D.Don ex G.Don

Also known as: Japanese pieris, Lily-of-the-valley shrub

Family: Ericaceae

1.5 to 3 m tall

Planted in beds and light woodland, acidic, moist soils

Flowering: March – April

Part shade

Hardy, to about -15°C, needs acidic soil, dislikes scorching sun

❓ How do you recognise this plant?

The young shoots of Japanese andromeda appear bright coppery red in spring, contrasting with the older dark green foliage — a double ornamental interest, between colourful new growth and the simultaneous white flowering.

🍃 Leaves

Evergreen, lanceolate, glossy, coppery red at bud burst

🌸 Flowers

White bells, grouped in dense drooping racemes, recalling lily of the valley

🍎 Fruits

Small dry capsule

🪵 Bark

Brown, smooth

🗺️ Distribution

Native to Japan; widely planted in France as an ornamental shrub for acidic soil

🐝 Value for pollinators

Early nectar-rich flowering, an important resource for the first bees of spring

✂️ Horticultural uses

Ornamental ericaceous shrub, valued for its coppery red foliage in spring and its clusters of white flowers

⚠️ Possible toxicity

All parts are toxic if ingested, notably for animals

🌱 Known cultivars

Mountain Fire

Brilliant bright red young shoots in spring, contrasting with the mature dark green foliage and the racemes of white bell-shaped flowers.

Little Heath

Compact, rounded cultivar with small leaves variegated with creamy white, tinged with pink at bud burst — a small size ideal for small gardens or pot cultivation.

🌿 Other Ericaceae to discover

Rhododendron ponticum

Tree heath

Erica arborea

ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.

🌱 This database is constantly evolving — species and information are added and corrected regularly. Spotted a mistake? Report it below.