Pieris floribunda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pieris floribunda |
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| Flower raceme in March | |
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| Genus: |
Pieris (plant)
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| Species: |
floribunda
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The Pieris floribunda is a special kind of shrub found in North America. It's an evergreen plant, meaning its leaves stay green all year. This plant belongs to the fetterbush group, which is part of the blueberry family.
People often call it the mountain fetterbush or mountain andromeda. It's important to know that all parts of the Pieris floribunda are poisonous if someone eats them. So, it's best to admire this plant with your eyes and not touch it with your mouth!
If you were to grow this plant, it likes places that are partly sunny or shady. It also needs good soil that has lots of natural stuff in it and is a bit acidic. This plant is also quite strong against a tiny bug called the Azalea lacebug, which often bothers other similar plants like the Pieris japonica.
What Does the Mountain Fetterbush Look Like?
The mountain fetterbush is a bushy plant that usually grows about 3 to 6 feet (around 1 to 2 meters) tall. It has shiny, tough leaves that are shaped like ovals. These leaves usually stay green all year. However, if the winter is very cold, they might turn brown and stay on the plant until spring.
In the autumn, this plant grows upright clusters of white, bell-shaped flowers. These flowers start as pink buds. After the flowers, the plant forms small, dry, brown fruits. These fruits are round and about half an inch long. They stay on the plant until late April. As the plant gets older, its gray-brown bark starts to look shaggy and peel off.
Where Does the Mountain Fetterbush Grow?
The Pieris floribunda naturally grows in the eastern part of the United States. You can mostly find it in the southern Appalachian Mountains. This includes states like Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and West Virginia.
This plant does well in areas where the land has been changed by people. Like other plants in the Pieris group, it prefers soil that drains water well. This means the soil doesn't stay too wet.
Different Types of Mountain Fetterbush
Sometimes, plant experts create new types of plants by mixing two different kinds. These new types are called cultivars.
- Brouwer's Beauty: This is a special type created by mixing the American Pieris floribunda with a Japanese Pieris plant. It's easier to grow in gardens. Its flowers are a mix of both parent plants, standing up but also slightly drooping.
- Forest Flame: This is another popular type. It can grow quite large, up to 13 feet (4 meters) tall. Its leaves are very colorful! They start out red, then turn pink, and finally become green. In the spring, it produces small, cream-colored, bell-shaped flowers. This 'Forest Flame' type has even won an award called the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit because it's such a great plant for gardens.
