gå videre til hoved-indhold
BILLEDER
FIND EKSPERT
Vis alle eksperter
Se alle tjenester
MAGASIN
SENESTE ARTIKLER FRA HOUZZ
HOUZZ-UNDERSØGELSER
FORUM
HOUZZ FORUM
Houzz Logo Print
Explore Discussions
buske
grullablue

opinions on Nandina domestica, Pieris Japonica shrubs

grullablue
14 år siden

I'm considering some foundation plants for my north facing foundation that sees shade through all but a few hours in the morning. I keep looking at all of my options, but I keep coming back to a few that I just don't think I can have. Nandina Domestica (Heavenly Bamboo), but I am in southern WI, zone 5, and everywhere I read says zone 6 for this plant at least. What are my chances? Anyone ever tried in zone 5? I read it's extremely common and invasive down south, but I've never seen it here that I've noticed. So thinking it's not something I should even try!

Another one I really like is the Pieris Japonica, Mountain Fire especially. Ok for my zone, ok for shade, but not sure if I can find it locally or would have to order...then where?

I also like the Alexandrian Laurel (danae racemosa)but I think this, also is not suitable for my zone. There are also some hollies I've looked at, but for various reasons, I didn't think they would work, but the pieris and nandina are my two top picks! As you can tell, I like my broadleaf evergreen types! I'd just love some opinions especially on the first two from people who have them. And of course, I'd love to see pics of these beautiful shrubs just for fun!

Thanks for reading

Fremhævet svar
  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    6 år siden
    Sidst ændret: {last_modified_time}6 år siden

    This is a pretty old thread so doubt any of the original responders are still active or present. But there are a couple of issues that should be discussed.

    Any ericaceous plant (acid lovers like rhododendrons, azaleas and pieris, among others) will not survive for long in a soil with a pH of 8. Amending the soil to be more acidic is an absolute requirement regardless of what any nursery owner - who is in the business of selling plants - may tell you. But it will be difficult, if not impossible, to lower the pH suffciently to make these plants happy. Soils just resist those sorts of extreme changes.

    Second, pieris will not survive a zone 4 winter, despite siting out of wind. It is simply too cold in winter. Period. They even suffer a lot of die back in zone 5.

    And finally that report about the bird deaths and nandina is grossly overstated. A great many berry or fruit producing plants favored by birds contain cyanide glucosides - hawthorn, cotoneaster, pyracantha, all members of the Prunus genus (cherries, chokecherries, plums, english laurel, etc.) and many members of the rose family (apples, crabapples, apricots, almonds, Sorbus (Mt. ash), the afore mentioned hawthorn and pyracantha). There are also cultivars of nandina that do not produce flowers, so any berry production (as well as potential invasiveness) is moot. But again, this plant will not survive a zone 5 winter. Can be seriously damaged in zone 6 and 7.

    (13) kommentarer

    • Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
      14 år siden

      Nandina won't make it there, and is optimized in full sun anyway. Pieris is much better, and 'Mt Fire' may be a tad too common, look for others.

      Dan

    • mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
      14 år siden

      Pieris is very tricky here. A combination of cold and high pH. If you can't find it locally, there is probably a very good reason.

      I've been looking for evergreen foundations shrubs for the front of my house for years now. It faces almost due north, and is fairly exposed to winter winds. Yews are really the only thing I've found that is going to be reliable, and those have to be fenced off from deer.

    • Embothrium
      14 år siden

      I just had more than one cultivar of nandina go south big time this past winter in USDA 8. I had noticed dieback of this shrub elsewhere in the area after the 1990 winter (coldest in 30 years) but did not expect to see such a level of failure with my more recent plantings.

      Tops completely dead-looking, with not much promise shown by roots when pulled up. Even if a few weak-looking sprouts were going to come from the roots eventually, why bother?

    • grullablue
      Forfatter
      14 år siden

      Thanks for the feedback! I may just go garden center "hopping" this weekend and see what my options are based on what's readily available. I see my heart lies south of where we live often though...I just love so many things we can't grow up here in zone 5!!

    • Embothrium
      14 år siden

      A whole book on ornamentals hardy to -20F was written in the 1980s by J. Sabuco and called THE BEST OF THE HARDIEST. You might want to see if that is at a library near you or can be gotten a hold of through your public library system.

    • novice_2009
      14 år siden

      Pieris Japonica- I bought one this spring- think it might have been mt fire, not sure. Put it in the ground, and it hasn't looked good since. No blooms, leaves somewhate crinkled looking. Is this normal? Where's all the new red growth and/or blooms? Do they prefer a certain kind of soil? So far, NOT impressed. It gets only morning sun and is in moist soil. Any other opinions on this plant? Thanks.

    • laceyvail 6A, WV
      14 år siden

      Pieris require acid soil.

    • alina_1
      14 år siden

      Variegated Pieris Flaming Silver is one of my favorite shrubs. It looks beautiful at any season. It is also more compact than other Pieris varieties - more suitable for foundation planting.

    • leafy02
      14 år siden

      Not all Pieris have new growth which is red in color, depends on the variety. If yours is growing but isn't red, maybe you have one of the all-greens. I didn't want red foliage, so went looking for the all-green options.

      I wouldn't be surprised if being planted in spring interrupted bloom, but the crinkled leaves don't sound familiar to me. Sounds insect-related.

      For the OP, I had a Pieris growing in part shade for 12 years in my last home, which was zone 7. Now I am zone 6, and wanted some as foundation plants, and the plantsman at the nursery here told me they do well as foundation plants if they aren't on the windy side of the house (here, that means west, don't know about your location). So, placement as well as overall temps may be a factor.

    • Thyme2dig NH Zone 5
      14 år siden

      I have pieris in various places on my property. All planted at the same time about 7-8 years ago. The couple that I have in almost full shade are growing larger than any others, however I don't see too many flowers. I have some in full sun that do get some red growth but they are very slow growing and also don't flower much. There is a house not far from me that has 2 pieris growing in blazing sun on each side of their front door. They grow beautifully. Nice red new growth every year and profuse blooming. I just can't figure out pieris. It seems that if you happen to find just the right spot it will be magnificent but if not they may limp along to a certain extent.

      Have you also checked out Kalmia? I like this shrub much more than pieris. Between the buds and flowers they put on a great show.

      2 pics of Pieris in heavy shade. Both always have good new growth and are over 3' high, but they never flower very much at all.
      {{gwi:253838}}

      {{gwi:253840}}

      This is pieris growing in full sun. Nice new red growth, but slower growing (about 1/3 the size of the 2 above) and again barely any flowering. It is the same variety as the 2 in the above photos (not sure which variety though).
      {{gwi:253842}}

      This is a Kalmia. Took a hard hit over the winter with a bad ice storm we had, but it will recover nicely. For evergreen and flowering I definitely prefer Kalmia over Pieris. I don't have a pic handy of the Kalmia in bud or flower.
      {{gwi:253844}}

      Hope that helps a little bit. I also have zone envy for Nandina!

    • janeylea
      14 år siden

      I just bought a Mountain Fire Pieris from Lowes and they told me they are performing nicely in zone 4 if protected from wind and receiving morning sun only. I am planning on planting it near a PJM rhondendron I bought last year though did not amend my soils ph level of 8 yet. I am considering uprooting the PJM and amending the soil before planting the Mountain Fire with spaghnum peat moss, though was told by a local nursery owner that "with Iowa's blue black earth we did not need to amend our soil anything grows here and most rhodendrons didn't do well this year because of the winter"....

      I'm not sure I'm buying the not amending the soil thing.

    • PRO
      Sparrow Landscaping LLC
      6 år siden

      I don't recommend it at all- even in the South- Reported to kill Cedar Waxwings. So many native plants will thrive.

      http://www.decaturish.com/2017/03/invasive-bushes-in-decatur-killing-cedar-waxwings/

    Sponsored

    Reload the page to not see this specific ad anymore

    Danmark
    Tilpas mine indstillinger ved hjælp af cookies

    Houzz bruger cookies og lignende teknologier til at tilpasse min oplevelse, give mig relevant indhold og forbedre Houzz-produkter og -tjenester. Ved at klikke på 'Accepter' accepterer jeg dette, som beskrevet yderligere i Houzz-cookiepolitikken. Jeg kan afvise ikke-essentielle cookies ved at klikke på 'Administrer præferencer'.