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Pieris japonica

Heath · Japanese Pieris · Japanese Andromeda

Family EricaceaeGenus Pieris

Long drooping sprays of small white urn-shaped flowers on pink stalks, over dark glossy leaves, beside a flush of red new growth.
FlowerStan ShebsCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
Perennial, ShrubExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
shrub or treePlants of the World Online
Height
8-10 ft2.4-3 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
6-8 ft1.8-2.4 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
WhitePLANTS Database
Blooms
SpringExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
China South-Central, China Southeast, Japan, TaiwanGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
4-8Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sun; Partial ShadeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
High Organic MatterExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good Drainage, MoistExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Watering
Drought tolerance: LowPLANTS Database

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

This source reports 7 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 30, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 6 days to germinate.

97% germination in 6 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Pieris p. 194Public domain
Show the original text
Pieris (Ericaceae). P. japonica germ. 70L(97%, End. t 6 d, rate 201/o/d), 70D(10%in 3rd w), and 40(14% in 9th w)-70D(none) using fresh seed. Seeds DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(86% in 2nd w)70D(12% in 3rd w),40(35% in 7-12 w)-70L(29%), and 40(35%)-70D(5%). This is similar to fresh seed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Pieris p. 194. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 24, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 23, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 6 months from start to sowing. Then 14 days to germinate.

86% germination in 14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Pieris p. 194Public domain
Show the original text
Pieris (Ericaceae). P. japonica germ. 70L(97%, End. t 6 d, rate 201/o/d), 70D(10%in 3rd w), and 40(14% in 9th w)-70D(none) using fresh seed. Seeds DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(86% in 2nd w)70D(12% in 3rd w),40(35% in 7-12 w)-70L(29%), and 40(35%)-70D(5%). This is similar to fresh seed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Pieris p. 194. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around July 16, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on July 15, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

    29 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 2 run on after germination.

about 6 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 84 days.

35% germination in 49–84 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Pieris p. 194Public domain
Show the original text
Pieris (Ericaceae). P. japonica germ. 70L(97%, End. t 6 d, rate 201/o/d), 70D(10%in 3rd w), and 40(14% in 9th w)-70D(none) using fresh seed. Seeds DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(86% in 2nd w)70D(12% in 3rd w),40(35% in 7-12 w)-70L(29%), and 40(35%)-70D(5%). This is similar to fresh seed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Pieris p. 194. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

    5 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 2 run on after germination.

about 6 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

35% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Pieris p. 194Public domain
Show the original text
Pieris (Ericaceae). P. japonica germ. 70L(97%, End. t 6 d, rate 201/o/d), 70D(10%in 3rd w), and 40(14% in 9th w)-70D(none) using fresh seed. Seeds DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(86% in 2nd w)70D(12% in 3rd w),40(35% in 7-12 w)-70L(29%), and 40(35%)-70D(5%). This is similar to fresh seed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Pieris p. 194. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 5

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 1, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

Steps after step 1 run on after germination.

Germination happens during step 1, in 63 days.

14% germination in 63 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Pieris p. 194Public domain
Show the original text
Pieris (Ericaceae). P. japonica germ. 70L(97%, End. t 6 d, rate 201/o/d), 70D(10%in 3rd w), and 40(14% in 9th w)-70D(none) using fresh seed. Seeds DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(86% in 2nd w)70D(12% in 3rd w),40(35% in 7-12 w)-70L(29%), and 40(35%)-70D(5%). This is similar to fresh seed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Pieris p. 194. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 6

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 6 months from start to sowing. Then 21 days to germinate.

12% germination in 21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Pieris p. 194Public domain
Show the original text
Pieris (Ericaceae). P. japonica germ. 70L(97%, End. t 6 d, rate 201/o/d), 70D(10%in 3rd w), and 40(14% in 9th w)-70D(none) using fresh seed. Seeds DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(86% in 2nd w)70D(12% in 3rd w),40(35% in 7-12 w)-70L(29%), and 40(35%)-70D(5%). This is similar to fresh seed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Pieris p. 194. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 7

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 21 days to germinate.

10% germination in 21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Pieris p. 194Public domain
Show the original text
Pieris (Ericaceae). P. japonica germ. 70L(97%, End. t 6 d, rate 201/o/d), 70D(10%in 3rd w), and 40(14% in 9th w)-70D(none) using fresh seed. Seeds DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(86% in 2nd w)70D(12% in 3rd w),40(35% in 7-12 w)-70L(29%), and 40(35%)-70D(5%). This is similar to fresh seed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Pieris p. 194. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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