Temple Bells Pieris

Temple Bells Pieris (Pieris japonica 'Temple Bells') flowers when the rest of the garden has nothing to offer. Long drooping chains of small white bells hang from the branch tips in late winter and early spring, over dense evergreen foliage on a compact shrub of about 1.5m tall and 1.2m wide. It is frost hardy and wind tolerant, though it does have conditions, and acidic soil is the main one.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers at the hardest time of year. White bell chains open in late winter and hold for weeks, before most spring shrubs have started.
• Compact and slow to outgrow a space. At 1.5m by 1.2m it fits a small garden or a courtyard bed without an annual battle to keep it in bounds.
• Bees work the flower chains. A nectar source in late winter, when very little else in the garden is open.
• Evergreen structure. The foliage carries the shrub through the rest of the year, so it earns its place for twelve months.

Where it works best

Feature planting. One plant in a shaded bed, where the pale flower chains catch the light against a dark fence, does more than a row.

Pots and containers. A pot is the easy way to give it the acidic mix it wants when your garden soil is alkaline. Use a 400mm pot or wider with an azalea and camellia mix.

Small gardens and borders. Its size suits a narrow bed along a shaded path, with other acid loving shrubs.

One caution. All parts of pieris contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to people and pets if eaten, so keep it out of gardens where children or animals chew on plants.

Growing Temple Bells Pieris in Australia

Position and climate. Cool temperate and warm temperate gardens only. Give it morning sun with shelter from hot afternoon sun. Subtropical and tropical humidity is beyond it, and flowering is poorer where winters stay mild.

Soil. This is the make or break. It needs acidic, moist, well drained soil with plenty of organic matter. On neutral or alkaline ground, grow it in a pot or lower the bed pH before planting.

Water and feed. Never let it dry out. The roots are shallow and fine, so a 75mm mulch layer matters as much as the watering can. Feed with an azalea and camellia fertiliser after flowering.

Pruning. Very little. Take off the spent flower chains once they brown, and shape lightly straight after flowering. Cutting later in the year removes the buds already forming for next winter.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it in 140mm pots in packs of ten, 200mm pots in packs of six and single 300mm plants. The 300mm plant suits a feature position, since it already carries branch structure and can flower in its first season. The smaller packs suit a border run or a mass through a shaded bed.

Plants travel upright and packed, and a little leaf marking is normal. Expect a settling month, then new growth in the first warm spell. Keep the root ball damp, because a dry check sets a young pieris back badly. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to lower soil pH for acid loving plants
• The azalea care guide
• Our evergreen shrub range
• Plants for cool climates

Common questions

Will it grow in a subtropical garden?

Not reliably. It is a cool temperate and warm temperate plant, and humid summers with mild winters give poor flowering and weak growth.

Is it safe around pets and children?

No. Every part of the plant contains grayanotoxins and is toxic if eaten, including the flowers. Plant it out of reach in a household with pets or small children.

Why are the leaves turning yellow between the veins?

That is iron deficiency: the soil is too alkaline for the roots to take up what they need. Lower the pH with sulphur or an acidifying fertiliser, and use chelated iron for a faster correction.