Pieris Japonica Winter Damage

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buddyjack2 Royal Oak, MI(Zone 6b) Apr 23, 2014

I have an 11-year-old Pieris Japonica approx. 6' high that sustained severe winter damage here in Michigan, when the temperature plummeted to -15 F over a couple of nights in January 2014. I had surrounded the shrub with staked burlap, had watered it somewhat heavily into fall before mulching with aged pine bark and spraying with Wilt-Pruf dessicant, yet the unusually cold temperatures did their work. All but the very lowest 1' of leaves turned brown and, now that it's April, they've fallen off leaving very brittle thin branches behind. Should I prune it back to the green 1' height or wait a few more weeks for signs of recovery in those brittle top branches? Attached is a pic taken before the brown leaves dropped off.

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Diana_K Contra Costa County, CA(Zone 9b) Apr 24, 2014

If the weather has stabilized, no more freezing, then I would prune. Be conservative.

Prune off only the obviously dead twigs. If they are shriveled they won't come back.
But keep any twigs that are still normal, even if there are no leaves yet. Watch for recovery and then prune back to active buds.

If you are expecting any more freezing weather, then wait until after the last expected date of frost.

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WeeNel Ayrshire Scotland, United Kingdom Apr 27, 2014

I would follow Diana's advice, once all danger of frost has past, prune out the dead, brown or damages stems.
I like to snip off the tips of My Pieris as it helps them burst into more new shoots and these are the ones, (new growth) that gives the flowering stems (small bell shaped flowers in clusters) and along with that the new growth gives the different colours depending on the type of Pieris you have,
Some are brilliant yellow before turning green, others are pink to green, others are red to green. after you prune, give a feed and use something that is suitable for plants / shrubs that like Acidic soil, mix this into a bucket of mulch / leaf mould or compost for acidic plants, then spread this around the root area and gently fork it into the top soil without damaging the plants roots.
I do this either end of season where it works as a blanket, or early spring when the plants are using up a lot of energy by flowering or new shoots growing, the mulch acts as a shade for roots, helping to retain moisture.
Hope all this helps you out and the Pieris gives many more years of enjoyment, these plants sure brighten up a dull area of garden.
Best Regards.
WeeNel.

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