Gardening Plant Encyclopedia Shrub Lily-of-the-Valley Shrub Give your landscape the perfect backdrop through the seasons with this shrub's evergreen leaves. By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Instagram Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on August 5, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Colorful Combinations Although primarily grown for showy clusters of spring flowers, the lily-of-the-valley bush's tough, glossy foliage is evergreen, which makes it a good backdrop. The flower buds of the bush develop in late summer into fall and are held through the winter. Though not especially colorful at this point, the small buds add winter interest. The Best Flowering Shrubs by Season for Creating Colorful Landscapes Year Round Lily-of-the-Valley Bush Care Must-Knows Lily-of-the-valley bush requires acidic soil to thrive. In areas with alkaline soil, this bush is in for a tough time and, in many cases, may decline each year. If you have lousy soil but love lily-of-the-valley bush, consider a dwarf variety that performs well in containers. Lily-of-the-valley bush requires well-drained soil. These somewhat persnickety plants won't tolerate getting too wet but don't like consistently dry soil. Similarly, they are particular about how much sun they receive. Full sun provides the best emerging foliage color and better blooms, but it can be too stressful in warm climates. Giving the plant afternoon shade relieves some of their stress and creates a healthy plant. In winter, shelter it to avoid brown foliage and dead tips caused by drying winter winds. Stop These Common Garden Pests Now Lily-of-the-valley bush resists most pests, but you might find annoying lacebugs, which pierce the leaf cells and drink the contents. If you notice stippling or speckles of dead spots, check the bottom of the leaves for lacebugs. The damage they cause isn't usually substantial, so if you can bear it, just leave the pests be. More Varieties of Andromeda Lily-of-the-Valley Bush Overview Description This is a plant with many names. Commonly known as lily-of-the-valley bush, it is sometimes called andromeda or Japanese pieris. This plant showcases pendulous chains of puckered flowers closely resembling the perennial lily of the valley. Though it may not be as fragrant as the groundcover perennial, lily-of-the-valley bush has a sweet, light scent. If the bountiful flowers aren't enough, its new growth emerges in shades of orange and red. Genus Name Pieris Common Name Lily-of-the-Valley Bush Plant Type Shrub Light Part Sun, Sun Height 3 to 8 feet Width 3 to 10 feet Flower Color Pink, Red, White Foliage Color Blue/Green Season Features Spring Bloom, Winter Interest Special Features Fragrance, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance Zones 5, 6, 7, 8 Propagation Seed, Stem Cuttings Problem Solvers Deer Resistant 'Bert Chandler' Lily-of-the-valley bush Jerry Pavia This variety of Pieris japonica is a slightly hardier selection that offers white flowers in early spring and pink new growth. It grows 5 feet tall and wide. Zones 5-9 'Christmas Cheer' Lily-of-the-valley bush Marilyn Ott Pieris japonica 'Christmas Cheer' bears pink flowers that fade to white in early spring. It grows 10 feet tall and wide. Zones 6-9 'Debutante' Lily-of-the-valley bush Marty Baldwin This Pieris japonica selection shows off white flowers in early spring. It's very compact, growing only 3 feet tall and wide. Zones 6-9 'Forest Flame' Lily-of-the-valley bush Denny Schrock Pieris japonica 'Forest Flame' features new growth that emerges a bold red in early spring. It produces clusters of white flowers in March and April and grows 12 feet tall and wide. Zones 6-9 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit