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Japonica Mountain fire
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Posted by cmw21 (My Page) on Mon, Jun 29, 09 at 14:15
| I bought 3 lovely japonica Mountain fire at my local nursery. I really loved the firey red new growth. I plan to plant these in kind of a half moon off the corner of the front of our house, if that makes sense. I need a couple larger shrubs behind them. I was thinking about a ninebark - either diablo or coppertina. I loved the look of the coppertina against the foliage of the japonica. the question is sizing. Are the ninebarks fast growers? I don't want the japonicas to hide the ninebark for years until it 'grows up'. I do really want something in the dark purple foliage to add some color contrast. I plan to keep the japonicas on the smaller size - maybe around 4ft high.
I am definitely open to any other suggestions that would work with the japonicas.
thanks in advance! I am in zone 6, sw pa. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Japonica Mountain fire
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| Pieris japonica and Ninebark prefer different growing conditions in my area. Pieris japonica is a part shade shrub here while ninebark is full sun (especially when using the dark foliage cultivars, they turn greenish in part shade). What are the sun/shade conditions of this area? |
RE: Japonica Mountain fire
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| I really like 'Coppertina' and it'll grow faster than the 'Mountain Fire' IME. Dan |
RE: Japonica Mountain fire ii
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| Oops. wrong button. I see that esh posted at same time. The 'Mountain Fire' IME prefers morning sun and I have 2 'Coppertina' and the one in the most heat and best southerly position is doing better (but I'm in the West). Dan |
RE: Japonica Mountain fire
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| They both would be in full sun now. As the coppertina grows, the japonica will only be in the sun in the morning and would then be in the shade through the afternoon as the ninebark will be planted behind it and will take the majority of the hot afternoon sun. |
RE: Japonica Mountain fire
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| The 'Coppertina' will only block sun around now for 2-4 hours a day, depending upon its position, as it doesn't get tall enough. I can take you through the math and solar angles and such if you wish, but that shrub will not be big enough to be the sun blocker you want - you'll want something larger, hard to say until I know what corner of the house, 1- or 2-story, how far off house the Pieris will be, etc. In my old practice in CA, Pieris spp were always on east-northeast sides of houses in my jobs, or under larger trees. Dan |
RE: Japonica Mountain fire
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| When I came home and looked at the house, you are right. The nursery stated partial shade to full sun would be ok for this pieris. A lot of online research suggests the same but I trust people who have actual experience with these plants more. Do you think I should switch locations. I am in southwest Pa, in an eastern suburb of Pittsburgh. Not sure if that matters. My house is a two story. If you are looking at my front door, they would be planted off the left front corner. I believe my house faces east as the sun comes up it's directly on our front door. My yard is in the sun the majority of the day.
Thanks for your help! |
RE: Japonica Mountain fire -pic
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Here is a link that might be useful: house
RE: Japonica Mountain fire
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| Beautiful looking plants! What if you put the ninebark where those are and moved the pieris more to the front of the house (would that be to the right of where they are now)? I wonder if the front of the house gets more afternoon shade than that corner? I wish someone from your neck of the woods would speak up. Here in the South, there is no way I would plant them near any afternoon sun (morning sun is fine), but I don't know if that is true for Pennsylvania. |
RE: Japonica Mountain fire
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| Thanks esh! I got them for about $20 a piece, they were 50% off! I was so excited! To the right is our living room window. I was planning on putting a couple purple rhods and white azaleas in front but I could switch that up. the front definitely gets less direct sunlight after about 1 - 2pm
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RE: Japonica Mountain fire
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| Another excellent reason to avoid direct sun for all pieris: lace bug tends to be a major problem in sun, much less of an issue in shade. |
RE: Japonica Mountain fire
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| You definitely got a good deal from here. I'm with esh, you will want to ensure they don't protrude too far past the house. A couple 8' tall plants for a little more shade, maybe, off the corner... Dan |
RE: Japonica Mountain fire
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| Beautiful shrubs. I'm in Zone 5, not sure what your zone is. Based on what I had read it was my understanding that the further north you were the more sun they could take. So I planted mine in almost full sun around the beginning of fall last year. This year, in early spring, it became obvious that they were not happy. I've since moved them to an area that gets almost 3/4 day shade and they are much happier. Good luck Alexis |
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