Pieris Japonica "Passion" not flowering! Please Help

john.farrow78

Pieris Japonica 'Passion' did not flower this season. I bought it last year with flowering evident. I have planted it in the same area as two other pieris shrubs (Mountain Fire & Forest Flame). The image below was taken on 20 April so flowering should already be visible. The shrubs in the foreground are Hebe planted at the same time. I have read that all three varieties love acidic soil but they are in a clay type soil which i think is alkaline. The other two Pieris are thriving so i don't know why the Passion has not flowered? Has anyone got pointers for where I've gone wrong, should i feed it an acidic plant food though this season? 

Fairygirl

Hi @john.farrow78- first of all- don't worry, it looks perfectly healthy 
Mountain Fire and Forest Flame are the two most popular varieties, and this new one possibly flowers slightly later. When you bought it in flower, it will have been grown undercover, so it will have flowered earlier.
However, most pieris also prefer a bit more shade than Hebes so, so it may have been affected by drier, sunnier conditions as well. As long as it's growing well, and is getting enough water in this very dry spell, I wouldn't do anything else. Certainly don't start feeding it - that's not necessary.
Pieris are perfectly happy in neutral soil too, so unless your soil is very alkaline, that isn't a problem either. If your other ones are fine, then don't worry. 

john.farrow78

Hi @Fairygirl - I thank you for your post. I had thought that with the other two thriving then i should just carry on doing what i have been doing. Its good to hear someone else endorse that and confirm that i'm not missing something or doing something horrendously wrong. I'll bide my time and post an update after spring is over. Hopefully with some flowers to show.

Fairygirl

Good luck with it - it looks perfectly well in your photo, so you're clearly doing something right!