Pieris looking sad

Blackamoorview

Hi forum members, I have two Pieris Forest Flame that have thrived happily in a semi shaded garden border for around twenty five years. However, over the last two years they have started to look sick and distressed. They are not growing any new shoots and the leaves are small and pale. I have tried iron tonic, ericaceous fertiliser, and a mulch of home made compost but they have not improved their condition.
Does anyone know if they are reaching the end of their lifespan or is there still hope?

Buttercupdays

Have they been getting enough water?  Or even too much? There has been some very extreme weather  in the last couple of years and though they were usually happy enough the balance has maybe just tipped the other way.

Pieris can make very large shrubs over time, the ones at Arley Hall must be well over 4 m tall, so I doubt if yours are at the end of their lifespan. In fact I have one that had been languishing in a pot for a goodly number of years and earlier this year I cut off the dead bits and tidied it and it is now growing away happily in a new pot until I decide on the best position for it, so they are very resilient.  It is also possible that they are under attack from some pest eating the roots or from honey fungus so it might be worth digging down to have a look.

Biglad

Hope your Pieris recover @randlhowe. My Flaming Silver has some extra foliage this morning I've got a Forest Flame as well. I was thinking of planting them in a semi-shaded border in the spring.