Treating my Japanese Pieris shrubs. - Ask Extension
I planted 3 Japanese Pieris ("Mountain Fire") shrubs 3 years ago. Unfortunately, all of them have some kind of infestation, causing the leav...
Knowledgebase
Treating my Japanese Pieris shrubs. #927744
Asked April 07, 2026, 2:52 PM EDT
I planted 3 Japanese Pieris ("Mountain Fire") shrubs 3 years ago. Unfortunately, all of them have some kind of infestation, causing the leaves to turn brown. ,One of the shrubs has been removed; the second has little live growth, and the third has new green leaves with some type of scale on the branches and some brown leaves.
They are planted at the top of my backyard hill in semi-shade. Can the remaining shrubs be saved?
Howard County Maryland
Expert Response
This appears to be winterburn, which is common on broadleaf evergreens like Pieris. You can prune off the affected areas of the shrubs and it will progress with new growth as the season continues. From these photos, we cannot see any scale issues, and Pieris are not typically affected by scale. You may be seeing leaf buds or potentially adventitious roots along the stems, which are harmless.
Emily
