FNPS Plant Database

Pieris phyllyreifolia

climbing heather, climbing pieris, fetterbush

PHOTOS COMING SOON!

Nomenclature

Common Name:

climbing heather, climbing pieris, fetterbush

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Pieris phyllyreifolia

Family:

Ericaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

NA

Phenology:

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

This grows as a viney shrubl. Can be grown as a shrub if pruned but could also be trained against an arbor or post.

Considerations:

Availability:

Seed

Propagation:

Light:

Part Sun, Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Somewhat moist, no flooding ---to--- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

Acidic

Suitable to Grow In:

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators

Said to attract early spring pollinators ( Using Georgia Native Plants Blo g).

Native Habitats:

Upland mixed forests, sandhill, cypress swamps, moist pinelands, white cedar swamps, sandhills near sinkhole ponds, often climbing on pond cypress or slash pin or white cedar.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Based on BONAP maps, the ISB maps and specimens, and one author's personal observations, the range of this species appears to be those parts of the coastal plain and adjacent areas of sandhill where there are seepage wetlands.  The range extend from Mississippi to South Carolina.  It may be excluded from the southern half of the Florida peninsula temperatures unsuitable for its reproduction.

Citations:

Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/). Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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