Mountain Fetterbush

Low Food and Good Cover

Mountain Fetterbush- Pieris floribunda

Form

Shrub, 2 to 6 feet tall.

Bark and Twigs

Light brown, no distinguishing characteristics.

Leaves

Evergreen, alternate, simple, oblong, small serrations on the margin, glossy green, 1 ½ to 2 inches long.

Flowers

May. White, urn-shaped, in terminal spikes.

Fruit

Dry globose capsule, inconspicuous.

West Virginia Range

Pendleton, Pocahontas, Greenbrier Counties . On the eastern slopes of the Alleghenies.

Natural Habitat

Well drained mountain woods.

Wildlife Use

Little data available. Probably unimportant as a food source. Clumps provide good cover.

Horticulture

Uses: Border, specimen, massing
Light: Partial to full sun. Protect from full winter sun.
Soil Moisture: Moist but well drained.
Soil pH: Acid.
Problems: Not suited to windy areas.

Compiled by: Brian McDonald, botanist, coordinator Natural Heritage Program, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Elkins, West Virginia.

Written by West Virginia Native Plant Society members and jointly published with the WV Wildlife Diversity Program.