Forest Flame

I have a Mature Forest Flame (Pieris) shrub which has been in my garden for many years, but has developed brown veins on the leaves!  I feed it with an eracacious feed, mulch with ericacious compost and water it well with rainwater from my waterbut and it is planted in a sheltered semi-shaded spot. It also hasn't flowed for two years. Can anybody help me please?

Hi Jan,

I didn't know that Pieris 'Forest Flame' is supposed to have eracacious compost, feed or mulch???!!!  I have 5, ranging from young baby size to reasonably sized, and lots of white bell flowers and red tipped leaves.  I've always just stuck them in multipurpose compost.  One of mine is in semi shade, and the others in full sun.  Either way, they're all doing as they're supposed too.  I'm just as confused as you now.  Hope someone can set us both straight

Yvie

Pieris does enjoy an acid soil but it doesn't need to be very acidic, unlike, say, a rhododendron.

I'd suggest giving the ailing pieris a feed of sequestrene of iron with trace elements to see if that improves matters - if the OP's soil is not actually acidic the plant may need extra help.

Alina W wrote (see)

Pieris does enjoy an acid soil but it doesn't need to be very acidic, unlike, say, a rhododendron.

I'd suggest giving the ailing pieris a feed of sequestrene of iron with trace elements to see if that improves matters - if the OP's soil is not actually acidic the plant may need extra help.

That's the best news I've heard.  I too adore pieris and have two in pots because my soil is not acid - but would love to plant one out - so if I filled the hole with eracacious soil and top it up every year or so it might be happy? 

I've not tried it personally, but that is the current view.

Mine thrive at a ph of 6.5, so only slightly acid, and don't need special care.

Thank you very much for all of your advice.  I will give it some sequestrene feed or sulphate of ammonia and see what happens.  Thanks again.  I think my soil is alkaline not acid so that may be another reason for the leaves to change colour!  I will do a soil test first.  I will let you know!

My Flame of the Forest is never red, always green. Anyone know why please?

Only new growth, leaf tips are red..I feed before flowering so new growth that develops after flowers is red, don't worry rest of time it's green.

Jan.  I don't think your pieris problem is anything to do with acidity...if your plant has been there for several years it's unlikely to suffer now. It sounds like its been overwatered and suffering because of that.  Is the ground wet....maybe not now but over the winter?    Is if in a pot?  Or in the ground?

This spring phytophthora has been causing problems on rhododendrons, azaleas, etc because of wet Cool conditions. I have a dwarf rhododendron that is suffering ...not from phytophthora but from fungal leaf spot also caused by wet soil.  It is a problem a couple of my neighbours also have currently.  

The leaves on our forest flame and coming up red and then edges are browning and dying away. Was thinking it could be overwatering as it was it a very damp spot ion the garden, We have moved it now. Is there a way of treating fungal leaf spot?

Mine is a peaty soil but I always plant and mulch with erecacus  . Is yours in the right spot for light , My varigated one doesnt like it too shady and doesnt seam as strong grower as the others . it can also go a year without flowering  but it is adding new growth so maybe it is one or the other , Has yours put on the growth? But it sounds your doing everything right .