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Key characteristics

Family: Ericaceae
Height: 2 to 3 feet
Width: 2 to 3 feet
Flower color: White or pale pink
Foliage color: Variegated with shades of cream, pink, and green
Bloom time: Early spring
Light: Partial shade to full sun
Water: Regular
Maintenance: Low maintenance, minimal pruning needed to remove dead or damaged branches
Growing zone: USDA Zones 5 to 8
Wildlife: Attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies with its fragrant flowers

Shrubs

Pieris japonica 'Little Heath'

Little Heath Pieris

Pieris japonica 'Little Heath' produces sparse clusters of small, white, bell-shaped flowers from pink buds in early to mid-spring, providing nectar and pollen for bees and other early pollinators. Small, glossy leaves have green centers edged in creamy white, while fresh spring growth emerges with a soft pink to bronze-red flush before developing its mature variegation. The dense evergreen foliage forms a neat, rounded mound and provides bright color and fine texture throughout the year.

Light

Partial shade to full sun

Water

Regular

Bloom time

Early spring

Find this plant

Works well in

Shade Gardens
Woodland Gardens
Containers
Deer Prone Areas

Companion plants

Hydrangea · Viburnum · Pulmonaria · Japanese forest grass · Wood sorrel · Epimedium

Design tip

Brighten a darker planting with ‘Little Heath’s’ cream, pink, and green variegation, which provides color and definition throughout the year. Its dense, mounded form keeps the intricate foliage visually contained, while pale spring flowers add a softer layer of seasonal interest.