Virginia Tech Dendrology

mountain pieris Ericaceae Pieris floribunda (Pursh) Benth. & Hook. f. symbol: PIFL
Leaf: Alternate, simple, evergreen, leathery, oblong to lanceolate, ciliate margin, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long, shiny green above, paler beneath.
Flower: White, 1/4 inch long, urn-shaped in long (2 to 4 inches) upright clusters, appearing in early spring.
Fruit: Dry, small (1/4 inch), 5 parted, round capsules, ripen in late summer and persist through winter.
Twig: Slender, green to reddish brown, fuzzy; buds small pointed, reddish.
Bark: Gray to reddish brown, splits into vertical, peeling strips.
Form: Thick, multi-stemmed, rounded shrub to 5 feet.
Looks like: minniebush - Japanese pieris - mountain laurel

Additional Range Information: Pieris floribunda is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information