Hello I have a pieris forest flame which as gone leggy and woody with most of the leaves on the top should I cut it right back or take it out Thanks

You can cut it back, yes, but is it in a pot or the ground? If its in the ground, its unusual for these to get leggy and bare...

Thank you it’s in the ground I don’t know if there’s a problem with Goy but I can’t add a photo .

Perhaps the photo is too large, try resizing it if you can. Otherwise, you've two choices - give it another chance by cutting it back or take it out and replace it. Hard to say how far to cut back, since I can't see it or how many stems it has - if its very large, probably wise to take a few stems down to about 6 inches and the rest cut by a third to a half, but hard to say without seeing it. If you do cut it back fairly hard, rake a handful or three of Growmore or similar into the soil round the base.

They get weak and leggy for lack of sun. It should be transplanted to a full sun location. Also, the legginess cannot be corrected. It should be cut back almost to the ground - after you transplant it to a sunny location. Give a good feed with a balanced fertilizer. Let it grow a whole new top that won't be leggy because it now has full sun.

Its occurred to me that if your garden is, as you say, a mishmash, has the Pieris been crowded out by other plants growing too close around it? That might explain why its only got leaves at the top. Note Pieris 'forest flame' is a species that prefers partial or dappled shade and damp, acidic soil - Pieris japonica varieties prefer more sun.

Thank you both yes I think it as been crowded out with other plants will cut it back and see what happens .

Mine went a bit leggy, or at least it seemed to have a trunk like a tree. I cut it down and it's growing back nicely now.

I am glad to hear that Hywel as I have cut mine back for the same reason & now am waiting to see if it makes some regrow th from the base. I didn't cut all the branches back & I gave it a feed, it is in a pot. I know they take some time to recover.

Well let’s hope we will all have success Hywel and Feverfew 🙂

I have noticed small shoots on the cut back branches, Kidsgran. It will take some time to fill out again though.