Probably a lack of sunlight. Certainly nothing to be concerned about. It might of had too much fertilizer and grew too much growth at one time, also. Even if that, it's nothing you'd want to prune.

Dax

Thanks both of you. I'll provide a bit more info in case it help narrow it down, but all of those sound plausible.

I didn't touch the roots much after purchasing it (I just uppotted it slightly from the garden pot). It was a bit late in the spring and I was worried about messing with it during growing season.

It is in a dark brown pot, so at least not black...but could be a bit hot.

It may be a bit shy on water, we had a really hot week or two here and I've been checking it daily for moisture, but that could be part of it.

And I definitely may have added more fertilizer then needed about a month or so ago (especially as there may still have been some from the nursery soil when I uppotted it).

It gets about 3-4 hours of late morning to noontime sun and then some splattering of sun in mid afternoon.

I'll see how it goes here this week.

Limp, droopy growth in a containerized plant is usually a sign of insufficient water, as ken indicated. Depending on how much you upsized when you repotted compared to the original root ball, you may need to be watering on a daily basis in hot weather.

Drooping means it is having a water-related issue. If sun is beating on the pot during hot weather you need to move it into the shade.

Excellent. I'll give it some more shade and keep monitoring the water. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to respond.

With Heath Family plants (of which Pieris is an example) in particular you have to watch that the root zone does not get baked. This is why you basically don't see rhododendrons (except certain heat adapted azaleas) in the Deep South, the soil is too hot for them even in the shade.

you do not have to move the plant to shade...

just put something.. like the watering can.. in front of the pot.. so direct sun doesnt hit it ...

you have a variable called watering... fix that ..

do not go changing other variables.. like sun ... trying to fix var #1 ...

if it were only a water issue.. you would have leaf edge burning.. this thing is rocketing with green ... i thin var #3 ... fert.. may have been over done.. no more fert ...

and plant it in the ground come fall ... wherever you may be ... good general planting guide at link ...

ken

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub

Browning is visible in the photo. Pieris is best used as a shade plant where summer conditions can be hot.

Lush new growth will wilt in the sun even when the plant has plenty of water until the new growth has had enough time to harden off. As with rhododendrons, placing a pieris is a balancing act between enough sun to encourage bloom and enough shade. Morning sun followed by afternoon shade is best, but often not possible. Another reason for placing pieris in at least a partially shaded area is that they tend to become magnets for lacebugs in sunny locations.

As for planting in the ground, there are some variables to consider if you wish to do this late in the season. For any ericaceaous plant - pieris, rhododendron, azalea and others - the size of the root ball is important. Small one or two gallon plants will often not have enough time to develop a root system large enough to carry them through cold weather. This has certainly been true in the last two Maine winters. Best to wait for spring planting. Even large plants will need the protection of burlap or some other wind and sun blocking shelter for the first one or two winters. They will also need to be watered right through fall until the ground freezes.. If you intend to keep this one in its pot over winter, then the roots will have to be protedted from deep cold.

Thanks everyone. Ken, I appreciate the variable breakdown...that makes plenty of sense (and fits my science brain). I'll try to move more towards slightly shaded light ala your suggestion and akamainegrower's points about afternoon shade and morning sun. I think I do have a way to pull that off without changing other variables.

akamainegrower. It is a 3-5 gallon-er that I might try moving towards bonsai-dom over the coming years. It is unclear how much ramification I can get in the leaves, but I may give it a shot. I'm reading up on various wintering techniques in hopes of getting it thru intact until spring pruning. I was currently hoping to bury the pot, provide some level of additional protection to the extent needed, and go from there. However, I haven't read up enough on options/requirements yet (I'll be getting on that right away). Thanks for getting my started on winter plans.

The only problem with fall planting for you is that you are in USDA 5. Zone 6 and above fall is the best time to plant hardy stock, as when the shoots stop growing and set winter buds the roots make the most growth of the whole year. And there isn't hot summer weather on the way, unlike with spring planting.

Embothrium: Hardiness zones indicate nothing except the average expected low temperature. They do not take duration of sub-freezing temperaures, overall length of meteorological winter,average first frost dates, average frost depth or many other factors into consideration. Zone 6, more than most, can vary tremendously and large parts of it are not suitable for fall planting. This is, imho, especially true for broad leaved evergreens like pieris and rhododendron with their shallow root systems and transpiring leaves. Many woody plants can be successfully planted in the fall, but you have to take more local factors into consideration, not just the climate zone. I do sometimes wonder how much of the "Fall is for planting" campaigns is based on sound horticultural practice and how much on marketing.