The Japanese Spiraea
Easy care and free flowering Spiraea japonica is a low mound forming shrub that is also drought tolerant.
Grown for the flowers as well as the foliage flower colour varies from the pale pinks of ‘Little princess’ to deeper pinks of ‘Anthony Webster’.
Foliage also differs from mid greens to lime greens of ‘Gold Flame’. Flowering time is from late spring well into summer.
How to grow Spiraea japonica
These are a tough and adaptable plant, they grow well in poor soils as well its well drained and in wide range of climate zones depending on the species and the cultivar you should be able to find a spirea for all areas except tropical zones and very cold areas.
Flowering is best in full sun, however this depends on the zone, in those warmer zones a little afternoon shade can be useful.
Watering is another strong point, spirea are drought tolerant. Mulch around them each spring and once established they will require very little extra water.
As for diseases and pests, as long as they are not in water logged soil, and are in a position with good air flow they are remarkably disease resistant.
Summary Care for Spiraea japonica
- Choose a position in full sun or very good morning sun and a little afternoon shade.
- Prepare a humus rich soil for best results although S.japonica will grow well in poor soil.
- Ensure that the soil is well drained.
- Plant and water through the first summer.
- Mulch around the plant to suppress weeds and retain some moisture.
- Fertilise each spring with a slow release organic fertiliser.
- Renew mulch each spring.
Landscaping Uses
With a lot of variety Spirea are a very useful garden plant, with the right choice you can have flowers from spring through to late summer. As an addition, the autumn colour give you another month of colour.
These are also a low maintenance plant, different varieties suit different situations, some a very low growing or can easily be pruned to be so. Others are small shrubs.
In flower they all attract bees and nectar seeking birds to the garden so they can be useful when planted near the vegetable garden, especially the spring flowering types.
These are a fast growing plant, so great for new gardens where you want some colour or ground cover quickly.
Mix these deciduous plants in with evergreen shrubs for a good effect. And the flowers can be used as cut flowers, another attraction.
Pruning Spiraea japonica
You should cut Spirea japonica back in late winter to early spring depending on your climate. This is a plant that flowers on new growth so the aim is to cut them back before the new growth begins.
Using pruning shears is the easiest way to prune them, on a mature plant cut them back by 1/3 to a nice rounded shape.
You can prune them back really hard and they will reshoot, soil you have an old woody plant, you can rejuvenate it this way. S japonica is pruned differently to S.cantoniensis