A Colourful Staple For Every Garden
Double Play Big Bang Japanese spirea bears large flowers and chartreuse coloured foliage.
Japanese spireas are perfect shrubs for urban gardens.
Peak flowering time is from June into July.
Flowers appear on the ends of new stems.
When not pruned and thinned, plants have fewer and smaller flowers.
A Goldflame spirea lives up to its name.
The many stamens make the flowers look fuzzy.
Raindrops appear as diamonds on colourful spring leaves.
Anthony Waterer spirea is a reliable and common spirea dating back to the 1800's.
New flowers and foliage on an Anthony Waterer spirea.
Flowers are held in flat clusters called corymbs.
Japanese meadowsweet is the original species without the help from plant breeders.
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Common Name: Japanese spirea, Japanese meadowsweet
Botanical Name: Spiraea japonica Form: round to vase shaped Family: Rosaceae Genus: Spiraea Species: japonica Plant Type: deciduous shrub Mature Size: 4 - 6 ft x 5 - 7 ft Growth: fast Origin: China, Japan Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8 Foliage: up to 3” long, oval, serrated, fall and spring colours, green in summer Flowers: flat topped clusters (corymbs) of tiny pink flowers June with repeat blooms Fruit: small seeds held in capsules Exposure: sun, light shade Soil: soil tolerant, prefers moist loams Uses: massing, accent, rock gardens, shrub border, hedge, foundation plantings, containers, small gardens, formal, informal, cottage Attracts: butterflies, bees Maintenance: low, easy care, durable Tolerates: clay soil, air pollution, deer, erosion Invasive Tendencies: Eastern USA Propagation: potential to self seed, may sucker Pruning: remove spent flowers, prune late winter, early spring Problems: no serious issues Comments: Japanese spireas are little shrubs known for their flat pink flower clusters. They are a common shrub and a favourite of many gardeners because they are a nice size, reliable bloomers, are easy care and love the sun. Japanese spireas are often used around the foundation of houses as they don’t get obnoxious. Note that the species Japanese spireas, also referred to as Japanese meadowsweet, send out suckers, which maybe problematic if there isn't adequate space. They are considered an invasive species in Eastern US. Cultivated varieties and hybrids are not as prone to suckering. Pollinators, especially butterflies and bees, love to rest on their flat flowers while they sip nectar and gather pollen. The initial flowering period starts in June and continues for about a month depending on the weather. Sporadic flowers occur during the summer, however, to encourage lots of new flowers, remove spent flowers asap. Japanese spireas are dense shrubs with many stems. Each stem produces a flower on new growth so if there are many stems there are many flowers, but they will be small. To increase the size of the blossom clusters, thin spireas in late winter or early spring. Remove all crossing, weak and old stems. Cultivars Plant breeders have surpassed themselves when it comes to creating cultivars that are not only grown for their flowers, but for their foliage. Proven Winner’s Double Play Big Bang one of numerous stellar Japanese spirea cultivars. The Double Play moniker denotes that there is more to this cultivar than the species. The flower clusters are bigger, pinker, with orangey-red spring foliage that matures to a chartreuse. The bright pink flowers are accentuated by the contrasting yellow-green foliage. In autumn, the leaves changes colour once again to a brick red. It grows 2 to 3 feet (60-90 cm) tall and wide. Anthony Waterer spirea (Spiraea X bumulda 'Anthony Waterer') has been around since the late 1800’s. It’s popularity is due to it’s compact and dense growth. It’s the perfect size for urban gardens as it grows from 2-3ft tall and 3-4ft wide. Six-inch flattened flower clusters (corymbs) bear deep carmine red flowers. New foliage is red with a purple tinge, which ages to a bluish-green in summer then turns a brick red in autumn. Spiraea japonica ‘Goldflame’ formerly S. x bumalda 'Goldflame' bears rose-pink flowers on arching stems. Reblooms after deadheading. It grows 2 to 3ft tall and wide. Bronze-red leaves emerge in spring, mature to green then turn yellowish copper in autumn. It’s more sprawling with irregular growth compared to other cultivars and hybrids. There are many spirea cultivars available so do your research, read the labels and include at least one of these reliable, low care pretty shrub in your garden. 
Bees & butterflies love the flowers.
The autumn colours of a Goldflame spirea.
Fall colours don't disappoint.
Japanese meadowsweet is larger and tends to roam compared to cultivars and hybrids.
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Cut back plants to remove their spent blossoms right after flowering.
A spirea in late winter needs some pruning.
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A spirea after deadheading.
All spindly stems and crossing branches have been removed and the plant has been cut back.
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Removing old and small stems will increase flower size.
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