Growing and Planting Spirea is quite easy as long as you provide it with plenty of bright light. For everything else, our Spirea Care Guide will help you!
Other Names: Spiraea japonica, Japanese meadowsweet, Japanese spiraea
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Best Spirea Varieties to Grow
- Spirea Japonica ‘Alba’: It has beautiful white flowers and does best in bright and indirect light.
- Spirea Japonica ‘Bumalda’: Showcases bronze foliage and pink flowers.
- Spirea Japonica ‘Golden Princess: It has red foliage and stunning yellow-pink flowers.
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Propagating Spirea
Spirea is really easy to grow from cuttings. Take 4-6 inches long stems from a healthy plant in spring and plant it in a well-draining potting mix. Water well and keep it in bright but indirect sunlight. The cutting will start to grow in 3-5 weeks.
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Growing Spirea Japonica in Pot
Spirea will be more than happy to dwell in a pot that’s 6-8 inches deep and wide. Depending on the growth of the plant, you might have to re-pot it once in 2-4 years.
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Requirements for Growing Spirea
Sunlight
For best flowers, make sure it gets direct sunlight exposure for at least 3-4 hours every day. Avoid keeping it in the complete shade as it will result in leggy growth with fewer blooms.
Soil
Amend the soil with plenty of organic matter and compost at the time of planting. It will boost the growth with better size and colors of the blooms. It grows best in a growing medium with neutral pH.
Watering
Water the plant well during the initial stages of growth, keeping the soil moist all the time. Do not let the growing medium dry out completely.
Avoid watering the plant daily as it will result in root rot. Moisten the soil when the top layer of it feels a little dry to the touch.
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Spirea Care
Fertilizing
If you have used compost and manure at the time of planting, you don’t have to worry about feeding the plant. However, it won’t mind an occasional application of a balanced liquid fertilizer, diluted to 1/2 of its strength.
Temperature
It is a cold hardy shrub that supports temperatures down to -4 F (-20 C). In cooler areas, it becomes inactive and comes back in life in spring.
Pruning
Pruning Spirea Japonica is required to keep it in appropriate shape. Trim dead, diseased, damaged, or overgrown branches at any season.
Heavy pruning should be done in winter at a time when the plant is not actively growing. Trim the plant down to 6 inches so that it’ll rejuvenate again in spring.
Pests and Diseases
You just have to keep the plant safe from aphids and spider mites. Both of them can be knocked off using insecticidal soap.
Avoid overwatering the plant and wetting the foliage to keep potential diseases at bay.
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