Spirea

More information about Spiraea

In general, all Spiraea species are very undemanding and can cope with any soil. Their single flowers form wonderfully dense umbels. These shrubs are native to all temperate areas of the northern hemisphere - most species originate from China, where they are very common. When you choose to buy one of these plants, you have a wide choice: dwarf and small types are particularly popular because they grow dense and bushy, sometimes with overhanging branches. You can also plant smaller bushes in a rock garden or cultivate them in a container on the balcony or terrace. The larger representatives of these plants are suitable as a flowering hedge or as a screen, but they also impress as a majestic solitary plant.

Although these shrubs shed their leaves, their growth is so dense that they always provide good privacy. For this reason, they are particularly suitable as hedge plants. These woody plants feel comfortable in full sun to half-shaded beach locations. As a general rule, the sunnier the location, the more luxuriant the flowering.

Table of contents

Spiraea from the Lubera online garden shop

Buying Spiraea -  Spring and summer bloomers

Planting

In a container

Fertilising

Pruning

Overwintering

Spiraea from the Lubera online garden shop

In our shop, you will find these easy to care for all-rounders in different growth heights and with different flowering times. The spring type is a richly flowering, small shrub that even tolerates shade; the red summer-blooming 'Anthony Waterer' has beautiful, pink flowers and the pink dwarf variety 'Little Princess' with its magnificent umbrella panicles is also suitable as a ground cover and is ideal for difficult slopes.

Buying Spiraea - spring and summer bloomers

There are many different varieties that belong to the spring-flowering varieties. The summer-flowering types show their full bloom from June onwards and some of them bloom tirelessly until autumn. In our Lubera assortment you will find the summer flowering pink dwarf 'Little Princess', the white dwarf 'Albiflora' and the red summer-blooming 'Anthony Waterer'.

Planting

These shrubs are easy to care for. In general, however, they do not like stagnant moisture, but do like a lot of sunshine. The best planting time is in April and May, but planting in autumn is also possible. In the beginning, the shrubs should be watered regularly - once they have established themselves, watering is sufficient in very dry conditions. A mulch layer around the shrub is advantageous. Small varieties usually thrive in rather barren soils - all in all, they have very low demands on the soil.

In a container

The low growing types are very suitable for containers. These plants are not poisonous like some other flowering shrubs, so they fit well on a balcony or in the family garden.

Fertilising

Basically, these plants require little fertiliser. The more shady a location is, the more often fertiliser should be applied. A complete fertiliser application in the spring is recommended for poor soil. But be careful: the Spiraea can react sensitively if the soil is very rich in humus and large amounts of fertiliser are applied. Bark mulch is very well suited to cover and protect all types of these shrubs.

Pruning

Most of the spring-flowering bushes flower on last year's wood and should, therefore, be cut immediately after flowering. The summer-flowering species, on the other hand, show their flowers on this year's wood, i.e. on the fresh shoots. They should, therefore, be cut in spring before the new shoots appear - preferably after the last frosty nights. In general, you should remove dried plant parts and weak shoots. Since the bushes grow quite sprawling, a radical pruning is possible.

You can make a hedge pruning by making a slight trapezoidal cut - i.e. the hedge plant should be wider at the bottom than at the top. This will ensure that the hedge does not become bare, as sunlight will also get inside.

For solitary plants, it is advisable to make a rejuvenating cut every now and then. Older shoots can be shortened to about 20 centimetres.

Overwintering

If you buy one of these plants, you should protect it with a fleece in the first winter. Otherwise, they are very hardy. You should place your potted plant in a protected site if possible or wrap the plant container with protective material.