Japanese Spirea

Japanese spirea is the compact, deciduous, flowering shrub that produces flat-topped clusters of pink, red, or white flowers from June through August, one of the longest bloom periods of any shrub in the palette. The foliage ranges from bright green to gold to bronze depending on the cultivar. It grows two to five feet with a mounding habit that responds well to shearing. Native to Japan and China, it has been planted so extensively that it has naturalized in some areas.

In Western Washington, Japanese spirea performs well in full sun with average soil and requires almost nothing beyond an annual pruning in late winter to maintain a compact form. 'Goldflame' has foliage that emerges bronze, matures to gold, and turns orange in fall. 'Little Princess' is a compact pink form. 'Magic Carpet' stays low with gold foliage. No significant disease or pest concerns are tracked. Check local invasiveness status before planting, as Japanese spirea can escape into natural areas in some situations. For a long-blooming, colorful, low-maintenance flowering shrub in a sunny border, Japanese spirea has been delivering for decades.