Description: beautifully flowering low deciduous shrub. The crown is thick. Shoots are branched; Most of the shoots are directed upward.

Dimensions: height of an adult plant: most often 0.7 - 0.8 m, less often - up to 1 m; crown diameter: 0.6 - 0.8 m. Grows quite slowly.

Leaves: lanceolate, when blooming - with a reddish or pinkish tint, adult leaves are rich green, turning red in autumn. Leaf arrangement is regular.

Flowers: small, raspberry-red (do not fade in the sun); collected in corymbose inflorescences located on the shoots of the current year.

Flowering period: The plant blooms from late June to September.

Fruit: small leaflets - ripen in late August - September.

Winter hardiness zone: 4 (the plant is frost-resistant).

Lighting requirements: grows and blooms best in sunny places; tolerates partial shade.

Soil requirements: prefers drained, moist, fertile soil. Does not like waterlogged soil. Spiraea can grow in poor soil with infrequent watering, but it develops worse.

Features of agricultural technology: in spring (mid-April) you can carry out a superficial or sanitary trimming of the plant crown. During the hot season, the plant needs periodic watering. Spiraea can grow in the city, but not in heavily polluted or smoky areas.

Description:beautifully flowering low deciduous shrub. The crown is thick. Shoots are branched; Most of the shoots are directed upward.

Dimensions:height of an adult plant: most often 0.7 - 0.8 m, less often - up to 1 m; crown diameter: 0.6 - 0.8 m. Grows quite slowly.

Leaves:lanceolate, when blooming - with a reddish or pinkish tint, adult leaves are rich green, turning red in autumn. Leaf arrangement is regular.

Flowers:small, raspberry-red (do not fade in the sun); collected in corymbose inflorescences located on the shoots of the current year.

Flowering period:The plant blooms from late June to September.

Spiraea japonica "Dart's Red"

(Spiraea japonica "Dart's Red")

General characteristics

Low, up to 1 meter tall, dense shrub with erect shoots. The leaves are dark green, with a reddish tint when blooming.

Timing of flowering and fruit ripening

The flowers are collected in rather large, dense corymbose inflorescences, raspberry-red; by the end of flowering they do not turn pale, but retain a bright, reddish color. Flowering is long, from July to October.

Optimal conditions growing

Grows better on sunny place, without shading. Prefers rich, well-drained soil and moderate watering. It can grow in poor soils with infrequent watering, but it develops worse. After flowering, it is recommended to remove faded shoots. Late autumn or early spring Severe pruning of the bush to 10-30 cm (“to the stump”) is recommended. Winter-hardy, without freezing.

Reproduction methods and planting rules

To preserve all the characteristics of the variety, spirea needs to be propagated vegetatively - by cuttings or layering. Cuttings are cut from semi-lignified shoots of the current year, 10 cm long, both apical and from the middle part. To improve root formation, you can use a root former. If you plant cuttings in mid-summer, then by autumn good roots will have formed. Another reliable and hassle-free method is propagation by layering. To do this in the spring, when the leaves are blooming, you need to bend the growing side branches to the ground, pin them with a hairpin and sprinkle them with earth. You can also tie them to pegs so that they grow horizontally. Throughout the season, you need to keep the soil around the bush in a moderately moist state, then by autumn or next spring you can get independent plants. It is also advisable to remove the very first inflorescences on young bushes, then their development will proceed much faster.

Application

Used to create compositions in mixborders and rock gardens, suitable for ridges and low hedges, single and group plantings on the lawn.

Spiraea bushes are excellent decorative element almost anyone summer cottage. Owners often decide to use this plant crop not only because of its attractive appearance, but also because of unpretentiousness. This suggests that this shrub will actively develop even in conditions where they do not receive special care from humans. At the same time, if you also apply high-quality care, the spirea bush will become a truly attractive plant, which will be a kind of calling card of the site.

On the territory Eastern Europe, and also in the south, such a plant is often found. Gardeners choose spirea because the bushes are lush and quite bright.

It is interesting that the first mentions of spirea appeared several centuries ago. Judging by the descriptions, over many centuries the appearance of the bushes has not changed at all, so everyone can enjoy the beauty in its original form.

In this material we will try to consider in more detail the main features of spirea bushes, as well as analyze the main types of this crop. In addition, we will not ignore all the details associated with the process of planting and caring for spirea, so that everyone can enjoy the plant in their own area.

The main features of red spirea

First of all, it is worth saying that the main decoration of spirea is its inflorescences. They can be very diverse - corymbose, pyramidal, paniculate, etc. At the same time, spirea is also distinguished by the variety of flower colors. You can often find bushes with lilac or white colors, but there are other variations, including crimson, red, dark orange, beige and other colors.

In addition, the general appearance of spirea is quite varied. We are talking about the arrangement of inflorescences. In some cases they are found only at the ends of the branches, and in some - along the entire shoot.

As for propagation, in this case this occurs by dividing the bush, as well as by planting seeds and cuttings.

Often spirea bushes are used for group plantings. The result is a kind of hedges that are valued among owners of summer cottages and garden areas. IN large quantities Spiraea bushes look really amazing, especially if the plants surrounding them also create some composition. Despite this, even a single planting of a spirea bush will definitely become good decision, since a fluffy bush is always beautiful and attractive. With proper care, as we have already said, one small shrub will decorate the site.

It should be noted that there are also dwarf varieties of spirea, with the help of which they can easily create unique “carpets” that can make the area irresistible and original in every sense.

Varieties and types of red spirea

Spring flowering spirea. A special feature of this variety is the variety of different shades of inflorescences. white. In addition, many owners choose this spirea because early flowering, which occurs in the first half of summer. Despite this, flowering itself begins only in the second year after the formation of shoots. The spring-flowering spirea includes the gray species, which is a hybrid of two other shrubs - St. John's spirea and whitish-gray spirea. Despite the name, the inflorescences here are bright white. The leaves of this shrub have a gray-green tint, and the height of the bush can reach 1.8 m. Of course, many people like this variety due to the presence of inflorescences throughout the branch. Flowering occurs in mid-summer. This type Spiraea is considered the most common.
Summer flowering spirea. Inflorescences in this type of plant are formed at the ends of the shoots. Often the inflorescences have red, red-pink or pink shades.
Japanese spirea. In this case we are talking about bushes that have egg-shaped. The leaves of this plant can be dark green below and yellow or even purple above. Japanese spirea blooms for up to 45 days, and the flowers are distinguished by pink or red-pink flowers. Among the most popular varieties that belong to this species include spirea “Little Princess”, “Shirobana”, “Goldflame” and others.
Spiraea Vangutta. This variety is distinguished by red inflorescences, as well as the considerable height of the bushes - about 2 m. The actual shape of the plant is cascading, which attracts many gardeners. One more distinctive feature The leaves of this variety are dark green on top and have a bluish coating underneath. The diameter of the flowers is up to 0.8 cm. Due to the heaviness of the inflorescences, the branches may bend slightly towards the ground, but this feature is even decorative, since the appearance of the bushes only improves. The bush blooms in early May, and sometimes at the very end of spring.
Spiraea is lovely. It is a shrub with soft pink flowers and also with straight branches. The height of the bush is limited to 1.7 m. Flowering occurs towards the end of summer. Some inflorescences remain in place even at the beginning of autumn.
Spiraea Boumalda. This species is a hybrid of white-flowered and Japanese spirea. The leaves of shrubs often have a bronze-orange color, and after some time they can take on a more bright shade(often such changes occur during the period when the bush is in direct sunlight).
Spiraea Billarda. It is also a hybrid created on the basis of Douglas spirea and willow plant crop. The flowers of this species are often bright pink. Billard's spirea is also distinguished by narrow pyramidal inflorescences. Flowering occurs around mid-summer.

There are many other species that I would like to talk about, but their number is simply colossal. The main and most common varieties and species are analyzed in this section, and then it is advisable to note the features of growing spirea.

Specifics of growing red spirea

You need to know that spirea is often planted in cloudy weather. Moreover, experts even recommend carrying out this process during rain, since in this situation the bush will take root faster and will also grow more actively. It can also be noted that the most good timing September is considered the best time to plant spirea, since it is at this time that the shrub will acquire its most active growth and development.
If we talk about the planting depth of the spirea, it is often at least 50 cm. It is worth saying that the root collar of the spirea itself should be approximately at surface level. If the planting depth is a little greater, this is not a problem, while insufficient depth may not be the best solution.
The choice of soil for spirea is also important question. Experts recommend using turf or leaf soil. Moreover, best composition for the soil is 1 part sand, 1 part peat, and 2 parts earth. In this situation, the spirea will feel most comfortable and cozy, even if some other requirements are not met.
In addition, one cannot fail to note the crops that can grow together with spirea. Shrubs are often planted near spruce, thuja or juniper. In this case, we receive a guarantee of not only a chic appearance of the site, but also the active growth of each individual vegetation. At the same time, you can safely use other combinations of vegetation, but you should first discuss such decisions with specialists, or find relevant information in the literature or the Internet. It cannot be ruled out that this or that plant will negatively affect general development spirea
Creating a drainage layer. You can do without this very layer, but it is best to arm yourself with broken bricks and create an appropriate layer, which will definitely have a positive effect on the growth of spirea. Other materials can be used for the drainage layer.

Planting red spirea

To begin with, it is worth noting that spirea planting often occurs in two seasons - spring and autumn.

Spring planting period for spirea. In the event that spirea is planted in the spring, this means that this plant blooms in summer. Accordingly, we are talking about the need to have time to plant before the leaves bloom. Often, owners who want to create coziness on their site purchase spirea seedlings (as this is the easiest option for planting). When purchasing, you should pay attention to the roots. If they are dry, then there is a high probability of not the best outcome of events during landing. The shoots on the seedlings themselves should be flexible and “alive,” which indicates the good condition of the spirea. At the same time, there are other features of seedlings that are worth paying attention to. For example, if the roots have grown too much, you should just trim them a little before planting. In addition, if the roots become a little dry during storage of the seedling, it is enough to moisten them in a bucket of water, after which you can safely plant. If we are talking directly about planting spirea, then it is worth paying attention to the site. It must have fertile soil, as well as "openness", which is characterized by access sun rays. Do not forget that spirea often puts down large roots, so you need to provide the necessary area for each shrub. The depth of the hole for planting a seedling should be slightly larger than the root system. After we have dug the hole, we must wait up to 4 days before planting. The drainage layer, which we talked about earlier, should be up to 20 cm. If the soil has a large clay content, you should add a little peat and sand, mix it all and lower the seedling into the hole. Immediately, immediately after planting, it is necessary to water the spirea with several buckets of water.
Autumn period of planting spirea. Often during this period, so-called late-flowering spireas are planted. Most often, planting is involved by dividing the bush. This process should be done before the leaves fall on the trees. Direct division and transplantation of spirea occurs if the shrub is about 3 years old. More mature bushes can also be used, but they are extremely difficult to remove from the soil. It is necessary to dig out the bush along a circle, which in diameter will be approximately half the projection of the crown. It is worth keeping in mind that in such a situation you will still have to get rid of a couple of roots, but this will not significantly affect the state of the crop. Immediately after this, the root is thoroughly washed from the ground. It is worth paying attention to the fact that this can be a difficult task, since over the years of growth the soil simply becomes part of the root system. Next, you can arm yourself with pruning shears and cut the bush into 3 parts so that each has a root system of approximately the same size. In addition, each miniature part of the bush must have at least 2 large shoots. Now you need to trim the roots a little using pruning shears so that they are symmetrical. Next, a hole is dug into which the seedling is lowered. Now the most important task is to smooth out the roots so that they are well established. At the end, you need to thoroughly water the spirea with water.

Specifics of caring for spirea

As you know, there are many ornamental plants, which simply require a tremendous amount of work to maintain the attractive appearance of the vegetation. If we talk about spirea, then everything here is quite specific.

First of all, it is worth paying attention to the fact that spirea has a relatively shallow root system. Accordingly, she does not in the best possible way tolerates problems associated with dry soil. This indicates the need for regular watering. Experts advise watering shrubs about 2 times a month - 15 liters of water. In addition, loosening the soil and digging will not be superfluous.

Around mid-summer, it is advisable to fertilize spirea. And for this it is best to use a solution of mullein along with the addition of superphosphate.

There are also pests that create considerable problems for spirea. We are talking, first of all, about spider mites and aphids. Fortunately, these pests are not that common, so owners often do not experience any problems associated with them.

An important detail associated with caring for spirea is pruning the branches. Often this necessary event, as the bush gradually begins to lose its original shape. Large shrub cutting is carried out approximately once a year. It is interesting that after 7-10 years it is necessary to remove all old shoots so that the shrub can continue to actively develop. Immediately after the winter season, you may notice that the tips of the branches are freezing, and it is advisable to trim them. Old shoots can be trimmed both in spring and summer.

If we talk about the reproduction of spirea, then everything is quite simple. Most often, as we have already said, propagation is carried out by cuttings. Less often - by dividing the bush and using seeds. It is interesting that only classic spirea (not hybrid) can be propagated by seeds. In other cases, there are no restrictions. Cuttings are the most practical and reliable method of propagation, since with its help, strengthening occurs in 70% of cases, and this is without additional funds designed to improve the condition of the shrub during planting. Of course, a lot depends directly on the condition of the cutting, since you can often find products on sale that are not best quality. Directly for planting, you need to cut off an annual shoot, cut it into pieces so that each has about 5 leaves. Next, you need to remove the leaves by half, process bottom part cuttings with a measles stimulant, and then cover it with film. After this, the cutting is placed in a container and regularly sprayed with water. When the first frost occurs, the cuttings are planted in the garden bed, covered with leaves, and covered with a box on top. In this form, the cutting awaits spring. When the first shoots appear, you can plant them in a permanent place.