Spirea

Plant of the Week May 15, 2023

Spirea (Spirea japonica 'Goldmound')

By Lynda Ellis, Anoka County Master Gardener

The genus Spiraea is from the rose family and comes from the Greek word meaning wreath. The variety I have is Spirea japonica 'Goldmound'. The common name is Spirea.

Spirea plants are common landscaping plants here, hardy in Zones 4-8. A key feature is their captivating three-season interest. They don’t need much maintenance to look attractive. The shrub blooms on new wood, so bitter winter chills won’t damage the buds. The dense leaves and flowers are attractive to butterflies.

Plant spirea in well-drained soil in a location where it will get full sun. Spirea is a good plant to use as a single plant in a prominent location or as a hedge. My prominent 'Goldmound' has yellow leaves, pink flowers, and is about three feet around. It reproduces by suckers and seed, but not invasively. I have placed extras in a row to make a hedge. Some of the babies have yellow and some have green leaves. Spirea does best when trimmed regularly. Prune the tips after the first spring growth to encourage more branching.

Since it is such an attractive and easy plant to grow, there are many varieties available. Some have white or purple flowers. Some are much smaller and others much larger than my 'Goldmound' variety.

For further reading: https://trees.umn.edu/goldmound-spirea-spirea-japonica-goldmound