Spirea is both white and pink. Japanese spirea: pink, white and dwarf varieties. How to prune late flowering spirea

Spirea (lat. Spiraea), or spiraea, is a genus of ornamental deciduous shrubs of the Rosaceae family. Translated from the ancient Greek "speira" means "bend", and the validity of this name is confirmed by the special flexibility of its shoots. The main advantage of spirea is its unpretentiousness. There are about a hundred species of spirea growing in the steppe, forest-steppe and semi-deserts. Mentions of spirea, or rather, of meadowsweet, are still in the epic "Sadko" (approximately 1478), then in the 19th century information about this plant falls into the dictionary of V.I. Dal: he writes that strong and thin branches of meadowsweet used for ramrods and whips. Today, different types and varieties of spirea are grown in culture, and all of them are distinguished not only by high decorativeness, but also by frost resistance and flowering time.

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Planting and caring for spirea (in short)

Landing: in September, in rainy or cloudy weather. In spring, only summer-flowering species can be planted.
Bloom: species are divided into those that bloom in spring and those that bloom in summer.
Lighting: bright sunlight.
The soil: loose, fertile, consisting of soddy or leafy soil with the addition of peat and sand.
Watering: in the dry season - 15 liters of water for each bush 2 times a month.
Top dressing: twice per season: in early spring after pruning - with a solution of complex mineral fertilizers, in the middle of summer - with a solution of mullein with the addition of superphosphate.
Pruning: in spring-flowering species, in early spring only the tips frozen over the winter are cut, but after 15 years the plant is cut to a stump for rejuvenation. The shoots of summer-flowering species are pruned every spring to strong buds, and after 4 years the bush is pruned at a height of 30 cm for rejuvenation.
Reproduction: seed and vegetative (dividing the bush, cuttings and layering).
Pests: pink-colored miners, rose leaflets, spider mites, aphids.
Diseases: does not get sick.

Spirea shrub - description

Plants of the genus Spirea are both dwarf (15 cm) and very tall (up to two and a half meters). The root system is shallow, fibrous. The branches are creeping or erect, spread out or recumbent, from light brown to dark, the bark tends to exfoliate longitudinally. Leaves are petiolate, alternate, three-five-lobed, lanceolate or rounded.

Spiraea flowers are small, but numerous, forming a variety of inflorescences - paniculate, spike-shaped, pyramidal, corymbose. The color of the flowers is varied, from boiling white to crimson. At different types spirea inflorescences are located in different ways: in some, along the entire shoot, in others - only on the upper part of the shoot, in some - only at the ends of the branches. Spireas propagate by dividing the bush, seeds, layering and cuttings.

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The spirea flower is used for group plantings, for hedges. Dwarf varieties of spirea are great for rockeries, rocky gardens and for creating living "carpets". The spirea bush looks great as a single plant.

Features of growing spirea

Each plant has its own requirements for planting and care.

Growing spirea also has its own characteristics:

Spiraea prefers leafy or soddy soil. Optimal composition: one part of sand and peat and two parts of earth;
a drainage layer is required, broken bricks can be used;
planting spirea is carried out in a pit, which is a third of the volume larger than the butt of the plant;
planting depth - at least half a meter, and the root neck of the plant should be at surface level;
you need to plant spirea in cloudy weather, and even better - in the rain. The best time is September;
the best neighbors for spirea are juniper, spruce, thuja.

Planting spirea

Planting spirea in spring

In the spring, only summer flowering spireas are planted. Main condition spring planting- be in time before the leaves bloom. If you buy spirea seedlings, carefully consider the roots - they should not be overdried. Check the condition of the shoots from the seedling, and buy only if they are flexible and have good buds. Align planting material: if the roots of the seedling have grown too large, carefully shorten them; if, on the contrary, the roots are too dry or damaged, cut off the branches. If the root system is too dry during storage, spill it with water or soak it briefly in a bucket of water, and only then plant it.

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Spirea - unpretentious plant, but for long and abundant flowering, certain conditions must still be met: the site for spirea must be sunny, the soil must be fertile. In addition, spirea bushes give abundant root shoots, which increases the area occupied by the plant, and this must be taken into account when planning the planting of spirea.

In the photo: Spirea flowering in the garden

So, in the area where the spirea will grow, you need to make a hole with strictly sheer walls, at least a third larger than the volume of the root system of the seedling. Then you need to let the pit stand for 2-4 days. On the day of planting (preferably rainy or cloudy weather), you need to make a drainage layer of 15-20 cm from broken bricks, especially if the soil is clayey, add 2 parts of leaf or sod land and one part of peat and sand to the pit, mix this mixture, lower the roots of the spirea into the pit, straighten them, throw the earth up to the root collar and then compact. Immediately after planting, the spirea is watered with one or two buckets of water and mulched with peat.

Planting spirea in autumn

In autumn, both spring-flowering and late-flowering spireas are planted. Usually, autumn planting is combined with spirea planting by dividing the bush. You need to do this until the leaf fall is over. Divide and transplant spireas, which are 3-4 years old, older plants can also be planted, but this is already quite difficult to do because of the large earthy clod, which is difficult to remove and wash off the ground.

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The spirea bush needs to be dug up, capturing a little more than half of the crown projection around the circumference. You will probably have to cut off a few roots, but this will not cause much harm to the plant. Then the roots of the extracted bush must be washed well. If the plant is young and not very grown, simply put it in a container of water and let the soil sour and settle in the water, then rinse the roots under running water while spreading them out. Cut the bush with a pruner into two or three parts so that each division has a good root lobe and 2-3 strong shoots. Trim cord roots.

In the photo: Young spirea bush

Dig a hole, put a mound in the middle, place the seedling on the mound and level the roots. Fill the hole with soil and press it down onto the surface. In several stages, water the planted delenki with water.

Spirea Care

How to care for spirea

We have already talked about the basic requirements of spirea: bright lighting (although many species grow well in partial shade), loose fertile soil, good drainage and mulching with a seven-centimeter layer of peat immediately after planting. What else is needed for spirea to please you with beautiful and long flowering?

Since spirea has a shallow root system, it does not tolerate dry soil and begins to dry out, so it needs moderate watering in the dry season: 15 liters of water per bush twice a month. Soil loosening required, as is regular weeding. Top dressing of spirea is carried out in a complex mineral fertilizer after pruning the bush, and in the middle of summer it would be nice fertilize spirea with a solution of mullein with the addition of superphosphate at the rate of 10 g per 10 l of solution.

In the photo: Beautiful spirea leaves

Of the pests, aphids and spider mites annoy the spirea the most. The tick is destroyed by karbofos, and the aphid - by Pirimor. But for the most part, spireas are not susceptible to diseases, and pests cannot cause great harm their beauty and reduce decorative qualities spirea.

Spirea pruning

Bushes tend to grow, so you have to cut them from time to time. In early-flowering, since flowering runs along the entire length of the shoot, only the tips that have frozen over during the winter are cut annually, but after 7-14 years, all old shoots are removed from the bushes, that is, the plant is cut almost to the stump, so that later from the most 5-6 strong shoots of young growth to form a new bush, removing the remaining shoots during the growing season. After a year or two, weak or old shoots are again removed from the bush. At the ends of the shoots, pruning should be done in the spring, before the leaves bloom, sanitary pruning of old shoots can also be done in the spring, or even in the summer.

Summer-flowering spireas are sheared annually in early spring. It is necessary to shorten the shoot to large buds, it is better to remove weak and small shoots altogether. The stronger the pruning, the more powerful the shoots grow. It is necessary to remove aging shoots in time, otherwise they begin to dry out on their own. When the bush is four years old, you can cut the bush every year to a height of 30 cm from the ground, but if after that the spireas give weak shoots, you should consider replacing the bush, although on average late-flowering species of spirea live 15-20 years.

In the photo: Growing spirea in the open field

Reproduction of spirea

Spireas reproduce, in addition to dividing the bush, by seeds, cuttings and layering. Multiply seeds only those spireas that are not hybrids are possible, since spirea seeds still do not retain varietal qualities. But the cutting method brings very good results - over 70% of cuttings take root even without the use of growth stimulants. Early-flowering spireas are cut in the first half of June, late-flowering - in the second half of June or in July. Lignified cuttings are rooted in autumn, in September-October.

Cut off a straight one-year-old shoot, cut it into pieces so that each has 5-6 leaves. lower leaves on each cutting, remove along with the petioles, cut the remaining leaves into half a leaf and place the cuttings for half a day in Epin's solution (1 ml per 2 liters of water). Then powder the lower node of the cutting with the Kornevin stimulant and plant it in a pot in wet sand at an angle of 30-45º. Cover the cuttings with glass or film. Place the container with the cuttings in the shade and spray them with water two to three times a day. When frosts come, dig the cuttings in the garden, cover with leaves, put an inverted box on top and leave until spring. When the next year the cuttings give new shoots, they can be planted in a permanent place.

In the photo: Drops of water on the leaves of spirea

When breeding layering the shoot is placed in a groove dug in the ground, pinned and sprinkled with earth. If you want to get several new shoots, then you need to pinch the top of the layer, then each side kidney can give a process. In autumn, the layers are carefully removed and divided into regrown shoots, which are planted.

Spirea after flowering

As has been said repeatedly, caring for spirea is simple, including in terms of preparing the plant for a dormant period. Almost all types and varieties of spirea tolerate cold well, but if the winter is very frosty, and most importantly, snowless, you can take care of the plant by covering the roots of the bush for the winter with a layer of foliage of 10-15 cm. will be.

Types and varieties of spirea

Some types and varieties of spirea are often used in culture, others - occasionally. According to the flowering time, spireas are divided into spring-flowering and summer-flowering.

Spring flowering spireas

They differ not only in early flowering, but also in the fact that flowers are characteristic of them. different shades exclusively white, which bloom on last year's shoots. Flowering begins only in the second year of the life of the shoot. These spireas are characterized by strong tillering. In culture, the following types are popular:

Spiraea gray (Spiraea x cinerea)

It is a hybrid of St. John's and whitish-gray spirea - in fact, it is white spirea, and it is called gray because of the color of the leaves. The bush reaches a height of 180 cm, drooping branches, lanceolate gray-green leaves with bottom side gray, corymbose inflorescences of white flowers are located along the entire length of the branch. Blooms from mid-May to mid-June. Most popular variety:

The diameter and height of the bush of this variety is 1.5-2 m, drooping branches, spreading crown, red-brown branches, flowers up to 1 cm in diameter, snow-white, double, collected in umbrellas. The plant is a honey plant, blooms up to 45 days, starting from the second year;

In the photo: Gray spirea (Spiraea x cinerea)

Spiraea Vanhouttei (Spiraea × vanhouttei)

A hybrid of Cantonese and three-lobed spirea is a huge bush with a diameter and height of up to 2 m, branches drooping, leaves are jagged, bare, three-lobed, dark green above, gray below, turning red-orange in autumn. Numerous hemispherical inflorescences consist of white flowers up to 0.6 cm in diameter and are located along the entire length of the branch. Blooms in mid-June, sometimes blooms again in August;

In the photo: Spiraea Vanhouttei (Spiraea × vanhouttei

Nippon Spiraea (Spiraea nipponica)

In nature, it grows on the island of Honshu, reaches a height of 2 m, the crown is spherical, dense, the branches are horizontal, green to late autumn leaves up to 4.5 cm in length, blooms for up to three weeks from the beginning of June with corymbose inflorescences consisting of yellow-green flowers up to 1 cm in diameter, with purple flowers in bud;

In the photo: Spiraea nipponica (Spiraea nipponica)

Spiraea arguta (Spiraea × arguta)

The earliest of the spring flowering spireas. Spreading bush 1.5-2 m in height is very beautiful shape, drooping flowering branches, like a foamy waterfall, consisting of numerous snow-white fragrant flowers, flowing along the entire length of the branches. Arguta blooms for three weeks from the end of May.

In the photo: Spiraea arguta (Spiraea × arguta)

summer blooming

These are species in which inflorescences form at the ends of young shoots and in which old, last year's shoots gradually dry out, are represented primarily by varieties of Japanese spirea. This is a pink spirea in most of its varieties, but sometimes it is a red or red-pink spirea. So:

Japanese spirea (Spiraea japonica)

Highly beautiful shrub with felt-pubescent shoots when they are young, and naked when old. The height of the bush is 1-1.5 m, the leaves are oblong, ovate, bluish below, green above, in autumn - yellow, red, purple. Japanese spirea blooms up to 45 days with red-pink flowers collected in paniculate corymbose inflorescences located at the ends of the shoots. The most popular varieties:

- shrub only 0.6 m high, crown diameter 1.2 m, rounded crown, oval leaves, dark green, corymbose inflorescences consist of red-pink flowers 3-4 cm in diameter, blooms in June-July, grows very slowly ;

In the photo: Japanese Spiraea Little princesses (Spiraea japonica)

- a variety of the previous variety, differs from it in that it grows up to 1 m in height and its leaves are yellow;

In the photo: Japanese Spiraea Golden princesses (Spiraea japonica)

- a low shrub (0.6-0.8 m), but the crown diameter is 1.2 m, the leaves are narrow-lanceolate, dark green, small (2 cm). The flowers are white or pink in color in July or August;

In the photo: Japanese Spiraea Shirobana (Spiraea japonica)

Spiraea japonica Goldflame- height 0.8 m, yellow-orange leaves become bright yellow over time, then green-yellow, and in autumn - copper-orange. The flowers are red-pink, small;

Deciduous, up to two meters high shrubs, depending on the variety, may have:

different shape of the crown;
color and type of inflorescences;
duration and timing of flowering.

It is not difficult for experienced gardeners to choose plants in such a way that white, pink and crimson flowers spirea served as a living decoration of the site.

Focusing on the time of mass flowering, the types and varieties of spirea are divided into two groups:

plants covered with lush inflorescences in spring;
shrubs that bloom throughout almost the entire summer.

Moreover, in the first case, flower buds are laid on one-year-old branches, then in summer flowering spirea, buds open on new shoots. With all the differences, these numerous types of ornamental shrubs are unpretentious and after three years they appear on the site in all their glory.

Japanese spirea (Spiraea japonica)

The ancestral home of the Japanese spirea is the countries of the Far East, where in 1870 the plant was first cultivated. And since then, dozens of species of varieties of this spirea with pubescent young shoots, leaves elongated and pointed at the end. This type of spirea blooms profusely in summer, giving dense paniculate-scutellum inflorescences.

Shrubs from 1.2 to 2 meters in height, with a neat spherical crown and green or golden foliage, are used in the design of borders, in single and group plantings. Due to winter hardiness, the ability to quickly replenish shoots even in the event of freezing and unpretentiousness, Japanese spirea can be planted to create compact ones.

In the crown of varieties with golden foliage, gardeners often notice powerful shoots with ordinary green foliage. For supporting appearance planting such shoots, like old branches of 5–6 years old, are removed.

But even with annual spring pruning and care, spirea shrubs, of all types and varieties in the photo below, require replacement after 16 or 20 years.

Among the varieties of Japanese spirea, the most in demand are:

Little Princess with a rounded crown about 50-65 cm high, dark green foliage and pink inflorescences, appearing already in June and remaining attractive until August;
Goldflame with a meter-high crown and decorative yellow foliage and medium-sized pink or red flowers;
Golden Princess is a meter tall plant with yellow, like Goldflame, foliage and shield-shaped pink inflorescences;
Macrophylla - a variety of Japanese spirea, characterized by large wrinkled leaves, turning bright yellow by autumn, among which pink flowers collected in small inflorescences are not too noticeable;
Candlelight is a compact dwarf plant with pale yellow foliage that brightens in color by mid-summer when the rose buds open.

Spirea Vangutta (Spiraea x vanhouttei)

This species was obtained by crossing Cantonese and three-lobed spirea plants. Vangutta spirea bushes, growing up to two meters in height and attracting attention due to their beautiful spreading crown, are considered the largest in the family.

The leaves of this species of spirea are dark green, with jagged edges. In autumn, the foliage changes color to red or bright orange.

The mass appearance of snow-white flowers, collected in thyroid semicircular inflorescences, occurs in the second decade of June. And already in August, under favorable conditions, the plant is ready to bloom again. The shade-tolerant and fast-growing Vangutta spirea in the photo begins to bloom actively at the age of three. The plant is perfect for both group and single plantings.

Spiraea Bumalda (Spiraea x bumalda)

The hybrid, artificially bred species was obtained from crossing the white-colored and Japanese spirea, which is similar in appearance, but does not exceed 80 cm in height. The Bumald spirea shrub has upright branching shoots with brightly colored foliage, especially in autumn. Already in mid-August, the leaves become yellow, crimson and scarlet. The brightest autumn foliage at the bushes that are in a sunny area. In summer, from the end of June and for a month and a half, dense pink inflorescences adorn the shrub.

Among the popular varieties of spirea Bumalda:

Anthony Waterer, adorned with bright red flowers throughout the summer and looks great in single plantings, as well as in the organization
Dart's Red is a half-meter tall shrub with erect shoots that produce pink-tinged leaves in spring, turn green in summer and acquire a rich red color in autumn.

Spiraea gray (Spiraea x cinerea)

Spectacular gray spirea is hybrid plant, not found in wild nature. A shrub with a height of one and a half to two meters tall has graceful drooping shoots. During the flowering period, they are strewn with white flowers on corymbose inflorescences. The name of the plant was due to the lanceolate leaves, which have an unusual silver-green color. Flowering begins in mid-May and lasts up to a month and a half.

The fruits on the branches appear in July, but they cannot be used in plant propagation. The hybrid species propagates only by cuttings. And already in the third or fourth year after planting, young bushes of gray spirea begin to bloom.

Nippon Spiraea (Spiraea nipponica)

This type of spirea comes from plants from the Japanese islands. The Nipponian spirea has a spherical crown shape, reaching two meters in diameter. The bush is dense with horizontally directed branches and small oval green leaves. The beginning of flowering occurs at the end of May or in June and lasts about a month. Corymbose, densely covering shoots inflorescences consist of white or yellowish flowers. In this case, unopened buds can be painted in pink or purple.

Nipponian spirea is ideal for single plantings. The plant is not demanding on the soil, but loves well-lit areas.

Halward's Silver is a popular variety among Russian gardeners, about a meter high and with large white inflorescences. Summer residents like tall, up to two meters in height Snowmound with elongated leaves and snow-white flowers.

Douglas Spiraea (Spiraea douglasii)

An unpretentious North American species of spirea forms a one and a half meter bush with pubescent, straight shoots with a red-brown bark. Flowering begins at the age of three, falls in July and continues until autumn.

The leaves of the Douglas spirea are oblong, lanceolate, evenly cover upright shoots, on the tops of which are fluffy pink inflorescences of a narrow pyramidal shape.

Willow spirea (Spiraea salicifolia l.)

The two-meter willow-leaved spirea lives in a number of regions of Siberia, on the European territory of Russia and in the countries of the Far East. In the wild, shrubs with straight shoots covered with red-brown bark are found in swampy areas of river floodplains, along the banks of lakes and forest channels.

The plant has pointed leaves, excised along the edges, reaching a length of 10 cm, and pink or white flowers collected in paniculate or pyramidal inflorescences. Willow spirea bushes tolerate winters well, love moist, loose soils and sufficient lighting. The plant can be propagated by cuttings or seeds. And mass flowering occurs in the fourth year of the life of an ornamental culture.

Billard's spirea (Spiraea x billardii)

Billard's vigorous spreading spirea is a hybrid form, the result of an artificial crossing of the willow spirea and Douglas spirea. The crown, up to 2 meters in diameter, is covered with jagged oblong ten-centimeter leaves, covered on the back with silvery hairs.

The flowers of this spectacular species are bright pink, open in the second half of July. They form panicle inflorescences that adorn the bush until the cold weather, which the spirea easily tolerates. It is easy to propagate the spirea of this species, which does not produce fruits, using cuttings. At the same time, sunny areas with moderately nutritious soil are suitable for planting.

For Billard's spirea is desirable spring pruning, stimulating the emergence of young shoots and the development of new flower buds.

Spiraea Arguta (Spiraea x. arguta)

A tall sprawling shrub 2 meters high with drooping branches, covered with white inflorescences in the form of semicircular caps since May, is one of the early flowering hybrid species of spirea. The buds bloom at the end of May, and until mid-June the Argut spirea is a spectacular sight. From under the mass of flowers, dark green leaves of a lanceolate shape with serrated edges are practically invisible.

Flowering takes place on the branches of the previous year, which are pruned after the inflorescences wither. The best place for Argutta's spirea is the center of a flower garden or a hedge. It is important to take into account the low growth rate of these plants.

The genus Spirea has 90 species distributed in the forest-steppe and semi-desert zone, the subalpine zone of the mountains of the Northern Hemisphere.

Description of spirea

Spirea - deciduous shrubs sometimes exceeding 2 m in height. The shape of the bush is different, there are: weeping, pyramidal, erect, hemispherical, cascading, creeping forms. Types of spirea differ from each other in the shape and color of the leaves, many types of spirea change their green color to yellow, orange or purple-red in autumn.

Most of the various kinds with skillful selection allows you to achieve them continuous flowering from spring to autumn. Spirea are valued for their lush and long flowering.

Spirea flowers small, but numerous, collected in inflorescences of different shapes: corymbose, pyramidal, paniculate and spike-shaped. Some species of spirea have single flowers.

The color of the flowers is also varied - from white to crimson. The decorativeness of spirea is due not only to the diverse arrangement of inflorescences on the shoots, but also to the timing of flowering.

There are species whose inflorescences cover the entire shoot; in other species of spirea, inflorescences are located only on the upper part of the shoots; still some - at the ends of the shoots.

Spireas are divided into 2 groups: spring-flowering spirea and summer-blooming. In spring-flowering, flowering usually occurs on the shoots of the previous year and the flowers are white; summer-flowering ones have red, pink, crimson flowers, and they bloom on the shoots of this year.

Such a division into two groups was also reflected in the agrotechnics of caring for these shrubs; spireas blooming in spring are pruned immediately after flowering, and spireas blooming in summer - only in spring.

The spireas of the first group bloom all together, but not for long, the second group has a stretched bloom.

All spireas are undemanding to the soil, frost-resistant, photophilous, many species are gas-resistant, perfectly tolerate urban conditions. Easily propagated by cuttings, layering, dividing the bush, seeds and shoots. They grow very quickly, begin to bloom for 3 years.

Types and varieties of spirea

A group of spring flowering spireas

Spirea gray

Spiraea gray - a highly branched bush 2 m in height, with felt ribbed shoots. The leaves of gray spirea are gray-green above, they are lighter below, pointed at both ends. Snow-white flowers of gray spirea are collected in loose shields, located along the entire shoot. At the top of the shoots, the inflorescences are sessile, below they are on elongating leafy branches. This spirea blooms in May, and fruits ripen in June.

Gray spirea seeds do not reproduce, because this species is a hybrid. The gray spirea bush is very decorative due to the compactness of the bush and drooping branches, a large number of snow-white inflorescences. This spirea is planted, both as a single bush and in groups. Blooming shoots of gray spirea can be used to make bouquets.

Very interesting Grade "Grefsheim"- A small densely branched shrub with arched drooping branches and narrow leaves. Snow-white, rather large double flowers, collected in dense bunches, are located along the shoots.

Spirea gray is considered winter-hardy.

Spirea arguta

Tall shrub (2 m) with a spreading crown, with narrow, strongly serrated, lanceolate, dark green leaves about 4 cm long. Argut spirea flowers are pure white, 0.8 cm in diameter, in numerous, umbellate inflorescences, densely covering the shoots. Spiraea arguta blooms on the shoots of last year, it must be cut off immediately after flowering. It grows slowly, 20 cm per year.

It is one of the most spectacular spring flowering spireas. Due to the abundance of flowers, the grace of arching thin branches makes an indelible impression near and at a distance. Stable in the city.

Thin sprawling branches of spirea arguta with small narrow green leaves and white flowers in umbellate inflorescences, densely covering the shoots, create a feeling of purity.

Spiraea arguta is beautiful in a single planting, in compositions with shrubs, it can also be used for hedges. Blooms annually. Photophilous. This spirea is able to tolerate a slight dryness of the soil. Seeds are not similar, as it is a hybrid.

Spirea Vangutta

Spirea Vangutta impresses with its large size. The height and diameter of its crown reach up to 2 m. It differs from representatives of this genus in spreading, downward-curving branches, forming a very beautiful "cascading" crown shape. Its leaves are 3.5 cm long, toothed, 5-lobed, obovate, green above, dull gray below, glabrous.

Spirea Vangutta flowers in dense, multiple, hemispherical inflorescences, pure white, densely covering the entire shoot. Flowering lasts several weeks. Spirea Vangutta sometimes has a secondary bloom in August, however, it is no longer so abundant. Beautiful spirea Vangutta and its foliage. Its fruits ripen by October. Blooming starts at 3 years old.

Spirea Vangutta grows rapidly, shade-tolerant, unpretentious. But prefers sunny places and well-drained soils. Frost-resistant, sometimes the ends of the shoots freeze, which need to be cut in the spring.

Spirea Vangutta is spectacular in single plantings, in groups, low hedges, when creating large flower beds. It fits perfectly into the landscape with pines, spruces, firs, especially on the banks of reservoirs and streams. Well cuttings.

Spiraea hornate

Grows in the southeast of Russia and Western Europe, in the Caucasus, Altai, northern Central Asia. It grows in the zone of meadow, shrub steppes, observed on rocky mountain slopes in thickets of shrubs. Protected in nature reserves.

Spiraea gornate is a low shrub, about 1 m, with a loose crown, oblong or obovate, 3.5 cm in length, grayish-green leaves. It is very easy to identify the spirea crenate by the crenate edge of the leaf and the presence of three veins protruding from below.

The flowers of this spirea are white with a yellow tint, collected in wide corymbose inflorescences, sitting on short, leafy twigs. Flowering time is about 20 days. The spirea bears fruit in July.

It is drought and frost resistant, gives abundant root shoots, can tolerate insufficient soil moisture, grows in partial shade, but develops better in good light.

In horticulture, spirea crenate is not common. Used in parks, groups, edges and forest parks. It has hybrid forms.

Spirea oak-leaved

Oak-leaved spirea grows from of Eastern Europe, and ends with the Far East. It grows on rocky slopes, in mountain forests.

Upright shrub 2 m tall, with long shoots, under the weight of their inflorescences, they gracefully bend to the ground, with a beautiful, dense crown, rounded.

The leaves are thin-petiolate, oblong-ovate, 5 cm long, pointed, twice coarsely serrated along the edge, green above, they are gray below. White flowers 1.5 cm in diameter in hemispherical inflorescences; oak-leaved spirea blooms in early May for about 25 days.

Gas and frost resistant. Tolerates some shade. In autumn, the foliage turns into a uniform, yellow. Oak-leaved spirea propagates by seeds, cuttings, dividing the bush.

Excellent for cutting, it is used for hedges. This spirea is valued for its lush blooms and graceful foliage.

Spiraea nipponica

This spirea comes from Japan, where it grows on the island of Hondo.

Shrub 2 m tall, with a spherical crown, branches horizontally directed; top with crenate, sometimes entire marginal, green leaves 5 cm long, retaining a green color until late autumn.

Begins to bloom in early June, duration 15-25 days. Nipponian spirea buds are purple, flowers are yellowish-green, in corymbose inflorescences, very densely covering the shoots.

She's different abundant flowering and compact crown structure. Effective in single plantings. Photophilous. The richness of the soil is not demanding. Nippon spirea propagates by seeds, cuttings, and also by dividing the bush.

Has 2 decorative forms: round-leaved - in addition to the shape of the foliage, it is distinguished by the powerful size of the bush and large inflorescences; narrow-leaved - with narrow leaves and small, numerous flowers. In the European part, 2 varieties are popular.

Spirea Nipponskaya "Halward" s Silver "- a bush whose height is 1 m, the foliage is dark green. Nippon spirea "Halware Silver" flowers are white in large convex inflorescences, bloom in June.

Spirea Nipponskaya "Snowmound" - a bush 2 m high. The crown is dense, the branches are gracefully curved. The leaves of the Nippon spirea "Snowmound" are dark green, elongated. The flowers are snow-white, collected in corymbose inflorescences, open in June.

Spirea average

In nature, it grows in Russia, in the south of Siberia, Central Asia and the Far East. Grows in thickets of bushes, on dry slopes.

Spiraea medium is a branchy shrub with a rounded crown and bright green leaves. Spirea medium shoots are round, brownish with flaky bark. The flowers are white, in corymbose inflorescences. It begins to bloom in May for about 15 days. Begins to bear fruit at 3 years of age.

It is frost-resistant, transfers shading. Spiraea medium is easy to propagate due to its abundant root offspring. Perfectly tolerates transplantation, haircut, used in single, group plantings.

Spirea Thunberg

AT natural conditions grows in China, Korea, Japan. Her favorite places are mountain slopes, valleys, which during the flowering period look covered with a continuous snow cover.

Spiraea Thunberg is a low bush, reaching a height of 1.5 m in nature. In culture in middle lane does not reach such sizes, but densely branches. Its dense leaves are 4 cm long.

Thanks to these graceful leaves, Thunberg's spirea is very decorative, especially when you consider that in the autumn they turn orange.

In summer they are bright green. Inflorescences of spirea Thunberg sessile umbrellas at the base with a rosette small leaves, they consist of small white flowers appearing in May. Flowering ends in June.

The fruits of this spirea ripen quickly. Spirea Thunberg begins to bloom and bear fruit at the age of 3 years.

This shrub propagates by seeds and cuttings. In cold winters, the shoots freeze a little. Spiraea Thunberg is a profusely flowering shrub, the first flowering time. Prefers sunny places.

A group of summer flowering spireas

In summer-flowering spirea, inflorescences are completed by young shoots of this year. The following year, spirea inflorescences reappear at the ends of young shoots, and the old tops dry up.

Japanese spirea

Distributed in Japan, China.

Japanese spirea - a beautiful bush with felt-pubescent shoots, then naked; oblong-ovate leaves, green above, bluish below, when blooming with a red tint, in autumn - a spectacular variety of colors. It blooms all summer with pink-red flowers collected in corymbose-paniculate inflorescences.

Flowering time 45 days. Used widely to create flowering groups, hedges. as well as borders.

In the spring season, all varieties of Japanese spirea must be cut, leaving shoots 25 cm high from the soil level. Golden-leaved forms of Japanese spirea are prone to the appearance of shoots with green leaves.

They stand out against the background of yellow spireas not only for their color, but also for their powerful growth. All of them should be removed.

The Japanese spirea has many garden forms that differ in the height of the bush, the color of the flowers and the size of the leaf blade. The most common spireas:

Japanese « Little princesses"("Little Princess") - bush 0.6 m tall, crown is round, compact, leaves are dark green, elliptical, pink flowers, collected in corymbose inflorescences.

The Japanese spirea "Little Princess" begins to bloom in June-July. Grows very slowly. Looks good in single plantings, edges, groups, hedges.

Spiraea Japanese "Shirobana"- is low bush 0.8 m high. The leaves are dark green narrow-lanceolate, 2 cm long. The color of the flowers of the Japanese spirea "Shirobana" varies from white to bright pink, sometimes red.

Blooms in July - August. Japanese spirea "Shirobana" can successfully decorate a rock garden and a low border, various compositions with conifers, as well as other shrubs.

« macrophylla» ( "Macrophylla") - 1.3 m high. It is distinguished by large, 20 cm long and 10 cm wide, swollen wrinkled leaves, when blooming they are purple-red, then green, and in autumn they become golden yellow.

If, when the buds open, cut off the Macrofill spirea to 7 cm from the soil level, then the growing young shoots will have a bright color at the top all summer. Spirea "Macrofilla" is one of the best spirea. Among the variegated foliage, its pink flowers in small inflorescences are lost. Spirea "Macrophylla" blooms from the end of July to the end of August.

Spirea "Candlelight"- dwarf compact dense bush with leaves of a creamy yellow color. Their color becomes saturated and goes well with pink flowers appearing in the middle of summer.

Spirea "Candlelight" does not form shoots with the usual green leaf color.

Spirea "Goldflame"- dense shrub 1 m tall, with orange-yellow leaves. Then they turn bright yellow, then yellow-green.

Spirea "Goldflame" has orange leaves in autumn. Sometimes variegated leaves appear on the shrub. The flowers of the spirea "Goldflame" are small pink-red.

Spirea "Golden Princess"- shrub 1 m in height, with yellow leaves and pink flowers.

Spiraea "Gold Mound"- dwarf, 0.25 m tall, bush with bright golden yellow foliage and small inflorescences of pink flowers, appearing in mid-July.

Spirea white

Under natural conditions, white spirea is common in North America. In Russia, it is often found in the Asian and European parts.

Bush with ribbed, pubescent red-brown shoots and pointed serrated leaves at the ends, reaching 7 cm in length, 2 cm in width. White flowers are collected in pyramidal, loose, pubescent inflorescences-panicles about 6-15 cm long with almost horizontally deviating branches, appearing at the ends of the shoots of the current year.

White spirea blooms annually, from July to August. Its fruits ripen in October.

Spirea breeds white seeded and cuttings. Due to its beautiful inflorescences, late and long flowering, white spirea is used for planting in groups, single bushes, in hedges. Quite a moisture-loving shrub.

Spirea birch leaf

Under natural conditions, birch-leaved spirea grows in the Far East, Siberia, Korea and Japan. It grows in mixed and coniferous forests, on rocky mountain slopes.

The birch-leaved spirea got its name due to the similarity of its leaves with the leaves of our beloved birch. Indeed, the leaves of the birch-leaved spirea are elliptical or broadly ovate with a wedge-shaped base, green.

Birch-leaved spirea is a low (60 cm) shrub with a dense spherical crown and ribbed, sometimes zigzag-curved shoots. In spring, the leaves appear in mid-April, and fall off at the end of October.

In autumn, the leaves of the birch-leaved spirea acquire a bright yellow color. Flowering occurs in June. Its inflorescences are dense, corymbose, sometimes convex panicles of a large number white or slightly pinkish flowers. Blooms from 4 years. Its fruits ripen only in October.

Spiraea birch-leaved shade-tolerant, but blooms more abundantly in sunny places, on moist soils. Quite winter-hardy, shelter does not require. Pruning shoots should be carried out in early spring. Shorten the shoots to a well-developed bud. Birch leaf spirea propagates spring sowing unstratified seeds.

Birch leaf spirea is planted mixed or pure with other types of spirea. It is suitable for creating edges in tall groups of trees and shrubs, for rockeries.

Spirea Billard

Billard's spirea is a hybrid between Willow's spirea and Douglas' spirea. This species is found from Arkhangelsk to Central Asia and the Caucasus in the south.

Billard's spirea grows as a shrub with spreading branches, 2 m in height. Broadly lanceolate leaves 10 cm long from the base are acute or double-serrated, they are grayish-felt below.

Bright pink flowers of Billard's spirea are collected in dense pyramidal, narrow, paniculate inflorescences, sometimes strongly branched, felt-pubescent. Billard's spirea blooms in late July until frost. The fruits are not tied.

Billard's spirea is frost-resistant. Easily propagated by cuttings. Shade tolerant, but better flowering reaches in sunny places. Billard's spirea is used for hedges of medium height, also planted in groups and single bushes.

In order to get a more powerful bush, pruning of shoots is recommended in early spring. Early pruning of Billard's spirea stimulates the appearance of young shoots that bloom in the same year.

Billard's spirea "Triumphans" ("Triumphans") is a tall bush, reaches 2.5 m. In Billard's spirea "Triumphans" purple-pink spicate inflorescences 20 cm in height crown its shoots with oblong-lanceolate leaves. Her young shoots are green at first, then reddish-brown, pubescent, and the old ones are ribbed, bare.

The shoots of this spirea are short-lived, gradually dry out. Until the age of 4, it is better not to cut off Billard's spirea. During this period, it gains strength, grows with the help of its root offspring. By the age of 6, the shrub loses its shape, and pruning is simply necessary, it allows you to restore its decorative effect.

Spiraea Bumalda

Spirea Bumalda is a hybrid between white-flowered spirea and Japanese spirea.

Low bush, 75 cm tall, with upright branches and a spherical crown. Bumald's spirea has bare, slightly ribbed shoots. Leaves 8 cm long, glabrous, ovate-lanceolate, sharply biserrate. The color of the flowers of this spirea varies from soft pink to deep pink.

It blooms almost all summer, about 50 days. Spirea Bumalda is a very beautiful hybrid with highly variable characteristics, sometimes even difficult to distinguish from Japanese spirea, as a rule, lower than it and with ribbed shoots.

At the age of three, Bumald's spirea begins to bloom and bear fruit. The fruits ripen in October.

"Anthony Waterer"("Anthony Waterer") - a bush with narrow leaves and bright red flowers. Flowering, spirea Boumald "Anthony Waterer" lasts 100 days, coincides with the flowering of paniculate hydrangea, very spectacular groups are obtained when they are planted together.

"Darts Red"- 0.5 m high. Spirea "Darts Red" grows straight up. Its leaves are lanceolate, when blooming they are pinkish, then dark green, in autumn they are red.

It begins to bloom in July and ends in September with ruby-red or crimson flowers, in corymbose inflorescences. Spiraea "Darts Red" is decorative from spring to autumn.

Also known forms:

"Fröbel"(Froebelii) - a shrub with purple leaves in autumn and spring, carnation-pink flowers in large inflorescences about 12 cm in diameter, the flowering of the Froebel spirea lasts 50 days. Bright inflorescences look beautiful not only in the garden, but also in a bouquet.

Differs in the large sizes and a compact structure.

"Curly" ("Crispa") - a low shrub, 0.5 m. The shoots are brown, striped, pubescent. The leaves are wine-red when blooming, then turning green, with a wavy-curling edge. The flowers of the Crispa spirea are purple in corymbose panicles.

Begins to bloom from late July to August. Spiraea "Crispa" is suitable for a romantic garden.

Douglas spirea

Grows in North America.

This spirea is an upright shrub, with red-brown, straight, pubescent shoots. The leaves of the Douglas spirea are oblong-lanceolate, gray-felt below, to the middle they are entire, unequal-toothed above.

The flowers of this spirea are pink, in dense narrow pyramidal, paniculate, apical inflorescences. The duration of flowering of Douglas spirea is 45 days.

Blooms in July. Its fruits begin to ripen in September. Spiraea Douglas begins to bloom from 3 years. It propagates by seeds and cuttings.

Douglas spirea with hot pink flowers and silvery foliage is of particular value for green building. Very effective in groups and along park roads.

Spirea willow

In nature, it grows in Siberia, Europe, North America, Japan and China. It grows in thickets of shrubs near lakes, along river floodplains, in sedge bogs.

Willow spirea - upright shrub about 2 m tall, with reddish-yellow shoots; elongated-lanceolate, pointed leaves, sharply serrate from the base, ciliated or bare along the edge, they are dark green above, lighter below.

White or pink flowers on short yellow-pubescent peduncles are collected in pyramidal or cylindrical panicles 20 cm long.

Spirea willow is frost-resistant, develops better on fresh, moist soils. Propagated by seeds and cuttings. It starts blooming at 4 years old.

Spirea is a genus of deciduous ornamental shrubs of the Rose family. They are found in the forest, forest-steppe and semi-deserts, as well as mountainous regions in the north. In the Asian part, one of the borders runs along the Himalayas, the other - through the territory of Mexico.

There are about 100 varieties of spirea. Some of them are resistant to frost, tolerate drought and need quality soil. Reproduction occurs by cuttings, division of bushes, as well as growing from seeds.

Description of spirea

Spireas are different great variety shapes and colors depending on the type and variety of the bush. Some specimens tend to change color from one to another closer to autumn. Height certain types may exceed 2 m.

The flowering of spring varieties is short, in summer species it is longer and more massive. The first flowering occurs in the 3rd year of the plant's life, and this may be the opening of only a few buds.

The range of uses of plants is very diverse. They are used for medicinal purposes, forestry, landscape design. The root system of plants perfectly strengthens the soil.

All spireas can be divided into two large groups:

A group of spring flowering spireas.
A group of summer flowering spireas.

Spring-flowering spireas: characteristics of varieties

The category includes representatives of spirea, the flowering of which occurs in spring or at the very beginning of summer. In these varieties, the buds are laid on last year's branches. Therefore, shrubs should be cut only after the culture has completely faded.

Spirea gray

hybrid shrub. Released in the middle of the 20th century. It has a branched structure with felt shoots. About 2 m high.

The leaves of the shrub are pointed, grayish-green in color and slightly lighter in places. Flowers of a snow-white color are collected in shields. At the top of the shoot, the inflorescences are sessile, a little further - on long deciduous branches. Flowering can begin in May, and by the end of June the spirea is already ripe. In size, gray spirea is a very compact shrub due to falling branches with snow-white flowers. Suitable as a single or group planting. Flowering shoots look great in decorative bouquets.

Attention! Reproduction of hybrid species of shrubs by seeds is impossible. Shoots do not inherit the characteristics of the mother bush.

The most popular variety of this species is Grefsheim, a compact shrub with lowered branches that look like arches. The narrow-leaved flowers are terry, white. They gather in dense inflorescences located along the stems.

It is a wintering species.

Spirea arguta

The second name of the species is sharp-toothed spirea. It is a hybrid species of spirea thunberg and many-flowered. Arguta is an early spirea that blooms first. Differs in special decorative effect and powerful flowering. After flowering, the garden turns into a beautiful openwork carpet. Height is approximately 1.5–2 m. It has a large crown, graceful branches and narrow leaves of a rich greenish color.

Flowering is plentiful, begins in May and lasts quite a long time. Arguta flowers are snow-white, collected in inflorescences.

Compacta is a variety of Arguta spirea, which was bred in Germany in the 19th century. Is a shrub. Its height and circumference is 1.5 m. Distinctive features- long growth and instability to frost.

Spirea Vangutta

A shrub that belongs to the profusely flowering spireas on last year's branches. The height of the spirea is not more than 2 m. Flowering occurs in late May or early June. Flowers of white color are collected in brushes in the form of umbrellas. The color of the leaves is very unusual - blue-green.

They look great in single plantings, as a hedge, as well as in combination with other shrubs or trees. Original compositions are obtained from the Vargutta spirea with maples and conifers.

Attention. Spirea Vangutta is the only spirea of the genus that has chosen limestone soils.

Vargutta's famous variety is Pink Ice (Catpan). Flowers on the tops of cream-colored shoots. The leaves are light green in color, gradually turning into cream-colored spots.

The variety is winter-hardy, but in the meantime, the tips of the shoots may freeze in young growth.

Spiraea hornate

Distributed in the southern latitudes of Russia, Western Europe, the Caucasus and Altai. It grows in steppe meadows, as well as in mountainous areas.

The height of the shrub is not more than 1 m, has a loose top. Its leaves are oblong about 4 cm long, greenish-gray in color. It is the three-veined leaves that are identification marks spirea city.

The flowers are white-yellow, collected in corymbs. The branches are short, leafy.

Flowering begins in June and lasts about 3 weeks. Fruiting occurs only in July.

Spiraea gornate is not afraid of frost or drought, its root system is very developed. Good lighting- a pledge of abundant flowering. It occurs mainly in nature, is used in the forest-park landscape. It has hybrid varieties.

Spirea oak-leaved

Distributed in Siberia, Europe and Central Asia. A small shrub, its height is about 2 m. The leaves are bright, green in color, their length is 3.5–4 cm, they have pronounced tooth outlines. In autumn, the foliage turns yellow-orange.

Flowers white, heavy. Under their weight, the branches bend to the ground. Blooms during May. The average period is 3 weeks. Shade-tolerant plant, not afraid of cold weather and lack of moisture.

Advice. This type of spirea is successfully used in landscape design as a hedge. This species can be sheared, thereby achieving the desired shape of the shrub.