Today, there are over 90 species of flowering spirea worldwide. They differ in terms of flowering, growth, coloring of leaves and flowers.
Spirea have dwarf varieties that grow by only 20 cm. These include the Golden Carpet and Japanese Dwarf varieties. And there are two-meter giants: gray, wangutta, loosestrife, sleazy. Decorative deciduous shrub - this is how spirea is characterized. The types of its branches are different. They can be spreading, rising, erect and lying. Plants lend themselves well to molding, and in case of damage they are quickly restored.
The decorativeness of these shrubs is due to prolonged and plentiful flowering. In addition, in spirea species differ in the arrangement of inflorescences. There are shoots completely covered with flowers, for example spiky spiky. There are shoots with inflorescences only on the upper part - bumalda. But some species of Japanese spirea (varieties "Shirobana", "Goldflame", "LittlePrincess") have inflorescences at the ends of the shoots. By flowering time, they are divided into summer and spring flowering. In the latter, flowering occurs on branches formed in the current year. Spring-flowering form inflorescences on the shoots of last year.
Caring for these shrubs is quite simple. They love sunny places and fertile soil. During flowering, they need watering. It is advisable to loosen the soil around them and mulch with compost. What else does a spirea need? Pruning is one of the obligatory agricultural activities for summer-flowering species. It is held in early spring, when the leaves are just beginning to unfold. The height of the stumps (10-20 cm) depends on the height of the plant itself. The higher the bush, the more stumps. But spring-flowering species are not pruned. Only the necessary pruning can be carried out on them: damaged, dried up branches and spoiling the general appearance of the bush are removed.
Spirea - varieties and types of spring flowering
"Argut" (sharp-serrated species) - has a wide, spreading shape. For its abundant flowering, it was nicknamed "May Foam." It grows quickly, has pure white flowers in umbellate inflorescences.
Gray Spirea (grade "Grefsheim") is a picturesque shrub with beautiful arched, drooping branches that are completely covered with snow-white tassels of inflorescences. The bush is compact and more winter-hardy than the previous variety.
Spirea - varieties and types of summer flowering
Species of oak-leaved spirea - an erect two-meter shrub. The flowers are white, collected in inflorescences of 10-20 pcs. Flowering occurs in the first half of summer. In autumn, the leaves of this plant become almost orange in color, which gives a special decorative effect to the garden.
Species of white spirea - a two-meter bush, blooming throughout July. Has white heavily pubic panicles of inflorescences, which have a wide base.
A species of Japanese spirea is a bush that grows up to 1.5 m high. At the end of each shoot a seven-centimeter panicle with many pink flowers is formed. It begins to bloom from mid-July and delights with an abundant number of inflorescences right up to the frosts.
Japanese Spirea of the Goldflame variety is a low (0.8 m) dense shrub. Young leaves have a yellow-orange color, which then turns yellow-green, and by the fall acquires a copper-orange color. The flowers in this variety are pink-red, small.
Japanese Spirea, Macrophylla, is one of the most decorative varieties. Has small inflorescences of red color. But his leaves reach 15 cm and in the fall become bright red. Dwarf variety "JapanessDwarf" - has the shape of a slightly flattened ball. Each shoot ends with corymbose inflorescences of pink color. Abundant flowering lasts from June to July.
Species of loosestrife is a two-meter graceful shrub. It has large leaves of soft green color and soft pink panicle inflorescences. Flowering continues from May to July.