Spirea Grefshame, whose photo resembles a salute in some way, is a sprawling and densely branched bush. During flowering, it is literally strewn with small white buds. The popular name of this plant is “bride”, while the scientific name is the gray spirea Grefshaym.
Description
This decorative bush looks beautiful not only during its flowering. Its smoothly curving branches have a reddish hue and give it a spherical shape. And in combination with leaves that are painted in bright yellow color, indescribable beauty and contrast are created. Adult spiraea Grefshaym, planting and care of which are carried out correctly, can reach two meters in height.
The main difference between the species and other representatives of the genus is its dense leaves, having a fluffy outer side and a dusty green color, as if powdered with ash. Apparently, for this reason, this type of spirea is often called sulfur.
And although the height of the bush rarely exceeds two meters, the breadth of Grefshame spirea, the care of which does not require special efforts, will grow well if you create suitable conditions for it. However, most gardeners regularly prune the plant. Spirea Grefshame, whose photo after regular processing will resemble a sprawling fountain due to its reddish-brown branches and a sprawling crown, attracts attention almost immediately on the site.
Features
The flowers of its inflorescences are arranged in the form of a brush. They are medium in size and evenly spaced throughout the branch, thus creating a garland effect.
Spirea is able to grow on any soil, under the sun or in partial shade. This shrub is a true long-liver. When creating suitable conditions for its growth, he will delight the owner of the site in one place for more than thirty years. Judging by the reviews of gardeners, the plant can withstand a complete shadow. True, this reduces the number of inflorescences that gives Spiraea Grefshaym.
Landing
And care for this plant, and its reproduction practically does not cause difficulties. For planting, you need to choose a sunny place, because in the shade the culture will develop more slowly. At the same time, soil nutrition should be taken care of. However, there are few requirements for the substrate. The soil can be any: alkaline, acidic, but not overdried. It is most correct to plant Grefshame’s spiraea in the fall, when the trees have already got rid of the leaves, although some gardeners place the plant in the ground and in the spring - before the buds open.
Breeding
Spirea Grefshaym today is often found in Russian gardens. The plant propagates in three ways: cuttings, seeds and layering. The first method is the easiest and therefore the most common. Young, already strong shoots are separated from the bush, which are divided into ten-centimeter fragments and immediately planted in soil or in containers. Cuttings root quickly enough: in shoots planted in July, by the fall there is already a sufficiently developed root system.
At the same time, it is necessary to harvest planting material only after the flowering of the bush is completely over. Young, almost green cuttings are not suitable for rooting. Fragments are taken from an already lignified escape. Grefshame propagates by layering of spirea in the spring, when the leaves already have time to bloom. To do this, the extreme branches, completely lowered to the ground, are fixed, and then solidly watered all summer. Layers are separated by autumn or the next spring.
Planting material is planted at a distance of twenty centimeters from each other. At this time, the soil should not be allowed to dry, therefore, until the final development of the root system, the issue of moisture remains relevant.
Care
Spirea Grefshaym, landing on a permanent place in the spring or autumn, is undemanding. Caring for it comes down to the usual actions: watering, covering and pruning. The first point, to the delight of gardeners, for spirea can be irregular. The plant needs abundant watering only in the drought season, when the soil, excessively dry, becomes critical for this beauty.
It is not necessary to cover the culture, as it is quite frost-resistant. But spirea Grefshaym has one feature: she is afraid of sudden temperature extremes. Therefore, for the purpose of prevention, gardeners still cover the plant, laying a thick layer of leaves at its roots.
Pruning
This process is considered one of the most important components in the care of Grefshame spirea. The bush is easy to cut, so you can give it almost any shape. In addition, pruning contributes to the most abundant flowering of the plant in the next year.
Lighten the bush in the summer. In young bushes, faded shoots are cut to strong buds, while weak shoots are completely eliminated. In adult plants, a quarter of the shoot is removed from its base, and the rest are simply shortened.
Spirea Grefshaym belongs to light-loving shrubs, but it also tolerates partial shade. The plant feels good on all soils, but gardeners recommend still giving preference to slightly acidic soil. Before flowering, spirea requires fertilizer with a complex mineral composition. The following top dressing is best done with phosphorus-potassium mixtures.
Spirea Grefshame practically does not suffer from anything and is almost not attacked by insects. That's why caring for this crop is not a heavy duty, but light, pleasant chores, for which this plant will thank the owner for its beauty and longevity.
Use in landscape design
Spirea Grefshaym, planting and care of which from the gardener does not require special knowledge or skills, is considered a real find for decorating large garden plots. In landscape design, according to experts, other plants perfectly emphasize the beauty of Spirea Grefshame, creating a peculiar background for this culture. The plant can serve as a decorative hedge in the areas. In this case, in addition to the aesthetic pleasure of the owners, it will serve as a protector from dust.
A personal plot may look original, on which it will be possible to successfully combine several different types of this culture at once. It can perfectly complement the snow-white and spring-blooming "bride" of Japanese spirea, which produces bright pink or red inflorescences in the summer. The bush also feels very good in the group of other plants collected in mixborders. With such a landing, the infield will be framed with flowers throughout the season.