When and how should I prune Neon Flash spirea?
esther_b
10 years ago
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
10 years agoRelated Discussions
Pruning Spirea
Comments (9)A lawn mower works! (That's the old Spirea joke at nurseries. We used to say they're so tough you can run them over with a lawn mower and they'd never look better!). This would be for the smaller forms that is. And you can prune them whenever you wish. These shrubs are as bullet proof as a shrub gets. I hack a family members plants at about 6" tall and continue hacking in a circular fashion to the width/diameter I desire. Dax...See MoreSpirea Pruning
Comments (6)I remember reading somewhat that because Bridalwreath spirea has long arching branches (if you do trim) it's best to remove some of the older branches completely. That is, if you cut off some of the branches only halfway, you will lose that 'arching' look. I had a Bridalwreath years ago but didn't let it grow to it's full potential because I removed it to build the deck. It was sort of neat - it tolerated a mostly shady spot, but the leaves grew bigger in the shade than the plant I had in the sun (I guess it was trying to get more light). Glen...See MorePruning spirea?
Comments (21)Ordinarily, you can cut back any odd branch whenever you find it. However, these are tiny, so I would leave everything as is. If we have a winter like last year, the more branches you have, the more the crown will be protected. If you look at them closely, you will find the old wood that has grown previously at the nursery before they got to your yard. It is usually a grayish color while the newer wood is reddish-brown. Do not prune it now as that will encourage new growth which you do not want going into winter. Wait until spring and then prune. I would give a light pruning as they are very young plants. The nice thing about spireas is they are great growers and very forgiving of awkward pruning. (Last winter, there was a small fire in my daughter's landscaping. One of her spireas was burned to a crisp. It came up just fine in the spring!) I think you will be surprised at how quickly they grow into their expected height and shape. Linda...See MoreSpirea pruning
Comments (17)I agree that they are very tough plants. Mine catch the blowing oak leaves and need serious grooming in very early spring. I remove any dead branches then too. Since this needs to be done early so as not to cut off too much of the beautiful new growth, and they are not a plus in the winter landscape, I wonder if I should/ could just cut them way back in the fall. I am in zone 6a....See Morebrandon7 TN_zone7
10 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years agowhaas_5a
10 years agobrandon7 TN_zone7
10 years agoesther_b
10 years ago
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5