Annie, what kind of spirea are you looking for? I have the solid green that I know I have some babies and the variegated green and white that I'd have to check. I'm afraid the drought down here has taken it's toll on a lot of plants, shrubs and trees. The spirea I have is a shrub that people use to make a hedge. Just want to make sure that's what you want as plants are called by different names in different areas. :O) Thanks Lynn

Yes, the variegated looses it's color through the season so even though it looked like all green when you harvested it, you got the versicolor. The white is strongest when youngest. I am not sure if it is supposed to be less hardy than non-variegated but it does just fine here in SE Kansas. I guess most of the variegated in my town is somewhat protected and grown as a specimine stand but it doesn't seem to have any more problem than the plain green.

Arundo donax 'Variegata' is a really attractive grass. I'm surprised though that the variegated reed got as tall as 16'. Usually the variegated is much shorter than the species, more like 8 to 10'. Being in zone 6, this grass does not pose a threat as an invasive, like it would in southern CA or similar. It won't even set seed where you are. The concern you'd have would just be where to place it in the bed and will it crowd out other plants. I'd actually say you have more concern with the Phalaris than with the Arundo. I've found that the Arundo, even though it grows from Rhizomes, maintains a tight enough clump to control. It also is very easy to dig out strays, although you'll want to cut back the rhizome all the way to the source or it'll just root again. The phalaris will eventually grow into the carex and crowd them out. Since it's a very surface spreader, you can contain it with edging and barriers. They won't self-sow, so it's all a matter of maintaining it within the bed. If you're persistant, you can keep it only where you want it, but creating barriers will be so much easier. Or place the phalaris in a container amongst the arundo. Same effect, just easier to control.

I am guessing that the Variegated Reed grass you are referring to is Calamagrostis 'Overdam' or 'Avalanche'. The Phalaris (ribbon grass) spreads underground. Pull up some of the outside leaves and see how they connect to the parent. If you can't pull them up because they are too close, then its probably the nicely behaved Calamagrostis. If you can tell its a traveller, then you have the very poorly behaved ribbon grass. Also, I think that ribbon grass is more white than green and the Calamagrostis 'Overdam' is more green than white. Phalaris started blooming awhile ago and the tips of the leaves are often pink. The blooms of Calamagrostis are just starting to push their way up out of the foliage. Go to Google Images for a easy way to find pictures of both.