Beware Japanese Spirea
sam_md
4 years ago
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dbarron
4 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agoRelated Discussions
Seattle Japanese Garden pics (dialup users beware)
Comments (4)While we are talking about the Seattle Japanese Garden, a friend of mine has gotten into photography and he has a few pictures up on his website. Some of his other galleries have cool pictures as well. It is a "commercial" site but I think it is more of a hobby for him. And no...not Rob Jordan the author whose real name is not Rob Jordan anyway. - Brent Here is a link that might be useful: Seattle Japanese Garden gallery...See Morepruning Am. Beautyberry and Blue Mist Spirea
Comments (5)I trim my Blue Spirea, which is NOT the same family as Japanese Spriea. I just trim my Blue Spirea back to even it up on top, remove winter killed tips. I don't do much trimming of the woody stems, except to open the center a bit for air movement. My Blue takes a long time to get woody growth, so I don't want it removed. I am going to trim a few stems at the bottom to open up bush center, then even the top tips for height, on the American Beautybush. It blooms on old wood, so I try not to remove much from bush. I do want to allow total stick length, of all sticks, to get sunshine and flower, for the most berry appearance in fall. I shear my Japanese Spirea early, just as the buds are starting to break open. Don't wait for leaves to grow. I cut my Japanese down to about 8 inches high, flat on top. Cutting too late makes bush waste a lot of energy putting out new leaves that you will be cutting off. I do thin to remove some of the old center sticks of Japanese Spirea to the ground, for keeping bush open, airy. Shearing tops flat, causes the sticks to put out new leaf growth entire stick length. New tops with soft branching spread well, which is where the flowers appear. Causes bigger flower flush. The new leaves also have a LOT of great color, making bush a focal spot before they bloom pink. I get all new growth on top, good spreading branches, so bush is back to original height by fall. All three of these bushes are trimmed early Spring, before leaves get any size to them. This preserves stored bush energy. Bush needs the stored energy to put on new leaves and replacement growth that bush will be able to keep and use. My bushes are on the "to be whacked", list this week. It's time, here in mid-Michigan....See MoreLittle Princess Spirea
Comments (2)I think you are talking about the little Japanese spirea, which get the pink flowers, stay about 30" tall. If so, you can prune these sharply each spring. I try to cut mine before leaf buds get going to save plant's energy for regrowth. You can still cut them if leaves have started, just remove less stick. I take off about 6 inches, but mine have no leaves when trimmed. If the leaves are bigger than your fingernail, I would only take 3-4 inches off. Take out any dead sticks, thin out the middle area. This lets air move around more easily, preventing problems and dead stick (no leaves) centers in bush. I find my Japanese spireas bloom very well with this program. I also get real good color in the leaves, with bush being quite thick all season. I have the Lime and Gold Mound bushes in two locations for their color. Pruning seems to aid color intensity as well....See MoreSpirea damage - drought?
Comments (3)My spirea look the same and I do believe it is from the drought last summer. Most of my other shrubs that survived also suffered damage. Two young Japanese red maples did not survive the drought, although the two older ones came through just fine. Very few of my perennial flowers came back this year even though I watered faithfully. SOOOOO heartbreaking to look at the bare ground and think of all the work that went into it. Lyn in Portsmouth...See Moredbarron
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoSkip1909
4 years agoarbordave (SE MI)
4 years agoJay 6a Chicago
4 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoarbordave (SE MI)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoJay 6a Chicago
4 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoarbordave (SE MI)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agoTim Wood
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agoTim Wood
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoJay 6a Chicago
4 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agoarbordave (SE MI)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoTim Wood
4 years ago
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sam_mdOriginal Author