Types and varieties of spirea

Perhaps not a single owner of a personal plot wants anything to grow there. Everyone seeks to decorate and refine their living area by planting beautiful trees and shrubs. One of these plants - spirea - will be discussed today.

Spirea is a deciduous shrub that grows up to 2 meters in height. Has an extensive species diversity. The flowers of the plant are small, collected in inflorescences. Each flower has 5 rounded petals, slightly wavy at the edge. Their color varies from snow-white to bright crimson, depending on the varietal affiliation of the bush.

All spireas are divided into 2 large groups: those that bloom in spring (on the shoots of last year, from May to June), and those that bloom in the summer (on young shoots of the current year, flowering begins in mid-summer and ends in autumn).

Now let's take a closer look at the most popular varieties of spirea.

Spiraea Prunifolia is a very attractive spring flowering cultivar. Its white double flowers with yellow cores are collected in globular inflorescences of 3-6 pieces each. The shrub grows up to 2 meters high. The branches are thin, bend well. Leaflets are ovate, oblong, herbaceous green, slightly pubescent from the inside; in autumn, they are painted in a red or reddish-brown hue.

Spiraea Salicifolia is a flowering shrub up to 2 meters in height. It is called willow leaf due to the shape of the leaf: pointed, elongated (up to 10 cm). The branches of Spiraea Salicifolia grow upward.

This variety is especially appreciated for its beautiful flowering: small flowers gather in paniculate cone-shaped inflorescences and amaze with a variety of shades (snow-white, bright pink, lilac, wine-red).

Spiraea Trilobata L. can reach 1.2 meters in height. Has a spherical or domed compact crown, very thickened. There are many branches, they grow up and to the sides. The leaves are small (from 1.5 to 3 cm), slightly resembling in shape a three- or five-fingered rounded “foot” with pointed edges of “fingers”. When they bloom, they have a yellow tint, gradually turning into grassy green above and bluish green “from the inside out”; turn golden in autumn.

Spiraea Media Schmidt can reach up to 2 meters in height. Has a rounded crown, branches grow upward. Leaflets are 2.5–5 cm long, ellipsoid or ovate, elongated. They have 3-5 denticles along the edge, the color is bright green, and gray pubescence is present below.

The flowers are small (8 mm), snow-white or pale yellow, collected in dense hemispherical inflorescences, located at the top of the shoot and directed upwards. The diameter of each inflorescence is 4 cm.

Spiraea alba is a two-meter flowering shrub with the same crown diameter. The branches grow upward, the leaves are lanceolate, with sharp tips and jagged edges. They reach 7 cm in length and 2 in width. The flowers are snow-white, with a yellowish center, very small, collected in fluffy paniculate inflorescences in the shape of a pyramid. The length of each "panicle" reaches 15 cm.

Spiraea Crenata is 1–2 m high, with a crown diameter of 1.6 m.The leaves grow alternately, have an ovoid shape, grow up to 3.5 cm in length, 1 in width. Along the edge, the leaves are slightly serrated. Painted in a dark green tone.

The flowers are small (5–8 mm), obovate, white, with light yellow centers. Collected in dense hemispherical inflorescences, each of which contains up to 12 flowers.

Spiraea Hypericifolia L. is a low shrub (0.5–1.6 m) with a thickened spreading crown. The branches grow sprawling, slightly bent in an arc downward. Leaflets are small (2.5–3 cm), ellipsoid or obovate. Their color is gray-green, on the back there is a slight pubescence.

Spiraea Japonica has many different varieties, but we'll talk about them below. Now let's describe the classic Japanese variety.

The height of the bush is 1.2–2 meters, the diameter of the crown is identical to it. Stems are erect. Leaves are oval-shaped, can reach 2.5–7.5 cm in length. Grow alternately.

The flowers are pink, collected in dense inflorescences located at the ends of the shoots.

Spiraea Betulifolia is a low-growing bush (0.6-1 m) with a crown diameter of up to a meter. It has a spherical shape, looks very neat and compact.

Shoots of birch spirea grow upward, thickened. The leaves slightly resemble birch leaves, but without a pointed tip (in spirea they are more rounded). The edges are slightly serrated. The length of the leaf is about 5 cm.

We continue our acquaintance with the popular varieties of spirea.

• Kalinolistny spirea. In fact, this is the erroneous name for the plant Phylocarpus Opulifolius or the viburnum. Although they are representatives of the same family (Rosaceae), they are different shrubs. But we will still talk about the vesicle, since it is very similar to the spirea externally. The plant is characterized by a dense spherical crown formed by sprawling shoots.

• Spirea paniculata. Medium-sized shrub (1.5 m), shoots grow upward. Leaves are emerald green, slightly elongated. The flowers are small, pale pink, collected in paniculate cone-shaped inflorescences up to 20 cm long.

• Spirea creeping. Ground cover. It reaches a maximum of 25 cm in height and three times as wide. Shoots "spread" on the ground, slightly lifting the tips. Leaflets are elliptical, serrated, up to 4 cm in length. The flowers are small, snow-white, collected in inflorescences-shields.

• Spirea nippon. A spherical, very spreading shrub, whose branches grow "to the sides". The maximum plant height is 2 m. The leaves grow alternately, have the shape of an oval, and their color is grassy green. The flowers are white, with a yellow center and rounded petals. Collect in dense corymbose inflorescences.

• Spirea Douglas. It is similar to the previous variety, although slightly shorter - up to 1.5 m. And the shade of the inflorescences is closer to lilac.

• Spirey Bumald. A charming small bush (0.5–0.8 m) with upright shoots and a rounded crown. The leaves are small, green in summer, and yellow-red, purple in autumn. Bright pink flowers form dense umbellate inflorescences.

• Spirea Wangutta. A stunning spreading shrub that grows up to 2m in height. The branches are lowered from top to bottom, covered with dark green foliage and snow-white inflorescences, blooming so densely that the impression of a huge snow globe is created.

• Spiraea is oak-leaved. It is characterized by erect shoots, it can reach a height of 2 m. The crown is thickened, domed.Leaflets are ovate, elongated, with sharp tips, up to 5 cm in length. Snow-white "fluffy" flowers with yellow cores form hemispherical inflorescences.

Spirea is such a popular flowering shrub that its species are often crossed to produce even more interesting varieties.

• Lilac spirea. It is a hybrid of white-flowered and willow varieties. Reaches 1.2 meters in height, has lanceolate leaves and bright purple flowers, collected in paniculate inflorescences.

• Spirey Fritz. Hybrid variety obtained by crossing Japanese and white-flowered species. Low (up to 1 m), but wide bush. Leaves are ovate, pointed, up to 5 cm long. The flowers are very small, pinkish-white, clustered in corymbose inflorescences.

• Spirea hybrid Alpengluchen. A small spherical bush, reaching a height of 0.8 m. The branches grow sprawling, the leaves are narrow, alternate, herbaceous green. The flowers are snow-white, tiny (6 mm), gather in inflorescences-shields.

• Spirea Arguta (sharp-toothed). "Fruit of love" varieties of Thunberg and many-flowered. In appearance, during the flowering period, it resembles a salute salute. It can reach a height of 2 m, the branches are drooping, the leaves are green, narrowed. The flowers are snow-white in color, form very dense brushes - even the foliage is almost invisible because of them.

• Spirea Billard. A stunningly beautiful shrub, a hybrid of willow spirea, reaching 2 meters in height. The leaves are long and wide, lanceolate. The flowers are very small, bright pink, gather in long, cluster-like inflorescences that grow upward.

Our acquaintance with spirea continues. Next in line are the most beautiful decorative flowering varieties, surprising not only with their flowering, but also with unusual foliage.

They are distinguished by early flowering, flower petals are painted in different shades of white.

• Spirea Thunberg. A very attractive variety. It grows up to 1.5 meters in height. Thin branches growing up and to the sides form a spherical crown. The leaves are very narrow (4 cm in length, 0.5 in width), blooming, have a yellow tint, turn green in summer, and fiery red in autumn. The flowers are snow-white, very densely cover the branches along their entire length.

• Spirea gray (ashy, "Grefsheim"). Outwardly, it is similar to the previous variety, but larger (1.8 m in height, 2 in width). During the flowering period, it resembles a frothy snow-white fountain.

• Spirea Wangutta "Gold Fontaine". Newly developed in Poland. Low - up to 1.2 m, in width it grows up to one and a half meters. It is famous for its unusual leaves - they are bright yellow with an admixture of green at Gold Fontaine. Inflorescences are hemispherical. The color of the petals is white, the center of the flower is golden.

• Spirea Nippon "Snowmound". The Snowmound spirea of ​​the same width and height (1.5 m) resembles a salute salute during the flowering period. The leaves are elliptical, green from above, from the “wrong side” have a bluish tint. The flowers are snow-white, the inflorescences are corymbose, covering the entire length of the branch.

• Spiraea is slimy. It can reach a height of 2 m. Leaves are ovoid or elliptical, oblong, herbaceous green. In the autumn, they acquire a red-brown or orange hue. Inflorescences are small, consist of only 3 or 6 snow-white flowers, have the shape of an umbrella. The spirea has a terry variety, whose flowers resemble small roses.

These varieties are characterized by flowering on the shoots of the current year. The most prominent representative is the Japanese spirea, which has many decorative varieties.

• Macrophylla. A low bush - up to 1.3 m, a little more wide - 1.5. Shoots grow upward, forming a domed crown. The leaves are rather large (15 cm long, 10 cm wide), elongated.Actually, thanks to them, this variety is considered decorative: when they bloom, they have a bright red hue, then they become green, and by the end of their life they become reddish-red. The flowers are pinkish, collected in inflorescences-shields.

• Goldflame. In width and height it reaches approximately 0.8-1 m, has a spherical shape. Leaves of "Goldflame" are not very large (up to 6 cm), pointed at the end. They have a very interesting color: at first they are red-orange, then they turn yellow. The shrub looks very decorative, "flaunting" the bright-fiery tops of young annual shoots, and by autumn it becomes golden. The flowers of the variety are pink, collected in inflorescences-shields.

• Little Princesses. A short bush (0.6 m), twice as wide. The crown is round, neat. Small leaves (up to 3 cm) of dark green color, turn yellow by autumn. Lilac flowers, collected in "fluffy" inflorescences.

• Anthony Vaterer. A spherical bush, the same width and height - 0.8 m. The crown is domed, the shoots hang slightly. Inflorescences are large, dense, very bright pink. The leaves are reddish at first, then turn green. In autumn, the plant pleases the eye with a red-yellow color scheme.

• Albiflora. A low-growing shrub (0.8 m), expanding in breadth. Has a round thickened crown. Perennial long-growing species (grows by 5–10 cm per year). Leaflets are ovate, elongated. Initially herbaceous green, in autumn it turns golden. The flowers are snow-white, small, clustered in inflorescences-shields up to 7 cm in diameter.

• Crispa. A small bush (height - up to 0.6 m, width - 0.8 m), having a thickened spherical crown. The foliage in the period of appearance has a reddish tint, later turns green, becomes glossy. One of the features of the variety is the strong serration of the leaves, which gives the shrub a resemblance to tongues of flame in the autumn. Inflorescences are umbellate, mauve.

• Golden Princesses. A plant of stunning beauty. It is low - up to half a meter, in width - 2 times more. Has a pillow-shaped crown. The foliage initially has a bright yellow hue, then it “fades out” a little, becoming just yellow, and in the autumn - red-orange. The inflorescences in the form of scutes have a bright pink color.

• Magic Carpet. Charming ground cover (height - 0.6 m, crown in diameter is twice as large). Lanceolate leaves initially have a scarlet hue, turning into red and yellow. The flowers are mauve, gather in the inflorescences-shields.

• "Manon". Low bush (0.8 m). It has lanceolate leaves of a dark green color (young growth is red). In autumn, the color changes to yellow-orange and eventually turns red-violet. The flowers are pale pink, medium-sized, collected in inflorescences-shields.

• "Nana". A low-growing bush (only half a meter in height). Leaflets are ovoid, elongated, green (but initially have a reddish tint), with jagged edges. Flowers - pinkish-red, inflorescences in the form of scutes.

• Odensala. Spherical shrub (meter by meter). The leaves are wide, ovoid, green in summer, and purple in spring and autumn. The flowers are pink-lilac, the inflorescences are corymbose.

• "Shirobana" or "Jenpay". A very unusual tricolor variety - flowers of white, pink and lilac shades bloom on the bush at the same time. They gather in umbellate inflorescences, and the plant looks like an elegant bouquet. The bush is small in height - up to 0.8 m, about the same in width. The foliage is green, in the autumn it turns red.

• Golden Carpet. Very small yellow-leaved spirea: only 0.2 m in height and 0.4 in width. It is prized for its bright yellow foliage, as it practically does not bloom.

• Firelight. A plant of stunning beauty. It is undersized - 0.6 m, spreading branches, leaves initially have a rich orange color, gradually turning into yellow-orange, then - into yellow-green. In the fall "Firelight" is fiery red.The flowers are bright pink, collected in inflorescences.

• Gold Mound. Low-growing bush (0.5 m). The leaves are small, bright yellow in color. The flowers are pinkish, collected in inflorescences-shields.

• Darts Red. Height - up to a meter, shoots grow up. The leaves are dark green, initially have a reddish tint. The flowers are clustered in inflorescences-shields, their color is crimson.

• Frobeli. A spherical shrub that grows up to 1.2 m in height. The foliage is deep green, the flowers are lilac-pink.

• "Bride". A kind of white spirea. It can grow up to 2 meters in height. It is called so for a reason - during the flowering period with its falling snow-white "skirt", it really resembles a bride.

• "Neon Flash". Plant height - 0.8–1 m, crown diameter is about the same. New leaves, growing up, have a reddish color, later becoming rich green, and as a result - burgundy. The flowers are pink-lilac, collected in corymbose inflorescences.

• Country Red. A shrub with a hemispherical crown and a height of up to 0.7 m. Leaves are ovoid, elongated, with serrated edges, slightly wrinkled; green in summer, red in spring and autumn. The flowers are colored crimson, collected in dense inflorescences.

• Japanis Dwarf. A very undersized shrub (up to 0.3 m) with a rounded crown, small bright green leaves and mauve inflorescences-shields.

Any kind of spirea is decorative almost all year round (yes, do not be surprised, even in winter without leaves and flowers, its branches bend and fall very beautifully, and the hemispherical crown is covered with a snow "dome"). But, to make the right choice and purchase the most suitable plants, you should pay attention to their flowering period. As you remember, there are spring-flowering and summer-flowering varieties, which means that if you choose and plant shrubs correctly, you can enjoy their decorative appearance throughout the year.

Many owners of country houses and personal plots choose spirea to create "hedges". This is an absolutely justified move: such plantings "flow" into any landscape design, while looking very elegant and festive. The most suitable varieties for this:

• willow;
• Japanese varieties with high inflorescences or decorative leaves;
• gray;
• white, including "The Bride";
• Wangutta;
• Billiard;
• Douglas.

Spirea gray "Greifshame" is presented in the video below.