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Spiraea – beautifully blooming, an ornamental shrub that is used to decorate a personal plot. There are a large number of varieties and species, differing in the color of flowers and leaves, crown size and flowering period. To ensure that the area is in bloom from early spring to late autumn, gardeners plant different varieties of spirea. Spiraea niponensis is an early flowering shrub with fragrant snow-white flowers that appear in late May.
Description of Nippon spirea
Nipponian spirea came to our country from Japan, from the island of Shikoku. The plant is a medium-sized shrub, reaching a height of up to 2 m. The spreading crown is formed by flexible, curved shoots. The oval leaf blade reaches a length of 1 to 4 cm. The dark olive color of the foliage smoothly turns into a green tint, and in the fall it changes to red.
In one place, Nippon spirea can grow for up to 30 years, the annual growth is 20–30 cm, both in width and height.
At the beginning of summer, the bush is covered with snow-white, large, corymbose inflorescences with small fragrant flowers. Flowering is intense and abundant, lasting about 2 months.
Spiraea Nipponica in landscape design
Thanks to its unpretentiousness, cold resistance and ease of care, Nippon spirea has found wide use in landscape design. It goes well with conifers and looks beautiful near bodies of water. In urban landscape design, the plant is planted:
- next to children's and sports grounds;
- in a park area;
- near residential buildings;
- to create a green hedge;
- for single and group plantings.
At the beginning of summer, the plant attracts the eye with the beauty of its lush, snow-white blooms, which are noticeable from a long distance. In garden plots, spirea is planted in rock gardens and complex flower beds, along garden paths, next to nondescript buildings.
The shrub also looks harmonious against the background of blooming lilacs, with other types of spirea, and near tall bulbous plants. Since spirea is an excellent honey plant, it is often planted next to an apiary or near single hives.
Varieties of Spiraea nipponensis
Spiraea Nipponica has 2 decorative forms:
- round-leaved – a powerful bush with ovate leaves and large snow-white inflorescences;
- narrow-leaved - a shrub with narrow leaves and small, numerous flowers.
The following beautifully flowering species are popular in Russia.
Spiraea nipponensis Snowound
The most beautiful species, reaching a height of up to 2 m.Nippon spirea (spiraea nipponica Snowmound) is a spring-flowering shrub with a spreading crown, which is formed by numerous, vertically growing shoots and arched branches.
Dark emerald, ovoid leaves reach a length of up to 4 cm. Lush, snow-white inflorescences are collected from small fragrant flowers.
Planting and caring for the Nippon Snowmund spirea is not difficult, the main thing is to follow simple rules:
- For lush and abundant flowering, the plant is planted in a sunny place.
- The distance between plantings should be at least half a meter.
- Watering is moderate.
- The soil is mulched with straw or sawdust.
Spiraea Nipponensis Snowmound is a frost-resistant, deciduous shrub that can overwinter at temperatures down to -30 degrees.
Spiraea nipponensis JuneBride
Spiraea Nippon JuneBride is an ornamental, spherical shrub that reaches a height and width of up to one and a half meters. In mid-May, the plant forms pink buds, from which snow-white inflorescences appear. Dark olive leaves retain their color until late autumn. The species is winter-hardy and can withstand temperatures down to -25 degrees.
Used for group and single plantings, as borders and green hedges, for decorating complex flower beds and rock gardens.
Spiraea nipponum HalvardSilver
Spiraea Nipponensis Halwardsilver is a low-growing, densely foliaged shrub. An adult plant reaches 1 m in height and 1.5 m in width. The oval leaves are dark green, changing color to copper-red at the end of August.
Snow-white flowering occurs in June and lasts up to 25 days. Thanks to its rich aroma, the species attracts butterflies and pollinating insects.
Spiraea Nipponum Silver grows well in nutritious, moist soil in a lightly shaded or sunny location.
Spiraea nipponensis GelvesRainbow
Spiraea Nippon GerlvesRainbow is a beautifully flowering, slow-growing shrub. The annual growth is 10–15 cm. Dark brown shoots are covered with small orange-green leaves, among which snow-white inflorescences are visible.
Although the species is frost-resistant, without shelter there is a possibility of young shoots freezing, which quickly recover after pruning.
Spiraea Nippon Rainbow is light-loving and has immunity to diseases and insect pests.
Planting and caring for Nippon spirea
According to reviews, Nippon spirea is an unpretentious shrub that even a novice gardener can grow. If you apply a minimum of effort and maximum care, the shrub will show itself in all its beauty a year after planting.
Preparation of planting material and site
It is better to purchase a Nippon spirea seedling with a lump of earth or in a container. When purchasing, pay attention to the condition of the root system. If the roots have sprouted through the drainage holes, it means the plant is old and the survival rate will be low.
If the seedling has an open root system, the roots should be:
- flexible and wet;
- no signs of rot or damage;
- It is best if they are covered with a clay mash.
Before planting, dry and broken roots are cut off from the seedling. The plant is kept in water for 1–2 hours and planting begins.
Landing rules
Nippon spirea is planted in autumn or spring, in cloudy weather. To plant a seedling, choose a well-lit place or light partial shade. The soil should be moist, nutritious, well drained.Due to its unpretentiousness, spirea can grow in poor soil in urban environments.
Before planting, the selected location is dug up using a spade bayonet, sand and peat are added in equal proportions. Make a planting hole slightly larger than the root system. A 15 cm layer of drainage and a layer of earth are laid at the bottom. The roots of the plant are straightened and placed on nutritious soil. The seedling is covered with earth, compacting each layer to avoid the appearance of an air cushion.
The planted plant is watered abundantly and mulched with straw or sawdust. Caring for the plant is simple; it consists of watering, fertilizing and timely pruning.
Watering and fertilizing
The plant has a fibrous root system, which is located closer to the soil surface, so watering must be regular. In dry, hot weather, irrigation is carried out 2-3 times a month. For each bush, use up to 15 liters of warm water. After watering, the soil is loosened and mulched.
For abundant flowering, the bush is fed 3 times per season:
- in the spring – nitrogenous fertilizers;
- in summer – organics;
- in autumn – phosphorus-potassium fertilizers or wood ash.
Pruning Spiraea nipponensis
To enhance flowering, the bush must be pruned regularly. Trimming rules:
- Since Nippon spirea produces inflorescences along the entire length of the shoots, pruning of faded branches is carried out to ½ length.
- In the spring, before sap flow, frozen branches are removed, in the fall - old, weak shoots and excess growth.
- Once every 2 years, weakly flowering shoots are cut out, and once every 10 years the bush is rejuvenated, completely getting rid of old shoots.
Preparing for winter
Although the plant is frost-resistant, it must be prepared for cold weather. To do this, the plant is watered abundantly, fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers and covered. For shelter, you can use non-woven material, dry straw or foliage in a layer of at least 25 cm.
Reproduction
Nippon spirea can be propagated in several ways:
- seeds;
- cuttings;
- bends;
- dividing the bush.
Propagation by seeds is a difficult and lengthy process that may not bring the long-awaited result.
Reproduction by offsets gives good survival rates. To do this, a strong lower shoot is placed in a prepared trench, secured with a bracket and covered with earth so that the top remains above the ground. Next, the soil is watered and mulched. The next year, after the branch has developed a powerful root system, it is separated from the mother bush and transplanted to a permanent place.
Dividing a bush is an easy method of propagation that even a novice gardener can handle. The plant is dug up and divided into small parts, which are transplanted to the chosen location.
Cuttings are the most popular method of propagating Nippon spirea. To propagate a bush by cuttings, you must follow simple rules:
- cut annual, green cuttings 10–15 cm long;
- the lower leaves are removed, the upper ones are shortened by ½ length;
- planting material is planted in moistened sand at an acute angle;
- cover the container with a plastic bottle and put it in a warm, well-lit room;
- with the onset of cold weather, the pot can be taken out to the balcony or left in the garden, covering it with double polyethylene or dry leaves;
- in the spring, after the soil has warmed up, the cuttings can be safely planted in a permanent place.
Diseases and pests
Spiraea Nipponica has good immunity to diseases and insect pests. But, like any other plant, without proper care it can suffer from insect pests.
Spider mite. Appears in hot, dry summers. The pest can be detected by white spots and thin cobwebs on the leaves, which without treatment turn yellow, dry out and fall off. To get rid of the insect, the bush is treated with Fuzalon, Phosfamide, and Metaphos.
Blue meadowsaw sawfly goose. The insect eats unopened buds, young foliage and shoots. Without treatment, the caterpillar can destroy the plant. To get rid of it, the drug “Decis” is used.
Conclusion
Spiraea nipponensis is an early flowering, perennial shrub with snow-white flowers. Due to its unpretentiousness, the plant can be grown on a personal plot and in city parks. If you follow simple care rules, spirea will show its splendor during the first month of summer.
