Flowering Deciduous Shrubs - Part 2
Some authors rather look down on the easy, work-horse shrubs as not being of sufficient interest year around to warrant a place in the "proper" garden. If one has a very small garden, it does make sense to only plant the finest and the best. However, my personal opinion is that, having the space, one should not ignore plants who are tough, tolerant, easy to grow and provide lovely flowers in season. I grow several examples of these "common" shrubs and enjoy them no end. I also appreciate their ease of culture and the fact that they don't require a lot of futzing with to flourish.
Spiraea
The genus Spiraea, whose common name is spirea - no 'a' before the 'e' - belongs to the family Rosaceae (rose family) and contains about eighty species and numerous cultivars of shrubs who are easy to please and grow well over a wide range of temperate climates. They will thrive in about any soil as long as it is well drained. Most are rated hardy to USDA zones 4 or 5 with the North American native S. latifolia being hardy as far north as zone 2.
Species differ in leaf shape, size and habit, from the tiny S. japonica var alpina at just about a foot (30.48cm) high to (best suited to the rock garden) S. veitchii, which can reach twelve feet (3.65m) in height and needs plenty of room, as it also gets wide. They are all alternate-leafed, deciduous shrubs who will grow in sun or part shade. None will do well in deep, dank shade, but some of mine flower happily with only an hour or so of direct sun. They will need more sun in northern gardens than in my USDA zone 7 Maryland garden.
Several species - S. latifolia, S. tomentosa, S. decumbens to name a few - are native to North America, with the rest originating in Japan, Korea and China.
Spiraea x bumalda
Of the four that I grow, S. x bumalda (a cross between S. albiflora and S. japonica) is the one I have the most of. It's an inveterate seeder and one plant has turned into a nice hedge (with a bit of encouragement) over the years.
My rather haphazard records tell me that I bought the cultivar 'Crispa', but this is not that plant, the leaves are not contorted and it is taller than 'Crispa', getting about three feet (1m) in height, if permitted.
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