Plant Name: Spirea – Gold Flame
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Plant Family / Type: Rosaceae (Roses) / Deciduous Flowering Shrub
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Preferred location: Full Sun
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Mature height: 3’ – 4’
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Mature Width: 3’ – 4’
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Growth Rate / Habit: Moderate / Low-growing, Mounding, Bushy
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Flower / Foliage:
· Small Rose-Pink flowers – mid to late Summer
· When the flowers fade, the leaves change to yellow-green
· Leaves are Bronze-Red in Spring, Bright-Yellow to Green in Summer, Orange in the Fall before they drop
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Preferred soil:
· Grow well in most types of soils -- from sand to clay
· Keep the soil evenly moist with an inch of water per week – first 2 seasons
· Can cut back on watering in the 3rd year when the shrub is established and only provide water if your area goes through an extended drought
· Mulch helps the soil retain moisture. Leave two inches between the mulch and the base of the plant. If you place the mulch against the stems, the shrub becomes more susceptible to disease or insect damaging the bark
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Pruning and Maintenance:
· Time – late Winter or early Spring
· Every other year in the Spring, cut the branches back by 1/3
· Trim off broken, diseased and dead branches during any season
· Prune back the oldest growth in the center
· Cut 1/3 of the oldest growth on the outside of the shrub to ground level, which stimulates vigorous new foliage
· Eliminate branches that cross over one another
· Prune the entire shrub to soil level if flowering ceases or slows dramatically. This is known as "rejuvenation pruning" and causes the plant to burst forth with healthy new growth, though it's likely to hamper blooming for one to two seasons.
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Fertilize
· Fertilize with an all-purpose, slow-release fertilizer of 5-5-5 for proper growth (only one application) – Spring
· Do not fertilize in Fall, the new growth will be susceptible to damage in Winter
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Spirea - Gold Flame
