Plant Name: Spirea – Japonica Magic Carpet (Japanes Spirea)
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Technical name: Spiraea x Bumalda 'Magic Carpet’
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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: 24” – 36”
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Mature Width: 3’ – 4’
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Growth Rate / Habit: Fast / Dense mound-shaped
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Flower / Foliage:
· Clusters of Fuzzy Deep-Pink flowers at tips of stems– late Spring to early Summer
· Yellow foliage which emerges tomato-orange in Spring. Deep Red in Fall
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Companion Plants:
· To create a colorful autumn bed, pair Magic Carpet with late-blooming flowers like Mums and Asters
· Work perfectly with burgundy foliage for high contrast with Crimson Ruby Japanese Barberry, Raspberry Tart Coneflower, Blue Moon Kentucky Wisteria, and Pipsqueak Burning Bush
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Preferred soil:
· Grow in most types of soils
· Average to moist conditions. Relatively Drought-tolerant when established
· Water regularly in first 3 growing years to keep soils evenly moist
· Reduce the frequency after the 3rd growing season, once the plant is established
· Provide established plant with 1 inch of water per week in the absence of rain
· Magic Carpet spirea is susceptible to powdery mildew, plant it in a spot with good air circulation
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Pruning and Maintenance:
· Time – early Spring after flowering
· Deadhead in mid-Summer to encourage continued bloom
· Remove all diseased stems at the surface of the ground using hand pruners. Diseased stems may have black or white growths or feel noticeably hollow or soft instead of rigid.
· Measure the height of the tallest vertical Spirea stem using a tape measure and divide the measurement by three. Place the tape measure at the ground and measure up to the new height, which is 1/3 the height of the tallest vertical stem. This is where you will cut back the Magic Carpet Spirea to.
· Cut the tallest vertical stem off at the marked location using hand pruners or pruning shears. Then cut all remaining stems back to the same height with the pruning shears, using the first cut stem as a guide.
· Place the pruning shears at the top center of the Magic Carpet Spirea stems and cut toward the sides of the shrub, sloping downward slightly as you do so to recreate the mounding shape.
· Examine the diameter of the stems and locate the one that is the thickest, meaning it is also the oldest. Hold the stem in one hand and locate the point of origination near the base of the plant. Cut the stem off at the base using hand pruners. Remove three or four additional older stems at the base of the plant in the same manner.
· Repeat the pruning procedure every 2 to 3 years to maintain a healthy and attractive Magic Carpet Spirea.
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Fertilize
· Not a heavy feeder. Fertilize once a year with general purpose or a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 - Spring
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