Family: Rosaceae
Scientific Name: Spiraea japonica Lemon Princess
Common Name: Lemon Princess Spirea
Description:
A small compact Spirea with bright yellow foliage.
plant type:
Shrubs Deciduous
Hardiness zone:
5
Sunlight:
full
Moisture:
average
Soil & Site:
average
Media:
Temperature:
Flowers:
flat topped pink inflorescence
Foliage:
yellow leaf color is best in the spring and fall, may fade in heat of summer
Dimensions:
2 feet high with a spread of 2-3 feet
Maintenance:
All of the Spirea x bumalda and japonica group needs to be pruned back on a yearly or every other year cycle. If not they will become scraggly, and flower production will decrease. There are two good methods of pruning these. First is cutting the shrub flush with the ground. This is a good no brainier method and the plant will quickly recover with fresh, new growth. This method will set the flowering back, since the shrub has to totally regrow. Another method is using pruning shears, cut the shrub back about ½ in a shape that will resemble the natural form of the shrub and remove the old gnarly stems from the shrub. Flowering isn’t delayed as long as in the previous method. The earlier in the spring this is done, the sooner the plant will flower. One of my clients has me prune back these shrubs each year, since she likes the fresh, new growth of the shrub. Removal of the dead flower heads can result in a minor rebloom
Propagation:
softwood cuttings
Origin & History:
Notes & Reference:
Photos: