PLANT FINDER
Lil' Flirt® Spirea
Spiraea japonica 'SMSJMLA'
Height: 3 feet
Spread: 3 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 4a
Description:
A striking garden detail shrub featuring burgundy emergent foliage that matures to bright green in summer; clusters of deep pink flowers in spring, then again in summer; tolerates full sun without burning; makes an excellent low border
Ornamental Features
Lil' Flirt® Spirea is smothered in stunning clusters of rose flowers with pink overtones at the ends of the branches from late spring to late summer. It has attractive light green deciduous foliage which emerges burgundy in spring. The small serrated pointy leaves are highly ornamental and turn outstanding shades of yellow and in the fall.
Landscape Attributes
Lil' Flirt® Spirea is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.
This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Lil' Flirt® Spirea is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- Rock/Alpine Gardens
- General Garden Use
Planting & Growing
Lil' Flirt® Spirea will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.
This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. To help this plant achive its best flowering performance, periodically apply a flower-boosting fertilizer from early spring through into the active growing season. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.