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Learn the difference between spring and summer blooming spirea (and when to prune them!)
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Spirea species
There are spring blooming and summer blooming species of spirea shrubs.
Old Fashioned Spirea also know as spirea prunifolia, is a spring blooming species. Japanese Spirea, also known as, spiraea japonica, is a summer blooming species
pruning spring blooming species
The best time to prune these spring-flowering shrubs is right after it finishes blooming.
pruning summer blooming species
Japanese spirea benefits from a hard prune in late winter or early spring, as well as a light pruning to remove the spent flowers and encourage it to bloom a second time in late summer.
Cut down old growth
Start off using hedge trimmers and other pruning tools to lop off the top third of each shrub.
Cut out the lowest branches
If you want your shrubs to stay compact, you need to prune out the lowest branches.
Cut out weak stems
As a general rule of thumb, prune out any stems that are smaller in diameter than a pencil.
Evaluate the overall shape
You can always take more off, but you can't put it back on!
For more tips for pruning spirea shrubs click the link below!