There’s Still a Little Fall Color in the Front Garden

It seems that the fall colors are slow to fade from one plant in particular in our front garden: spirea. This little shrub was transplanted from a previous location further down the sidewalk. It was little, just a small sprig that emerged in the spring after we bought the house. The previous residents allowed the landscape to grow out of hand and the real estate company had many of the overgrown plants removed. I suspect that other spireas were present but that they were removed as part of the “reclaim the sidewalk from the landscape plan!”

This fall it began to glow with a fiery red color that would have looked really nice if the whole plant had changed at the same time. Unfortunately the spirea foliage changed at different rates and I never noticed the colors until now when nearly everything else is bare. Spirea is a nice plant with several really spectacular cultivars out there like ‘Bridal Wreath’. I’m not sure of the exact identity of this one but it’s probably ‘Magic Carpet’. I have noticed problems with aphids from time to time on the spirea, but aphids seem to effect almost every plant at some point.

How to Propagate Spirea

Spirea is another easy plant to propagate, especially from hardwood cuttings. Usually all you need to do is insert a few hardwood cuttings in potting medium and let them go. I do use rooting hormone to help it along but it may not be necessary. I take a 4-5 inch cutting below a node, dab it in rooting hormone, and put it in sand. Pinching the growth tip will help redirect growth down into roots of the cutting and encourage branching later when foliage growth appears.

6 thoughts on “There’s Still a Little Fall Color in the Front Garden”

  1. Dear Dave .. I have a weakness for Spirea , there are so many types to choose from I can't believe a gardener doesn't have at least one favorite .. Dakota Charm is a mini one and it is very pretty .. so far I have been lucky with no aphid problems but new growth on just about any plant is like a dinner bell to aphids ? LOL
    Pretty colours for dull days : )
    Joy

  2. They do color up nicely for the fall~~I couldn't believe how good they looked covered in frost and just when I was threatening to move them to the wayback backyard! gail

  3. Yes, Dave, the spirea hedge that borders the property here were among the last to lose their colour, too — yours is lovely. I love that soft blending of colours.

  4. Lovely color, Dave! None of mine really color up in fall; I have to count on my privets and forsythias for that. But on the plus side, they don't get aphids here! And as always, great propagating tips!

  5. Thanks, Dave. I cannot get over the fact that there are people "out there" that don't have snow! ha. I always enjoy your propagation tips. (I wonder how people would appreciate my taking sidewalk cuttings??) ha.

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