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michey1st_gw

Nondescript shrub with surprisingly pretty flowers!

michey1st_gw
9 years ago

Hi Folks!

This is my first spring in our new house, and I woke up one morning to these lovely flowers! I *think* it may be a spirea prunifolia (Bridal Wreath Spirea), but that was just from a few minutes of googling (very unscientific, I know!).

The flowers are like teeny tiny roses -- so cute!

Anywho, curious what your thoughts are! If you need better photos, please let me know.

Overall, it's about 5 feet high.
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Foliage: kinda boring, honestly
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The Money shot!
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Comments (6)

  • thedecoguy
    9 years ago

    Spirea.

  • floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
    9 years ago

    Spiraea prunifolia 'Plena'

  • michey1st_gw
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you both! As you can tell from the first picture, it is pretty leggy so I'm thinking of cutting it down to the ground to try and rejuv it, even if it means no flowers next year.

    Then again, I was also thinking of doing something a little more evergreen right there to screen the mess behind it, in which case it should be moved to a better spot.

    Thanks again!
    Michele

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    9 years ago

    thats its form ... at that height ...

    cutting after flowering is the usual default.. the other default is that buds are set in fall ..

    you should have plenty of time to cut it down.. it grow back to 2 to 3 feet.. and set buds ...

    but i am too lazy to look it up for you ...

    if its not in full sun .. that might be a reason for its sparseness ...

    i would cut half of the branches back to 3 inches or so .. leaving some food making machines.. leaves.. to grow some new branches... and then take the remaining.. after next years show.. that is one way.. to insure.. regardless of the defaults... some flowering ... [this is the rule when you are out prowling with the shears.. and just have to cut something .. and dont want to run in and check the WWW .. lol]

    oh.. the other default.. is to cut a few for a vase.. and enjoy them indoors.. for a few days.. while pruning at the same time ... but prune down at 3 inches.. and shorten the branch for the vase ..

    no haircuts at height ...

    ken

  • Embothrium
    9 years ago

    If you want it to be denser encourage it with mulching etc. instead of forcing it to grow a new top, which it will have to draw on stored energy reserves to do.

    Renewal pruning is for large vigorous specimens that have built up a bunch of old twiggy growth etc. that you want to get rid of all in one move.

    Or make smaller, for a time.

  • michey1st_gw
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks Ken and Bboy!

    I suspect this guy is a volunteer from some far away land (2 houses over) and is most likely not sited in the best of spots. It is getting very good sun for now, at least until the trees up above leaf out which will then give it 2-3 hours of morning sun but otherwise just dappled.

    I will be making that area into a bed, so mulch and compost will be added in the next few weeks - perhaps that will encourage less leggy-ness for future growth? I'm still on the fence about what else I should put there and if this gal should stay -- toying with something evergreen to hide the clutter in the background. Current thinking is a camellia or a holly, but THAT is a topic for a different forum =D

    THANK YOU!