Spiraea japonica Firelight

Spiraea japonica 'Firelight' is a small variety of Japanese spiraea with ever-changing, multicoloured foliage and beautiful pink summer flowers that bloom again in autumn. Its young shoots are orange when they first open and turn golden yellow in spring, then become chartreuse green in summer under large pink corymbs, before taking on beautiful autumnal shades of coppery red to bronze. Compact in size, it brings life to the garden for a long period of time and fits well in small gardens as well as larger spaces, in borders or low beds. It also adapts well to cultivation in pots or containers.

'Firelight' Japanese Spirea, from the Rosaceae family, is a cultivar derived from Spiraea japonica (synonym Spiraea x bumalda or Spiraea callosa), native to eastern and central China and Japan. This plant grows relatively slowly and will reach a maximum height of 75 cm (30 in) with a width of about 1 m (3 ft) at maturity. Forming a small bush with a wide and compact habit, this variety has particularly colourful foliage that changes hues, made up of small oblong and dentate leaves. The flowers appear in June-July, grouped in terminal corymbs of 10 cm (4in) - large for the size of the plant - of a violet-pink colour. Its prolonged flowering, often recurring in September, attracts numerous butterflies, bees and bumblebees.

Japanese Spirea adapts to all climates and soils but dislikes scorching sun and overly dry conditions. With its bushy and hardy habit, 'Firelight' is ideal for low hedges, forming the framework of a perennial bed or in large borders. Combine Japanese Spirea with white, pink, or mauve roses, for example, as well as small shrubby potentillas. It works perfectly as ground cover in shrub beds alongside pathways, or even in rock gardens. You can place it at the forefront of a rustic hedge, accompanied by other dwarf spiraeas (Spiraea betulifolia), dwarf red osier (Salix purpurea nana), small willows (Salix lanata, Salix repens 'Nitida'), dwarf Manchurian lilac 'Miss Kim', or even dwarf Weigelia (Nana purpurea). It will thrive in pots or containers on terraces and balconies, in conditions that are not too dry.