Spiraea japonica Froebelii

Spiraea japonica 'Froebelii' greatly resembles the excellent variety 'Anthony Waterer', but it is taller, more vigorous, and even more decorative. This Japanese spiraea forms a large bushy shrub with foliage of changing colours, ornamental for a good part of the year and superb in autumn. This spiraea produces numerous clusters of fluffy pink-red flowers that emerge from purple-red buds. Hardy and resilient, it is a perfect shrub in a rustic or romantic setting.

The Japanese spiraea 'Froebelii' belongs to the Rosaceae family. It is a horticultural cultivar obtained in 1892 by Froebel in Zurich. The plant is derived from the Japanese spiraea, a botanical species native to China and Japan. The growth of this shrub is moderately fast, and it reaches a mature size of between 90 cm (35in) and 1.50 m (5ft) in all directions (sometimes 2 m (7ft) in height under optimal conditions). It forms a rounded, dense, bushy clump composed of numerous branches that spread widely and slightly droop with age. This variety has purple-coloured foliage when it buds, red to bronze in spring, green in summer, and finally reddish-purple in autumn before falling off. It consists of small oblong and dentate leaves. The flowers, produced abundantly, appear from June-July to September. They are grouped in medium-sized terminal corymbs (10 cm (4in)) at the ends of the current year's shoots. These flat flower heads change from purple-red buds to pink-red when they bloom. This flowering attracts many butterflies, bees, and bumblebees. This plant makes use of a taproot.

This very hardy shrub is ideal as a low hedge, to add structure to a perennial bed, or in large borders. Combine the Japanese Spiraea 'Froebelii' with white, pink, or mauve landscape shrub roses. It will be perfect in the front of beds of taller shrubs (e.g. Buddleias, Philadelphus, Viburnums). You can place it at the front of a rustic hedge, accompanied by other smaller spiraeas (Spiraea betulifolia Tor), the Dwarf Korean Lilac 'Miss Kim', or even the Dwarf Weigela (Nana purpurea) for example. It will grow very well in containers on terraces and balconies.