Spiraea japonica Goldflame

Spiraea japonica 'Goldflame' is a very beautiful variety of Japanese spirea appreciated for its changing and beautifully coloured foliage. This small bush, with a rather upright habit, is adorned with orange to bronze young leaves in spring, which gradually turn to golden yellow and then to tender green, while its corymbs of flowers appear in shades of carmine pink before turning to bronze-copper in autumn. Japanese spireas are really easy to grow in sunny and ordinary soil in most climates. Its modest growth also allows it to be grown in a large pot on the terrace or balcony.

Japanese spirea 'Goldflame', from the Rosaceae family, is one of the many cultivars derived from Spiraea japonica (syn. S. x bumalda or S. callosa), native to eastern and central China, as well as Japan. The growth of this plant is moderately fast and its mature size will not exceed 1.20m (3ft 11in) in height and 90cm (35.4in) in width. This small variety has deciduous foliage consisting of small oblong, hairy, and dentate leaves which change colour. The young shoots which are flamboyant at the bud break, unfold into golden leaves then a greener shade in summer, and beautiful colours at the end of the season before falling off. The flowers appear in June-July, at the tips of the current year's shoots. They are grouped in terminal corymbs of a good size (10cm (4 in)) relative to the size of the plant, in different shades of pink. This prolonged flowering, often recurring in September, attracts many butterflies, bees, and bumblebees.

The Japanese spirea is very hardy and adapts to all climates and soils, but dislikes hot or too arid situations. With its nicely rounded and dense habit, 'Goldflame' is ideal for low hedges, to form the framework of a perennial bed or to create large borders. Combine it with purple barberries, dark Physocarpus, white, pink, or mauve roses, for example. Perfect in shrub beds with weigelas and dwarf buddleias along pathways, you can place Spiraea japonica 'Goldflame' in the front row of a country hedge, accompanied by other dwarf spireas (Spiraea betulifolia), dwarf red willow (Salix purpurea nana), or dwarf Manchurian lilac 'Miss Kim'. It will also thrive in containers on your terrace and balcony, as long as the conditions are not too arid.