Spiraea japonica Merlo Green

The Spiraea japonica 'Merlo Green' ('Davrou01') is a French cultivar that stands out for its compact habit and particularly dark foliage, which changes from purple to very dark green. Over time, this shrub forms a dense and rounded bush, offering a generous summer flowering in purple-pink corymbs, which creates a beautiful contrast with the dark foliage mixed with purple shoots. It is an easy-to-grow plant, both suitable for garden planting and ornamental use on balconies and patios.

The 'Merlo Green' Japanese Spirea ('Davrou01') is a recent selection from Angers, created by Jean-Paul Davasse. It belongs to the Rosaceae family and is derived from the Japanese Spirea, native to China and Japan. This shrub has a relatively slow growth and will reach a maximum height of 70 to 80 cm (28 to 32in) with a spread of 1 metre. With its rounded and dense habit, this variety has deciduous foliage that changes colour: its young shoots are bright red, young leaves are purple, they turn green while retaining purple veins, then darken to bronze in autumn before falling off. The flowers, produced abundantly, appear from July to August and are grouped in medium-sized terminal corymbs (6-8 cm (2-3in)) at the ends of the current year's shoots. Their colour ranges from deep carmine pink to lighter pink, creating a delightful pink colour scheme throughout the plant. This flowering attracts numerous butterflies, bees, and bumblebees.

With its rounded habit, this hardy and floriferous shrub is ideal for forming the backbone of a perennial border or a large border in front of a taller hedge. Its compact size allows for container cultivation on patios or balconies. Combine the Japanese Spirea with white, pink, or mauve ground cover roses, blue or violet shrubby salvias, and caryopteris. 'Merlo Green' will be perfect as a large ground cover, in front of shrub borders or along pathways. You can place it at the front of a country hedge, accompanied by other small-sized spireas (Spiraea betulifolia), dwarf red osier (Salix purpurea nana), dwarf Manchurian lilac (Syringa patula Miss Kim), or dwarf weigela (Weigela florida Nana Purpurea). It will thrive in all areas, although not in excessively dry conditions.