Spiraea Gold Mound
Japanese spirea is a dense, upright, mounded, deciduous shrub that typically grows 4-6’ tall with a slightly larger spread. Leaves (to 3” long) are oval and sharply toothed. Tiny pink flowers in flat-topped clusters (corymbs) cover the foliage in late spring to mid-summer with sparse and intermittent repeat bloom often occurring throughout the remainder of the growing season. Flowers are attractive to butterflies. ‘Gold Mound’ is, as the cultivar name suggests, noted for its attractive golden foliage. It is cross between. japonica ‘Alpina’ and japonica‘Goldflame’ (parents originally described as japonicavar.alpinaandS.xbumalda‘Goldflame’). Leaves emerge golden in spring, but gradually fade to a gold-green as the summer progresses. Fall color may include interesting yellows, oranges and reds. This is a compact mounded cultivar that grows to 42” tall and to 48” wide. Small pink flowers in flattened corymbs (to 3” across) appear in late spring.