What Grows There :: Hugh Conlon, Horticulturalist, Garden Advisor, and Photographer

May Blooming Beauty Bush

Posted by Hugh on May 1st, 2023

Beauty Bush (Kolkwitzia amabilis) is closely related to two other flowering shrubs – Weigela and Diervilla – and belong in the honeysuckle family (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). It is primarily grown for its outstanding spring flowering in May. This deciduous shrub grows 6-10 feet tall with an arching, vase-shaped shrub habit.

Beauty Bush is an old-fashioned shrub planted medium back in the border. Lovely clusters of bell-shaped, pink flowers with yellow throats fill the branches. Flowers are followed by insignificant capsule-like fruits that persist through most of the summer. Its dark green leaves, mostly 3 inches in length, are arranged opposite on the stem. Foliage turns an undistinguished yellow in fall. See cultivar list below.

Flowering begins in May that may extend into early June if temps stay cool. Blossoms are borne in clusters along the stems. Following its May bloom cycle, beauty bush offers little in the way of ornamental appeal the remainder of the season. The shrub offers dark green, blemish-free foliage. As the branch wood ages, the bark peels and eventually exfoliates, perhaps offering some winter interest.

Beauty Bush is a reliable flowering shrub that thrives in average well-drained soils in full to partial sun (4+ hours sun for best flowering). Over the years this vigorous grower tends to become dense and overgrown that may necessitate cutting it back to the ground. Plant blooms on old wood, so enjoy the spring flower display and prune twiggy growth immediately after. Renewal pruning of an old beauty bush is best done in late winter which results in loss of spring flowering.

Beauty Bush makes an excellent flowering hedge, home foundation plant, and reliable landscape plant.

**Jolene Jolene™ (**photo furnished by PW)

Cultivars:

Jolene Jolene^™ is a dwarf introduction from Proven Winners, 3-6 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide, and fits into many more residential landscapes and small yards. Star-shaped pink flowers with a bright yellow throat emerge in early May.

DREAM CATCHER (‘Maradco’) grows 6-9 feet high and wide with 3 inch long leaves with copper tones in earlyspring; leaves turn yellow by May bloom time, golden-chartreuse in summer, and turn orange and gold in fall.

‘Pink Cloud’ is an old Wisley Garden introduction in the late 1940s with dense vigorous growth, 6-9 feet high and 5 feet wide.

False Spirea (Sorbaria)

Posted by Hugh on April 27th, 2023

Ural false spirea (Sorbaria sorbifolia) is a vigorous suckering deciduous shrub. It typically grows 5-10 feet tall and wide depending on variety and soil quality. (USDA hardiness zones 2 -7). False spirea has coarse leaf textured foliage that resembles mountain ash (Sorbus sp.), hence the scientific name. It is listed in the rose (Roseacea) family.

Jungle-like is the best description of false spirea. In my travels I’ve seen plants inhabiting many zoos around the U.S. Its shoots are among the first to arise in spring. Dense, terminal, pyramidal panicles (to 10 inches long) of tiny white flowers begin to form. By late spring/early summer, fluffy clusters of white flowers sit atop the shrub and attract butterflies and other pollinators.

Early Summer Flowers and Compound Foliage

Foliage is at its eye-catching best through spring-summer seasons. The alternate, pinnately compound up to 12 inches long, with 12 to 25 leaflets, and each grow 4 inches long and 1 inch wide. Leaf margins are double serrated and pointed.

False spirea is an excellent option for vegetating difficult locations in a landscape. It’s very useful tool for erosion prevention. False spirea puts out runners that will colonize the area it’s planted in. Be aware how aggressive false spirea will grow. It’s really ideal for slopes and other areas that you don’t want to frequently manage, or parking lot beds.

False spirea grows in full or part sun and grows best in average, medium moisture, humus-rich, well-drained soils in full sun. Once established after its first year of planting, false spirea is drought tolerant and thrives in poor soil, acidic or alkaline, as long as they are adequately drained. Its foliage loses much of its pizzazz over an extended dry period.

To control its spread, take a sharp garden spade, plunge it into the soil to separate from the main plant, and pull them out. Little to no additional pruning is necessary. Prune in late winter to early spring by cutting back plants close to the ground to rejuvenate. No serious disease and insect pests trouble false spirea and it is not deer resistant.

Cultivars:

‘Sem’ is a small, compact selection with seasonal changes in leaf color. Spring’s fern-like foliage starts out pink to red, turns chartreuse with bronze tips, then solid green at the start of summer, leaves turn green later in summer, and finishes reddish in late fall.

Mr. Mustard™ according to PW has more colorful foliage than ‘Sem’ and grows shorter (2-3 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide). With seasonal foliage changes of chartreuse, pink and red. Flowering is secondary.

Cherry On Top™ (Bococot) from Bloomin’ Easy produces white plumes in summer, followed by red seed pods instead of the traditional dried brown seeds that persist through winter. Great food for birds!

Chinese Fringe Flower

Posted by Hugh on April 22nd, 2023

Chinese fringe flower, aka Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense) is related to witchhazels (Hamamelis spp) and is native to China, Japan, and the Himalayas (USDA 7-10). In the southern U.S., fringe flower is usually evergreen or semi-evergreen, and is deciduous in 6b-7a. For those who garden in areas that occasionally are hit cold winter snaps, plant them in wind-sheltered spot. Their colorful fragrant flowers appear from late winter into spring and early summer.

Fringe flowers are easy to maintain in a bright, sunny mornings and partial shade the rest of the day. Ideally, these shrubs are protected from intense mid-day sun. Bloom numbers are fewer if shrubs are not receiving adequate sunlight.

Fringe flowers prefer a well-drained, humus-rich, acidic (pH 4.5 to 6.5) soil. Mulching with 2 to 3 inches pine straw and pine wood chips aids to conserve soil moisture and suppress weeds. During periods of extreme heat or abnormally long dry spells, fringe flowers should be watered more frequently. Fertilize fringe flowers in early spring with a slow-release all-purpose fertilizer like 10-10-10.

Shrubs have a natural, graceful shape and arching stems. They are also great privacy barriers such as for hedging or topiaries. Pruning is usually limited to removal of dead or diseased branches. Otherwise, maintain each variety’s natural attractive form. Fringe flowers bloom on old wood, so hold off any cosmetic pruning until the main spring bloom period is over. Secondary late summer flowering is commonplace.

Many cultivars are available. Here is a short list: pink flowering forms include ‘Blush’, ‘Burgundy’, ‘Carolina Midnight’, ‘Ever Red,’ Jazz Hands Pink®, Pizazz’, ‘Plum Delight’, ‘Plum Diamond’, ‘Purple Pixie’, and ‘Ruby’. White flowering forms include ‘Carolina Moonlight’, ‘Emerald Snow™, Jazz Hands® White, and ‘Snow Muffin’.

In the South fringe flower is planted in a large container and usually do not require winter protection. Select dwarf or compact cultivars that take longer to outgrow the container. Container-grown shrubs will need more frequent watering.

Shrubs are not troubled by pests or diseases if the plant is properly sited. Flowers attract bees and butterflies although deer tend to avoid them. Fringe flower is not considered an invasive plant in the U.S.

Crossvine

Posted by Hugh on April 15th, 2023

Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) is a heavy flowering, vigorously growing vine in the Bignoniaceae (trumpet creeper) botanical family. It is native to the Southeastern and South-Central states including Texas. Once established, this vine stretches 30 to 50 feet high and spreads from 6 – 9 feet wide. A cross section of its stem reveals a marking resembling the Greek cross, hence the common name.

Opposite, compound leaves are bifoliate. Each leaf consists of a pair of lanceolate to oblong dark green leaflets (to 6” long) and a branched tendril between them. Foliage remains evergreen in the South but turns reddish-purple in fall with subsequent leaf drop in the colder winter areas of its range. (USDA hardiness zones 5-9)

This vigorous, self-clinging vine climbs by branched tendrils with adhesive disks that easily attaches itself to almost any surface. It is grown primarily for its attractive flowers and its ability to rapidly cover structures with attractive foliage.

In the wild, it grows in many soil types, including in swampy forests and woodlands. Crossvine will grow well in shade to full sun, with better flower production the more sunlight it receives. Once established, it is drought tolerant. In severe winters, the vine may die to the ground, but the roots are usually hardy enough to survive and will sprout new growth the following spring. Crossvine may be propagated by root cutting or seed.

The showy orange-red, yellow or orange flowers form as axillary clusters and last up to four weeks. Flowers are 2 inches long and 1-1/2 inches wide and hang in clusters of two to five. The vine starts blooming in late winter to early spring on new wood in clusters of 2 – 5 flowers. Often, some repeat bloom happens at any time over the growing season. Its early bloom season invite hummingbirds into the garden.

*Bignonia capreolata* ‘Tangerine Beauty‘

There are several cultivars: ‘Jekyll’ (bright orange flowers), ‘Tangerine Beauty’ (tangerine-colored blooms), ‘Helen Fredel’ (2-inch orange flowers / yellow throats), ‘Shalimar Red’ (coral – red flowers). Plant it nearby a large tree and tendrils will grab the bark and climb, later using roots to tighten its hold. Crossvine will also climb fences, walls, trellises, and other vertical structures without support.

No major diseases and insects trouble crossvine. Crossvine may become a maintenance headache. It spreads both by seed and by root suckers. Suckers should be pulled up when spotted. Crossvine is not considered to be invasive compared to its overly aggressive native cousin trumpet vine (Campsis radicans).

Fire Risk: rated extreme flammability and should not be planted near your home and other structures.

Native Irises

Posted by Hugh on April 9th, 2023

In the World of Iris, U.S. gardeners are highly partial to planting Siberian (Iris sibirica) and German (I. germanica) irises. Currently, in recent years there has been a sway to our native species called “flag irises”.

Top of the list is Crested iris (I. cristata), a low-growing, rapidly spreading species that typically 3-6 inches tall. In the wild, crested iris is found in moist humus-rich woodsy soils from Maryland and Ohio south to Georgia and Oklahoma. Flowers have reclining standards and drooping falls. Favorite varieties are Abbey’s Violet (deep blue violet), ‘Alba’, ‘Tennessee White’, ‘Eco Little Bluebird’, and ’Shenandoah Skies’. (zones 3-8)

Northern blue flag iris (I. versicolor) is native from Newfoundland and Manitoba south to Virginia and Minnesota. This iris thrives in either wetland or terrestrial habitats. Clumps of narrow, arching-to-erect, dark purple-green foliage (to 24-inch long & 1-inch wide) emerge in early spring. In late spring, dark purple foliage gradually fades to green. Flowers arise atop 30-inch-high stalks in late spring, each stem bearing 3 to 5 blue-purple flowers (to 4-inch wide) along with bold purple veining. One to try: ‘Purple Flame’. (zones 3-8)

*Iris versicolor* ‘Purple Flame’ (photo courtesy of Mt. Cuba Center)

Southern blue flag (I. virginica) is a wetland species native to coastal locales from Virginia to Louisiana; a clump growing iris on 2 to 2.5 feet tall stems bears non-fragrant blooms with light blue to purple standards and crested yellow – white falls in late spring. ‘Contraband Girl’ is a vigorous tetraploid with blue-purple flowers and lush wide foliage. (zones 4-9)

Copper iris (I. fulva) hail from the Midwest U.S. and south into Georgia and grows in average moist soil. Flat-topped, 3-inch wide, beardless flowers form on 2-3 feet tall stalks and bear unusual rich brownish (coppery) blooms. (zones 6-9)

Slender blue iris (I. prismatica) grows in boggy soils from Maine south to Georgia. The narrow upright foliage forms rhizomatous clumps topped with lovely narrow-petaled blue-violet flowers in early May. The floral falls (petals) display a nice central whitish pattern. (zones 4-8)

Lamance iris (I. brevicaulis), native to the central U.S., grows in marshy humus-rich wet soil in full sun to light shade. It is recognized for its long zig-zag stems. Foot high stalks support 3–6 blue flags, each 1-3-inch wide and a variable range of blue -purple hues. (zones 5-9)

Rocky Mountain iris (I. missouriensis) resembles Siberian iris (I. sibirica) with narrow strap-shaped leaves to 20 inches long. Each branched stem holds 2 to 4 blooms in early summer. The beardless flowers have short, pale to deep blue or lilac-purple standards and larger falls with deep purple veining; grows in medium-wet average soil. (zones 3-8)

Available Sources:

Broken Arrow Nursery, brokenarrownursery.com

Far Reaches Farm, www.farreachesfarm.com/default.asp

Izel Native Plants, www.izelplants,com

Plant Delights Nursery, Raleigh, NC www.plantdelights.com

Red Buckeye – Delightful Small Flowering Tree

Posted by Hugh on April 3rd, 2023

Mature Red Buckeye on the ETSU Campus in Johnson City

Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia), aka Firecracker Plant, is a southeastern U. S. native that is a large understory shrub or small tree. A member of the Sapindaceae (maple) family, this lovely spring flowering beauty grows 15 to 25 feet tall in 30 years and is a perfect fit in small yards. It is native from the South-Central U.S. east thru the Southeastern U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 4-8).

Many 5- to 8-inch-long red to orange-red tubular floral panicles stand erect on branch tips in mid-spring. The vibrant colored flowers are stunningly beautiful. The glossy foliage is composed usually of five elliptical serrated leaflets palmately arranged and emerges about the same time. Within a large wild population of red buckeyes, flower color often varies from dark pink to deep red.

Red buckeye grows in average, moist, well-drained soil, and in full morning/afternoon shade or in all-day partial sunlight. The tree holds up to loads of shade although flower numbers are fewer. Spring feed with granular 10-10-10 or equivalent fertilizer. Soil moisture is of key importance as summer foliage tends to scorch during hot dry summers. In southern climes all-afternoon shade is the rule!

From late April into May, for about a month, blooms attract hummingbirds and other pollinators. Flowers are followed by three-parted smooth husks, each containing 1 – 3 shiny brown seeds within. Husk numbers vary from one year to the next.

Smooth orange-brown seed husks contain 1-3 shiny seeds (1-2- inch long nutlets). Seeds are called “buckeyes” and ripen by early fall. When husks start to split open, collect and plant ripen seeds immediately; do not allow seed to dry out. Seedling trees often start flowering in 3-4 years. Seeds are poisonous to humans and wildlife. Squirrels will collect and “plant” the seeds.

Disease and pest issues are rare, although scorched and fungal-spotted leaves tend to drop starting in late August and branches are mostly bare by the first day of autumn.

Landscape Use: good woodland or in a wildlife garden or a small specimen tree.

Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Leaf blotch can be a problem for this plant. Leaf, stem, and fruit drop can be messy.

Cultivars: ‘Atrosanguinea’ – with deeper red flowers
var. flavescens – rare yellow form

Special Note: Often confuse with red horsechestnut (Aesculus x carnea) which is a hybrid cross between red buckeye (A. pavia) and common horsechestnut (A. hippocastanum).

Rain Lilies

Posted by Hugh on March 29th, 2023

Rain Lilies (Zephyranthes), aka Zephyr lily, fairy lily, Atamasco lily, et al. are small perennial bulbs that are native to the southeastern United States, Central and South America (USDA hardiness zones 7-10). In the U.S., these bulbous members of the Amaryllis Family (Amaryllidaceae) grow in low woods and wet meadows.

Rain lilies bloom from spring to autumn (depending on species planted). Wet to rainy summer weather is what they like. Dormant bulbs can survive hot dry spells. Soak the bulbs prior to planting for faster germination. Following the last frost of spring, sow bulbs in ground beds, rock gardens, rain gardens, or in containers @ 8-10 bulbs per sq. ft. Choose from yellow, white or pink flower colors.

Plants have grass like foliage. Depending on species, rain lilies range from 2 to 12 inches (5 – 30 cm.) in height. Sow bulbs at a depth of 3 inches (8 cm) and spacing of 4-6 inches (10 -15 cm) apart in partially shaded or sunny areas of the garden that have well-drained, moist, humus-rich, mildly acidic soil. Rain lilies benefit from fertilizing at planting time and annually.

Plant in full sun to partial shade in moist to wet organically rich soils. Occasionally add some leaf mold to the soil. It will tolerate seasonal flooding and will bloom best if it receives at least 2 hours of direct sunlight a day. This bulb is frost sensitive so only thrives in areas that do not have deep winter freezes. Northern gardeners grow rain lilies in containers as annuals and move pots into a non-freezing (cool) dry spot for winter storage.

Over the years rain lilies spread from bulb offsets to form colonies. Caution: mark the bed area as the dormant bulbs are unseen many weeks of the growing season.

Butterflies and honeybees cover blooms starting in late summer. Bulbs multiply rapidly and are both pest resistant and critter proof.

Rain lilies (bulbs) are sold by mail order suppliers and are hard to find (or sold out) at local garden shops. I recommend Brent and Becky’s Bulbs in Gloucester, VA as a mail order source.

Stop The Chop

Posted by Hugh on March 24th, 2023

Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is a species of small, beautiful tree native to Asia, and are popular in Southern U.S. gardens (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). Before planting a tree or shrub form, do your homework first.

So many landscapes wind up with severe and senseless pruning. Crape myrtles wind up with weak shoots and poor flower numbers. Bad pruning can also delay flower development. Ask yourself: “Would you rather have a tree (good pruning) or “a living hat rack” (bad pruning) in your landscape?”

Put down the chainsaw and pick up the hand-held loppers! Crape myrtles are popular for their low-maintenance beauty, but they can benefit from some light pruning this time of year. Pruning crape myrtles to their natural shape. Tools to have on hand: small tree saw, small 5-foot ladder, lopper shears, sharp hand pruners.

According to the plant experts at Mississippi State University, here’s the
correct way to prune a crape myrtle:

· You need sharp pruning tools based on the diameter of the branches and limbs. Use bypass pruners to easily cut back branches up to 3/4 inch in diameter. For branches up to 1 3/4 inches in diameter, use a robust set of loppers. Use a pruning saw on larger branches.

· Nicely pruned crape myrtles should be multi-trunked and well-structured. Maintain an odd number of trunks, such as three or five, looks great and preserves enough space for the tree to produce strong growth.

· Remove any unwanted trunks. Cut them as close to the ground as you can. Next, choose the height where you want the branching to
start and remove lower branches back to the main trunk.

· Remove any branches that are growing into the center of the tree canopy and any crossing or rubbing limbs against each other. This creates space and opens the canopy, reducing the chance of diseases.

· Cut off seed heads to encourage more growth in the spring.

· Finish with the removal of small, thin branches. Remove any suckers that sprout up around the base. Use your hand pruners and cut these off without leaving a stub.

Dark leaf crape myrtle (‘Ebony Embers’) at Biltmore Estates

Crapemyrtles come in a variety of sizes and flower colors. Many (not all) show off an ornamental patchwork bark. Before heading to the garden center decide what flower color you want. Shop the internet or find a variety that grows (matures) to the correct height for the garden space and iss winter hardy in your plant zone. Plant crape myrtles almost any time of year with spring / summer being best and fall / winter the worse seasons. There are over 125 varieties listed on the internet. Here are 50 of the best:

Miniature/Weeping: less than 3
feet tall

Baton Rouge (red)
Mardi Gras (purple)
Pixie White (white)
Pokomoke (deep pink)

Dwarf: 3 – 5 feet tall

Centennial (purple)
Dazzle® series (GAMAD I-VII)
Petite Series (6) Pink Ruffles (pink)
Tightwad (Whit V) (red)
Velma’s Royal Delight (purple)
Victor (dark red)

Intermediate: 5 – 10 feet tall

Acoma (white)
Cheyenne (red)
Hopi (pink)
Red Rooster (PIILAG III) (rich red)
Siren Red (Whit VII) (red)
Tonto (red)
Zuni (purple)

Medium: 10 – 20 feet tall

Apalachee (lavender)
Black Diamond series (9)
Burgundy Cotton (Whit VI) (white)
Catawba (purple)
Centennial Spirit (red)
Comanche (pink)
Dynamite (Whit II) (true red)
Lipan (lavender)
Osage (pink)
Pink Velour (Whit III) (pink)
Powhatan (purple)
Raspberry Sundae (Whit I) (red/white)
Regal Red (red)
Seminole (pink)
Sioux (pink)
Tuskegee (pink)
Yuma (lavender)

Tall: more than 20 feet tall

Arapaho (red)
Biloxi (pink)
Byers Hardy Lavender (lavender)
Byers Standard Red (red)
Kiowa (white)
Miami (pink)
Muskogee (lavender)
Natchez (white)
Potomac (pink)
Red Rocket (Whit IV) (true red)
Sarah’s Favorite (white)
Townhouse (white)
Tuscarora (pink)
Watermelon Red (red)
Wichita (lavender)

Growing Crapemyrtles In Containers

Posted by Hugh on March 17th, 2023

Gardeners who live in USDA zones 6 -10 can grow dwarf (shrubby) crapemyrtles either in the ground or in containers. In northern areas of the U.S., a few crape myrtle varieties are tender perennials and grown in containers. They’re overwintered in an unheated garage, shed or pots are dug into the ground.

These dwarf varieties are designed for mass planting, low hedging and screening, and in containers. I’ve identified 12 varieties that perform in garden beds or containers:

‘Pocomoke’ – features bright pink blooms and deep green foliage on a mounding shrub (3 – 5 feet high & 3 – 4 feet wide). (Zones 6-9)

‘Berry Dazzle’ crapemyrtle (red seed capsules)

‘Razzle Dazzle’ Series – mounding 3 to 4 feet tall and wide shrub form. The hardiest performers in the series are ‘Cherry Dazzle’ (red blooms) and ‘Berry Dazzle’ (fuchsia-purple blooms/ burgundy new foliage). (Zones 6-9)

‘Tightwad Red’ (Whit V) – produces dark-red flowers on a mounding plant (3-4 feet tall & 5-6 feet wide) with dense foliage. No seed capsules are formed. (Zones 7-10)

‘Victor’ – bears deep red flower with a narrow shrub form (3-6 feet tall & 2-4 feet wide). (Zones 6-9)

Barista® series (7 varieties) from Walters Gardens will grow 2 – 3 feet in height and width. Plants are rated hardy perennials in zone 5-6 and dieback to the ground. Plants re-emerge in the spring in Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan. They bloom on new wood in mid-late summer. In warmer climes Barista varieties do not die back in winter and their mature heights will be taller. (Zones 6-9)

Containers should be set in full sun and moderately watered. Once established after their first year, feed with a water-soluble fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro™ or Peters™ every 4-6 weeks. Do not fertilize after late summer (September 1).

In zone 5-6 winters, move container grown plants into an unheated garage or shed where temps won’t drop below 20 °F. Otherwise, backup with supplemental heating. Water plants once every 3-4 weeks. An alternative approach is to submerge pots outdoors in garden soil and heavily mulch in a heap of loose, non-packing leaves and pine needles. Push the leaf litter aside after the worse of winter low temps has left your geographic area. Re-cover with leaves during sudden temperature dips. In spring carry tender Barista crape myrtles back outdoors and resume regular watering and fertilizing.

‘Ogon’ Spirea Is A Standout

Posted by Hugh on March 12th, 2023

Spireas (Spiraea spp.) represent a large number of mostly non-native flowering landscape shrubs. Most are not U.S. natives, indigenous to China and Japan. Baby’s breath spirea (S. thunbergii) is also called Thunberg spirea and Breath of Spring spirea. It is a showy, graceful shrub that grows 3 to 5 feet high and wide with many slender, arching branches (USDA hardiness zones 4-8).

One of the popular cultivars is Golden Thunberg (S. thunbergii ‘Ogon’). This spirea is one tough tough plant. Its abundant flowers and gold leaf color is stunningly beautiful. Tiny white flowers cover the shrub in late winter to early spring before the leaves appear. Narrow, willow-like, sparsely toothed leaves (to 1.5 inches long) emerge golden yellow in spring, transition to chartreuse green in summer and turn interesting shades of orange to yellow in autumn.

‘Ogon’ is an exceptional golden-leaved cultivar best grown in full sun to retain its lovely golden foliage over almost three-seasons. It prefers moist well-drained soils and becomes more drought tolerant as the shrub ages. Pruning is best performed immediately after the spring blooms have faded. Annual pruning helps to maintain the shrub’s shape and appearance. Rabbits and deer are not usually troublesome.

It may be used as a hedge, screening, or windbreak. It may also be considered as a foundation, border planting, or specimen.

Baby’s breath spirea grows in a wide range of soils, medium moisture, well-drained soils and in full sun. The shrub tolerates light shade, and moderate drought. Prune as needed immediately after flowering to maintain shape.

Ogon spirea is rarely troubled by disease or pest problems that plague other members in the rose family including leaf spot, fire blight, powdery mildew, root rot, aphids, leaf roller and scale.

Caveat: Do not confuse this plant with gold mound spirea which is Spiraea japonica ‘Goldmound’.