Limemound Spirea

Location on campus: in garden area on north side of Meyer Library and south of Kings Street Annex; plus a number of other locations on campus

Spiraea x bumalda ‘Limemound:’ ‘Limemound’ Bumald Spirea

· leaves alternate, deciduous, simple, lancelate-ovate, with doubly serrate margins and pointed tip; leaves 1-3" long and 2 as wide; general hybrid leaves emerge pinkish-red then turn dark green to blue-green; fall color is yellow to orange; cultivar ‘Limemound’ leaves mature to yellow-green color in late spring, turning darker green toward end of growing season

· stems thin, brown, ridged and glabrous

· pink to reddish flowers in flat-topped clusters in late spring on current season’s growth, sporadically continuing bloom through fall

· grows 2-3' high and wide, in a nice rounded mound; sometimes larger if not pruned back to ground on regular basis

· prefers full sun and all but wet soils

· for best growth, often good to prune back to ground each year in spring— will regrow to 2-3' size and blooms on new wood; may also rebloom more heavily in fall if faded flowers removed in early summer

· fast growth rate

· other cultivars of Spirea x bumalda also available: ‘Little Princesss,’ ‘Gold Flame,’ and several more

§ all have similar shape, growth rate, growth requirements—just leaf color (dark green to yellowish) or flower color (white to pale pink to deep pink) varies among cultivars

§ related species: Spiraea japonica ‘Shirobana:’ ‘Shirobana’ Spirea

· leaves alternate, deciduous, simple, similar to Bumald Spirea except a little longer and thinner, with same potential variations in color as Bumald Spirea cultivars

· stems, flowers similar, except ‘Shirobana’ cultivar, which has white, light pink and pink flowers on same shrub, depending on flower age

· growth rate & care same as for Bumald Spirea, and benefits from same pruning regime