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Is this a spores old flame and when/how should I prune?

SplandySplandy Posts: 161

image

The flowers seem to be fading now. I haven't pruned it in the three years I've lived here and it looks a bit overgrown. Also, any idea why the area to the left looks as though it has a different colour to the leaves?

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  • SplandySplandy Posts: 161

    Title was supposed to say 'spirea goldflame'. Not sure I can edit it.

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618

    Give it a good shear back as the flowers fade. It will produce new wood  and flower next year.

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340

    I prune mine any time from autumn to early spring, cutting it right back to just a few inches. You can cut back a bit less if you like, but they re grow quickly in the spring.
    The part of the plant that has darker green leaves has reverted. It would be best to cut all of it out right back to where the leaves are lighter or at the base otherwise, little, by little it'll overtake the rest of the plant and there will just be dark leaves. You can do that now, but if you prefer to leave till autumn that's fine. Also if you see new growth with dark leaves, again cut it right back to where the leaves are more yellow.


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Can't really see the pic very clearly, but you can treat Spireas quite severely without any issue. The diffreence in colour is likely to be younger and older foliage. image

    If you prune back hard, it would be a good idea to water well, feed and then mulch with some decent compost to give it a bit of a boost.

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • SplandySplandy Posts: 161

    I'm taking out the conifer behind it and putting a slim shed there so I will need to cut away part of the overgrown right hand side to access it. Is it ok to prune now or should I wait? If I prune it back hard now, does that mean it will just look like twigs until next spring? If so, I could just cut the part I need to for access now and leave the rest to be pruned later in the year.

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    They're pretty indestructible in my experience Splandy. It's quite likely that you'd get some new growth forming on the bit you prune. You could do it in two stages if you're worried though. image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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