Comments on: Plants to Love: Neon Flash Spirea (Spirea ‘Neon Flash’) http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2010/08/neon-flash-spirea/ Helping you take joy in creating and maintaining the garden of your dreams... in the Pacific Northwest Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:36:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Genevieve http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2010/08/neon-flash-spirea/#comment-4704 Genevieve Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:47:40 +0000 http://www.northcoastgardening.com/?p=3228#comment-4704 Hi Terrie, that 3 in 1 is a new plant to me, but if I had to guess I'd say the 3 in 1 effect is caused by a different color in each stage of flower, so maybe they bud and open white, fade to pale and then dark pink. So yeah, if you weren't getting the dark color, it might be that they're fading too quick due to lack of light. Wild guess. I wouldn't prune it to encourage growth. Good compost, water, mulch, and possibly an organic fertilizer in spring and summer should do that trick. First year they sleep, second year they creep, third year they leap. Just give it time! I personally would scoot it to where it gets full sun, myself. Morning sun isn't usually good enough for good growth and bloom. Hi Terrie, that 3 in 1 is a new plant to me, but if I had to guess I’d say the 3 in 1 effect is caused by a different color in each stage of flower, so maybe they bud and open white, fade to pale and then dark pink. So yeah, if you weren’t getting the dark color, it might be that they’re fading too quick due to lack of light. Wild guess.

I wouldn’t prune it to encourage growth. Good compost, water, mulch, and possibly an organic fertilizer in spring and summer should do that trick. First year they sleep, second year they creep, third year they leap. Just give it time!

I personally would scoot it to where it gets full sun, myself. Morning sun isn’t usually good enough for good growth and bloom.

]]> By: Terrie http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2010/08/neon-flash-spirea/#comment-4703 Terrie Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:17:28 +0000 http://www.northcoastgardening.com/?p=3228#comment-4703 I have a 3-in-1 Spirea in my front flower bed. It only gets sun in the morning until about 1:00. I am seeing that they need full sun though. The flowers I am seeing on it are more of the lighter, white and pink ones, not so many of the dark pink. Does this indicate that it's not getting enough sun? Do you think it will be ok in this place? Also, do I need to prune the lower branches in the fall to get it growing taller? It's only about 12-18 inches tall so far. I have a 3-in-1 Spirea in my front flower bed. It only gets sun in the morning until about 1:00. I am seeing that they need full sun though. The flowers I am seeing on it are more of the lighter, white and pink ones, not so many of the dark pink. Does this indicate that it’s not getting enough sun? Do you think it will be ok in this place? Also, do I need to prune the lower branches in the fall to get it growing taller? It’s only about 12-18 inches tall so far.

]]> By: Debbie http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2010/08/neon-flash-spirea/#comment-4228 Debbie Thu, 12 Aug 2010 10:55:01 +0000 http://www.northcoastgardening.com/?p=3228#comment-4228 Gen, Spireas are some of my favorite shrubs for the exact reasons you mentioned - easy to care for and happy to re-bloom if you take the time to deadhead. I have several Anthony Waterer spireas and they do look very similiar to Neon Flash. In my garden AW leaves typically have a more yellow tinge to them. I'm wondering if the spirea Michelle is talking about is Shirobona. I have a few of those too and at times the flowers are several different colors. Mine are growing in a fair amount of shade so I don't think that feature is as prominent as it would be with more sun. I've been thinking about transplanting them to see if they'll be more showy with more sun. I guess I'll add that to the 'to-do' list! Gen, Spireas are some of my favorite shrubs for the exact reasons you mentioned – easy to care for and happy to re-bloom if you take the time to deadhead. I have several Anthony Waterer spireas and they do look very similiar to Neon Flash. In my garden AW leaves typically have a more yellow tinge to them.

I’m wondering if the spirea Michelle is talking about is Shirobona. I have a few of those too and at times the flowers are several different colors. Mine are growing in a fair amount of shade so I don’t think that feature is as prominent as it would be with more sun. I’ve been thinking about transplanting them to see if they’ll be more showy with more sun. I guess I’ll add that to the ‘to-do’ list!
Debbie´s last article ..The Magic of Baby Joe

]]> By: Genevieve http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2010/08/neon-flash-spirea/#comment-4225 Genevieve Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:35:44 +0000 http://www.northcoastgardening.com/?p=3228#comment-4225 What? Whoa! I have never seen a three in one spirea before. That is super-cool! What? Whoa! I have never seen a three in one spirea before. That is super-cool!

]]> By: Michelle's Green Thumb http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2010/08/neon-flash-spirea/#comment-4224 Michelle's Green Thumb Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:23:11 +0000 http://www.northcoastgardening.com/?p=3228#comment-4224 I have a dwarf 3-in-1 spriea that's a few years old - has white, pale pink & dark pink flowers all on the same stalk - but it's quickly becoming 'un-dwarf-like' & will need a good prune this fall. I hope that in doing so, I don't cause the plant to revert back to only one colour - the 3 together are a great interest point. Might root up the cuttings to spread around town too... I have a dwarf 3-in-1 spriea that’s a few years old – has white, pale pink & dark pink flowers all on the same stalk – but it’s quickly becoming ‘un-dwarf-like’ & will need a good prune this fall. I hope that in doing so, I don’t cause the plant to revert back to only one colour – the 3 together are a great interest point. Might root up the cuttings to spread around town too…

]]> By: Genevieve http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2010/08/neon-flash-spirea/#comment-4222 Genevieve Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:08:09 +0000 http://www.northcoastgardening.com/?p=3228#comment-4222 Yay! There's also Anthony Waterer which has slightly paler foliage (very slightly), slightly redder flowers (very slightly) and gets slightly bigger (slightly). They're pretty near identical, really. You can see them both on Monrovia's website if you want to do a comparison. Yay! There’s also Anthony Waterer which has slightly paler foliage (very slightly), slightly redder flowers (very slightly) and gets slightly bigger (slightly). They’re pretty near identical, really. You can see them both on Monrovia’s website if you want to do a comparison.

]]> By: Michelle's Green Thumb http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2010/08/neon-flash-spirea/#comment-4220 Michelle's Green Thumb Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:04:12 +0000 http://www.northcoastgardening.com/?p=3228#comment-4220 Thanks for posting this! I've been wondering what it is that I was given last year & it's just now starting to bloom & yes, it is a fabulous plant! Thanks for posting this! I’ve been wondering what it is that I was given last year & it’s just now starting to bloom & yes, it is a fabulous plant!

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