-planted in full sun
-good drainage
-previous years bloomed extensively, haven for all pollinators- have a spirea flower bed at the back of the house, planted at the same time – blooming extensively this year
-this year only 5-10 % of the same amount of leaves- very few flowers
some new growth along the very bottom of some of the plants – 3-4 of the bushes look like they have completely died
Thank you for contacting Toronto Master Gardeners. I’m sorry to hear about your Goldflame Spirea (Spiraea japonica ‘Goldflame’). ‘Goldflame’ spireas are a wonderful contrast in the garden with their bronze-tinged foliage in the spring which turns yellow-green in summer and coppery-orange in the fall. As you mentioned, the rosy red flowers in summer attract a number of pollinators. Missouri Botanical Garden has more details on these colourful shrubs.
It’s interesting that your spireas planted in another location are doing well. Consider the differences in growing conditions between the two locations including sunlight, exposure to extreme winter temperatures (freeze/thaw), moisture levels, type of soil (clay/loam/sand) and urban issues (dogs, potential salt/chemicals from sidewalks, etc.). It’s also important to protect these shrubs from our dry winter winds by ensuring they are well watered and have an added layer of mulch around the base in the fall.
It’s not uncommon for spireas to have quite a bit of die-back over the winter. You can try to rejuvenate your shrubs by cutting them back to 6” in height. Spireas take well to hard pruning. This is a standard practice that is commonly done in the late winter to early spring, when the plants are dormant. If rejuvenation doesn’t bring them back, your Spiraea japonica ‘Goldflame’ shrubs will need to be replaced.
May 31, 2024