Spirea Japonica? - Ask Extension
Last fall I moved into a newly built home that was already landscaped. Both the front and backyard have Spirea Japonica bushes with pink flowers. Th...
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Spirea Japonica? #875874
Asked July 03, 2024, 6:25 PM EDT
Last fall I moved into a newly built home that was already landscaped. Both the front and backyard have Spirea Japonica bushes with pink flowers. The leaves of the bushes are yellow green. The flowers have turned brown even though they have been watered. The closest I have come to identifying them is Spirea Japonica. I have attached a photo. So far, I have not been able to find information on how to care for them. Do I cut off the dried brown flowers?
Multnomah County Oregon
Expert Response
Thank you for your question, Nancy. Newly landscaped plants have several common problems. The soil has often been compacted due to heavy machinery, and what water and nutrients that are there cannot be uptaken by plants. The yellow leaves are probably a nitrogen deficiency, and the brown leaves are probably a lack of water. Mulching the soil with compost will eventually help most of these problems, but you may lose a few plants in the meantime.
I suggest that you water this (and any other stressed plants), and get your soil tested for pH and nutrients. This is the closest lab: https://al-labs-west.com/ (It says "Portland", but it's actually in Sherwood.)
Prune your shrub after the blooms are spent, but wait until this heat dome has passed. Here is a brief guide: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/documents/12281/pruningtreesshrubs.pdf
Good luck!
I suggest that you water this (and any other stressed plants), and get your soil tested for pH and nutrients. This is the closest lab: https://al-labs-west.com/ (It says "Portland", but it's actually in Sherwood.)
Prune your shrub after the blooms are spent, but wait until this heat dome has passed. Here is a brief guide: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/documents/12281/pruningtreesshrubs.pdf
Good luck!