Japanese Spiraea 'Gold Mound'

Japanese spiraea 'Gold Mound' (Spiraea japonica 'Gold Mound') is a golden mound in your garden. The young leaves flare up bright golden-yellow, shift to a warm golden-green through the summer, and in autumn take on yellow and orange tones. The shape stays tidy all the while: a dense, low dome.

Plant it wherever the front edge of a border needs a patch of light: a low edging along a path, a group set before taller shrubs, a rock garden. At ten years it reaches 0.5-1 m tall and 1-1.5 m wide, noticeably lower than 'Goldflame'. In June and July it adds pink flower heads that contrast softly with the golden foliage.

Key characteristics:

• What makes it special: The colour keeps moving all season: a golden-yellow flare in spring, warm golden-green through summer, then yellow and orange tones in autumn.
• Dimensions: At 10 years it holds a height of 0.5-1 m and a width of 1-1.5 m.
• Hardiness: Takes down to -34 °C (USDA zone 4).
• Flowering: In June-July the bush is covered with pink corymb-like inflorescences.
• Light: Best in full sun - that is where the golden foliage glows brightest; it also takes light shade.
• Soil: It takes any garden soil easily, and is happiest on moderately moist, well-drained fertile loam.
• Watering: Water moderately: keep the soil medium-moist - no long dry spells and no standing water.
• Care: It flowers on young shoots, so prune in late winter; cut off the spent corymbs and the bush will flower again.
• Landscape use: A low edging along paths, groups in a shrub border, rock gardens and foundation plantings.
• Origin: The cultivar came from a cross of the spiraeas 'Alpina' and 'Goldflame'.