Little Princess Spirea

Spiraea japonica ‘Little Princess’ Overview Uses: Low hedges, mass plantings, foundation plantings, and mixed borders. Benefits: A compact, rounded spirea covered in soft rose-pink flower clusters in late spring and early summer. Fine-textured green leaves pick up reddish tones in fall. Tough, easy, and a favorite of butterflies. USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–8 Sun: Full Sun Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub Growth Habit: Mounding, Rounded — compact and fine-textured. Bloom Color: Pink Foliage Color: Green, turning Red in fall Mature Height: 2–3 feet Mature Width: 3–5 feet Bloom Season: Spring, Summer Growth Rate: Moderate Summary A soft cushion of pink that fills the front of the border as spring turns to summer. Little Princess is a compact Japanese spirea that forms a dense, rounded mound about two to three feet tall and a little wider. Its small leaves and tight branching give it a neat, finished look even before it flowers, which is why it is so often used for low hedges, foundation beds and mass plantings. From late spring into early summer, the mound is covered in small, flat clusters of soft rose-pink flowers. Butterflies and bees visit the blooms, and trimming off the faded clusters often brings a lighter second round of flowers later in summer. The leaves stay a fresh green through the growing season and pick up reddish tones in fall. Deer generally leave it alone, which makes it a practical choice for yards where browsing limits what you can grow. Care Little Princess Spirea Care Plant in full sun for the heaviest flowering and the densest growth. It tolerates light afternoon shade, but flowers thin out and the plant opens up in deeper shade. It grows in most well-drained soils, from sandy to clay loam, and is not particular about pH. Avoid low spots where water stands after rain. Water deeply once or twice a week through the first growing season while roots establish. Established plants handle ordinary dry spells, though a deep soak during long droughts keeps the foliage looking full. Feeding is rarely necessary. If growth is weak, apply a slow release fertilizer once in early spring. Little Princess flowers on the current season's growth, so prune in late winter or early spring, before new growth starts, cutting the plant back by a third to a half to keep it compact. In summer, shearing off the faded flower clusters tidies the plant, encourages a light rebloom, and keeps it from setting seed. Size What Size is the Little Princess Spirea for Sale Online? Our Little Princess Spirea ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants ship dormant or near dormant in the off-season, so they may arrive with few or no leaves. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us. How Large Does Little Princess Spirea Grow? Expect about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide at maturity, in a dense, rounded mound. Space plants about 3 feet apart for a continuous low hedge or mass planting. Additional Information What are some common names for this plant? It is most often sold as Little Princess spirea, and the species is commonly called Japanese spirea or Japanese meadowsweet. How does it compare with other Japanese spireas? Many popular Japanese spireas are grown for gold or chartreuse foliage. Little Princess keeps plain green leaves, so the pink flowers stand out and it blends easily with other plants. It is also smaller and finer-textured than many older selections, which makes it easier to fit along a walk or under a window. Is Japanese spirea invasive? The species can self-seed, and it appears on invasive plant lists in some eastern states where it has spread into fields and woodland edges. Removing the spent flower clusters before they set seed keeps your plant from spreading. If you prefer a seedless option in a similar size, look at Double Play Doozie® Spirea, which is sterile. Is it deer resistant? Yes. Deer generally pass over spireas, and Little Princess is a dependable choice for yards with regular deer traffic, though no plant is completely deer proof when food is scarce. Browse more in our Deer-Resistant Shrubs and Evergreens and Shrubs & Bushes.