Little Princess Spirea

Spireas like the Little Princess are recognizable, low-maintenance and traditional additions to cottage gardens and rustic landscape plantings for good reason. Little Princess is a compact cultivar with low maintenance needs, few pest or disease problems, and brilliant pink flowers in the summer. This spirea is a cultivar of Japanese spirea (Spiraea japonica) and works well as an accent plant single shrub in a small garden. Lime green, deciduous foliage offers an excellent contrast for the blooms, which attract pollinators. In a mixed planting, its compact size makes it an excellent companion to go in front of larger shrubs. It grows in USDA zones 4 to 8 and tolerates moderate drought conditions. .A vigorous growth habit also means these plants are easy to shape into a dense, low hedge or border. Little Princess Spirea Care The Little Princess spirea prefers partial shade to full sun and well-drained soil. It is moderately drought tolerant but benefits from regular watering while it is getting established and during extended dry spells. A layer of mulch over the root zone will further decrease watering needs. These shrubs do not need much fertilizer; a one-time application of a slow-release fertilizer in spring is sufficient. A light pruning in spring ensures maximum blooming. Cut back about a third of the stems at this time. To shape a group of these plants into an informal hedge, prune the spireas harder in the early spring to create the form you want. Snipping off dead flowers mid-summer encourages a second flush of flowers. Little Princess Spirea Spacing The Little Princess is a compact, mounding shrub that grows no more than 2 to 3 feet wide and high. Plant them with this spacing to form a dense, low hedge or border. Give them a bit more space as specimens or if planted around larger shrubs in a mixed garden.