Spring time is here and our plants are bursting onto the scene! Lilacs and flowering crabs might get a lot of attention, but don’t forget to invite Double Play spirea to your spring fling! These awesome Proven Winners spireas emerge right away in spring with pops of color that are sure to delight and they continue the show with scads of flowers in late spring and early summer.
These low-maintenance, naturally rounded shrubs require only occasional pruning to look great. They’ll flower and look best in full sun, but will tolerate part shade. After they’re established, they boast good drought tolerance and are typically deer and rabbit resistant. They’re plenty cold hardy, too. What’s not to love?
Here are some of our favorite Double Play spirea varieties:
Double Play Candy Corn
In early spring Double Play Candy Corn’s new growth comes out in candy apple red. This vibrant red matures to a bright yellow as the summer unfolds, but new growth continues to emerge in orangey tones. In early summer, the colorful foliage is topped with purple flowers that provide a delightful contrast. While it’s not necessary, pruning after the flowers fade will encourage even more vibrant red/orange new growth for a truly long lasting display. This compact variety grows to about 18-24” tall and wide and works well as a border/edging plant and a perennial companion. To really pump up the impact, plant it in groups of 3.
Double Play Doozie
Early spring foliage emerges a brilliant deep red- a true feast for the eyes after the drab colors of winter. In late spring and early summer, fuzzy bright purple flowers make for a truly striking display. Since Double Play Doozie doesn’t produce any seeds, the flower show doesn’t stop any time soon. This winning shrub focuses all of its energy on non-stop blooming throughout the summer. The seedless nature of this plant also means that you won’t find any seedlings where they don’t belong. Less weeding! This low-growing choice will get 2-3’ tall and wide and looks excellent as an edging or accent plant and also plays well interplanted with perennials.
Double Play Red
Double Play Red kicks off the spring season with super showy dark burgundy foliage. In early summer this shrub features nearly red blooms (as close to red as you can get with a spirea) that are simply marvelous. The foliage matures to a nice green with a subtle blue undertone. The dense, mounded habit looks great with hardly any effort and the compact 2-3’ size fits easily into the landscape.
No matter which variety you choose, Double Play spireas offer not just floral impact, but also stunning foliage color. They’re workhorses in the landscape, and excellent choices where you need filler plants that pull their weight aesthetically. Low maintenance, reliable, and versatile- they’re an all around winning choice
