Magic Carpet Spirea

Magic Carpet Spirea continues to rank as one of my favorite shrubs because of its multiple color phases throughout the growing season, ease of maintenance and modest size.

With a rated size of 18″-24″, Magic Carpet Spirea is very useful in smaller spaces in the landscape.  In very good quality soils, Magic Carpet may grow a bit larger, but it is very easy to cut back aggressively in the spring to keep it as manageable size.

Each spring Magic Carpet Spirea starts out as a bright reddish burgundy shrub that lights up its part of the landscape.  Over a period of weeks, the burgundy new leaves change to gold, and soon violet / pink flowers cover the whole plant.  Once the blossoms fade in mid-summer, you can re-create the burgundy to gold color phases by lightly pruning enough to remove the spent blossoms.  New burgundy growth will push out and a light second set  of blossoms often follow.  The third color phase takes place in fall when the leaves that have aged to a gold/chartreuse once again become a vivid burgundy.

Magic Carpet Spirea  will  grow in a wide variety of soil  types and has its best color when planted in a location with 1/2 day to full sun.  An “old standby” shrub – it’s economical and will perform well.  (Photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries)