Spiraea japonica Nana

Spiraea japonica 'Nana' is a lovely dwarf form of Japanese Spirea. This small bush has a naturally low, spreading and dense habit and long summer flowering in carmine pink corymbs, often blooming again in autumn. Its beautiful deciduous foliage, tinted bronze in spring and dark green in summer, also takes on interesting autumnal colours. An ideal plant for small gardens, it works wonders in a small flowerbed, in a pot on the terrace, or in a larger border like boxwoods or lavenders. It is a hardy plant, adaptable to almost any soil, for growing in full sun or partial shade.

The 'Nana' Japanese Spiraea belongs to the Rosaceae family. It is a nearly prostrate form of the Japanese Spiraea, native to China and Japan. Its ornamental qualities and ease of cultivation have earned it recognition in England by the Royal Horticultural Society. The growth of this bush is slow, and its mature size will not exceed 50 cm (20in) in height and 1 m (3ft) in spread. Forming a low, spreading bush on the ground, this variety has bronze-purple foliage when opening, then dark green in summer, turning yellow and coppery-orange in autumn. It consists of small oblong and dentate leaves. The abundant flowers appear in June-July, and often again in September. They are grouped in medium-sized terminal corymbs of 10 cm (4in), in intense pink to violet-pink, at the tips of the current year's stems. This flowering attracts numerous pollinating insects.

With its compact and very low habit, this very hardy bush is ideal for adding structure to a perennial flower bed or in the composition of large borders. Combine the dwarf Japanese Spiraea with Caryopteris, white, pink, or mauve ground cover roses, creeping cotoneasters, dwarf forsythias, or lavenders and bush germander. This bush will be perfect as a large ground cover, in front of shrub beds or alongside pathways. You can place it in the front row of a rustic hedge, accompanied by other small-sized spireas (Spiraea betulifolia), dwarf red osier (Salix purpurea nana), the dwarf Manchurian lilac 'Miss Kim', or even dwarf weigela (Nana purpurea). It will grow very well in pots or planters with perennial geraniums on your terrace or balcony, in not too dry conditions.