Spiraea japonica 'Firelight'

RHS Plant Profile
Japanese spiraea 'Firelight'

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Spiraea japonica 'Firelight'?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants
Japanese spiraea 'Firelight' RHS 1999
Japanese spiraea 'Firelight' visionspictures.com
Japanese spiraea 'Firelight' visionspictures.com

RHS Recommended

Plants for pollinators
Shrubs
Buy this from Plant Nurseries
12 Suppliers

A bushy deciduous shrub to 1.2m tall, with ovate leaves that open dull red to bronze, changing to green in summer and reddish-purple in autumn; small rosy-pink flowers open in clusters in summer

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand, Clay

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
0.5-1 metres
Max Height
1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand Clay
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H6

RHS Recommended: for People & Planet

RHS Recommended Plants for People & Planet

For Water Resilience

Plants for Flood Resilience

Plants that can help manage heavy rain by catching rainfall, slowing surface run-off, encouraging water into the soil or taking it up through their roots, contributing to flood resilient gardens.

Plants for both Wet and Dry Conditions

Plants that cope with changing soil moisture, including wet winters and extended summer dry. Once established, they grow as wet and dry conditions alternate.

For Temperature Resilience

Plants for Temperature Cooling

Plants that cool air temperature by providing shade, transpiration, or reflection to reduce heat impact on people, animals, soil or other ground surface.

Plants for Wind Shelter

Plants with dense canopies often grown as a tall thick hedge or grouping can block wind and shelter gardens, buildings and people.

For Carbon Storage

Plants for Carbon Storage

Plants that can take up carbon (CO₂) through photosynthesis and store it within the plant or deposit it by their roots into the soil.

For Biodiversity

Plants for Pollinators

Plants that have flowering properties (pollen and/or nectar) that are particularly beneficial for pollinating insects such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

Growing conditions for maximum benefit

This plant will provide the maximum benefits if it is healthy and allowed to grow to maturity

For Bio-Diversity

  • Plants for Pollinators

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Rosaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Spiraea are deciduous shrubs, sometimes suckering, with simple leaves and short racemes, panicles or corymbs of small, 5-petalled white or pink flowers in spring or summer
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Easy to grow in most moist soils, tolerant of all but the most extreme condition in full sun or light shade. Especially suitable for mixed borders

Propagation

Propagate by softwood or semi-ripe cuttings in spring to late summer or hardwood cuttings in winter

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

pruning group 6. If overgrown, can be renovated by cutting back hard immediately after flowering

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free but may be susceptible to honey fungus