Is Your Spirea Shrub Ratty Looking? Learn What Could Be Causing the Problem

The spirea plant is a shrub that is commonly planted to enhance the look of a landscape. Spirea is popular with gardeners, landscapers and homeowners because it is easy to care for and it comes in multiple sizes, spreads and colors. While a spirea shrub can be used to beautify your yard if you don't provide it with the proper care it can quickly turn from an eye catcher to an eye sore.

Why Your Spirea Looks Ratty

The look of your spirea plant is going to depend on multiple factors. The first factor is how much sunshine it gets each day. For the best looking spirea plant you need to plant it in full sun. Full sun exposure will enhance the production of flowers and it will enhance the colors of the flowers that are produced. Full sun exposure will also help to reduce the chances that your spirea will develop soil moisture issues like root rot and fungal infections. If you don't have a place to plant your spirea in full sun then partial shade is the next best option. To improve the flowering of spireas planted in partial shade add white rocks around the plant to conserve heat and to reflect sun back up to the spirea.

The spirea is very sensitive to overwatering. In fact, it is better to underwater your spirea then it is to overwater it. Generally a spirea will only need to be watered during the hottest months of the year. The rest of the year it will get enough water from the moisture that is found naturally in the air and the soil that it is growing in. If you are overwatering your spirea you will notice that its leaves are turning pale or yellow, wilting and falling off. You may also notice signs of fungal infections and mildew infections.

If your spirea plants are deformed then chances are you have planted them too close together. The spirea has a spread that is close to its height. This means you need to allow enough space between plants so that it can grow without interference. You also need to provide your spirea with space between it and structures like fences or buildings. If you plant the spirea too close to these structures you can end up with a deformed spirea or structural damage.

The final reason why your spirea looks ratty is that you haven't deadheaded the spent flowers. Deadheading is important to do during its first bloom. This will maintain the gorgeous appearance of your spirea and it will prevent that development of seed pods, which can look tacky and which can also produce a big mess when the seed pods fall to the ground.