Images Depict Mature Plants
Double Play® Red Spirea
Spirea japonica 'SMNSJMFR' PP26993, CBR5633
Double Play® Red Spirea is a really smart shrub when a sunny bed needs more punch without getting bigger or harder to manage. The burgundy spring growth gets it started strong, and the flower color gives you something different from the usual pink spirea look.
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Bold flower color on a compact, easy-care shrub
A spirea with unusually bold bloom color.
Double Play® Red Spirea stands out because it pushes flower color further than most spireas. Instead of the usual soft pink tones, this compact shrub produces flower clusters in rich red to deep reddish-pink shades, giving sunny borders and foundation beds a brighter, more saturated summer look. It is a strong option when you want something more vivid than a standard flowering shrub.
Spring foliage gives it a second season of color.
Before flowering even begins, Double Play® Red Spirea brings dark burgundy to burgundy-purple new growth, adding real contrast in the landscape. As the season progresses, the foliage settles toward green, while newer tips can continue to show darker red tones. That changing foliage color helps the shrub stay visually interesting even when it is not in peak bloom.
Compact size makes it easy to place.
This is a naturally dense, mounded deciduous shrub that typically stays in the 2- to 3-foot range, making it especially useful for smaller foundation beds, mixed borders, and front-of-bed placements. Double Play® Red Spirea provides strong seasonal color without demanding the space that larger flowering shrubs often require.
A natural fit for sunny borders and mass plantings.
Double Play® Red Spirea works beautifully in mass plantings, mixed shrub borders, sunny foundation beds, and as a colorful accent in perennial combinations. It also pairs well with ornamental grasses, catmint, salvias, coneflowers, and other sun-loving plants. In larger containers, it can work well, though in-ground use is still the easiest long-term placement.
Low maintenance is part of the appeal.
Double Play® Red Spirea performs best in full sun and well-drained soil, and once established it is notably adaptable. It is commonly marketed as deer-resistant, but that should still be treated as a relative trait rather than a guarantee. With good sun, average drainage, and occasional pruning for shape or renewal, this shrub is an easy plant to keep looking sharp.
| Hardiness Zone: | 3-8 |
|---|---|
| Mature Height: | 2 to 3 Feet |
| Mature Width: | 2 to 3 Feet |
| Sunlight: | Full sun to part sun |
| Soil | Average, well-drained soil |
| Water | Moderate; water well until established |
| Bloom Time / Color | Late spring to early summer through summer; red to deep reddish-pink flower clusters |
| Foliage | Dark burgundy to burgundy-purple spring growth maturing greener with red-toned new growth |
| Ornamental Features | Rare red-toned flowers, colorful spring foliage, compact mounded habit |
| Wildlife Value | Flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds |
| Resistance (deer/disease/drought/etc.) | Commonly regarded as deer resistant; adaptable; some drought tolerance once established |
| Landscape Uses | Foundation beds, mixed borders, mass plantings, specimen accents, large containers |
How to Care for Double Play® Red Spirea
Be sure to read our planting instructions to ensure a healthy and happy Double Play® Red Spirea for years to come!
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How should I plant Double Play® Red Spirea?
Plant Double Play® Red Spirea in full sun or light part sun in well-drained soil. Dig a hole about twice as wide as the root ball, set the plant so the top of the root ball is level with the surrounding soil, then backfill and water deeply to settle the roots. Add a light mulch layer after planting to help conserve moisture and reduce weed competition, but keep mulch a few inches away from the stems. Give Double Play® Red Spirea enough room to develop its natural rounded shape so it stays dense and attractive.
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How often should I water Double Play® Red Spirea after planting?
Water Double Play® Red Spirea deeply right after planting, then keep the soil evenly moist during the first growing season while it establishes. During warm weather, check the soil regularly and water when the top layer begins to dry. Once established, Double Play® Red Spirea is more forgiving and can handle ordinary landscape conditions well. During long dry stretches, deep watering is better than frequent shallow watering and helps support stronger flowering and healthier foliage.
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When should I fertilize Double Play® Red Spirea?
Fertilize Double Play® Red Spirea in early spring as new growth begins. A balanced slow-release shrub fertilizer is usually enough, and compost or added organic matter can also help support steady growth in average garden soil. Avoid overfeeding, especially late in the season. Too much fertilizer can encourage soft growth without noticeably improving the plant’s performance, so one light annual feeding is usually all it needs.
When and how should I prune Double Play® Red Spirea?
Prune Double Play® Red Spirea in late winter to early spring if you want to shape the plant or refresh the growth before the new season starts. Because it blooms on new wood, that timing works well for cleanup and size control. You can also lightly trim after flowering if you want to neaten the plant or encourage a fresh flush of colorful growth. Every few years, removing a few older stems at the base can help keep the shrub vigorous and densely branched.
