Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Ash Leaf Spirea, Ural False Spirea

Brand:  First Editions

Description:

A multi-stemmed, nicely rounded shrub, presenting tropical-like, ferny foliage that emerges a bright, coppery orange-red and matures to deep green; this variety sparsely blooms; yellow fall color; makes an excellent low hedge or border accent

Ornamental Features

Matcha Ball® False Spirea has attractive green deciduous foliage which emerges coppery-bronze in spring on a plant with a round habit of growth. The small serrated pointy pinnately compound leaves are highly ornamental and turn outstanding shades of yellow and in the fall. The dark red stems are very effective and add winter interest.

Landscape Attributes

Matcha Ball® False Spirea is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Spreading

Matcha Ball® False Spirea is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Matcha Ball® False Spirea will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Matcha Ball® False Spirea makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Be aware that in our climate, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception. Contact our experts for more information on how to protect it over the winter months.

This plant is not reliably hardy in our region, and certain restrictions may apply; contact the store for more information.