What shrub is this no 2

mandyroberts99

Any idea what this is? Is gets covered in white and pink flowers in the summer. Last year I pruned about 1ft off all round and it seemed to like it but would like to prune a bit more as I have a few of these and some are getting too large for their spot

AnniD

Possibly Spirea Japonica? 

mandyroberts99

AnniD said:

Possibly Spirea Japonica? 

Thanks - I have found some pictures and you are right. I'm not sure exactly which it is but rule out several due to its size. The pruning advice for the larger ones seems to be the same

Hostafan1

I've pruned these in the past by gathering the stems up, into a ponytail kinda thing and chopping it off. When it springs back it has a nice rounded shape.
You can take the whole thing down to about 6" and it'll bounce back to a good size in no time.

mandyroberts99

Hostafan1 said:

I've pruned these in the past by gathering the stems up, into a ponytail kinda thing and chopping it off. When it springs back it has a nice rounded shape.
You can take the whole thing down to about 6" and it'll bounce back to a good size in no time.

The care advice I found says cut back after flowering but I wouldn't want to do that in the summer as it looks nice until the leaves drop. Do you think I can do as you suggest now or wait until it starts to show signs of new life?

yorkshirerose

Description of flowers sounds like it could be Spirea 'Anthony Waterer'
Cut back in Spring, Hostafan's method is the easiest way to tackle this. 
Also remove dead flowers in Summer to maintain the shape of the shrub for the season.


https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/96104/Spiraea-japonica-Anthony-Waterer-(v)/Details

Busy-Lizzie

I think it is Spirea Shirobana as that has both white and pink flowers on the same plant, which is what you said it has. I have one, pretty. 
https://www.suttons.co.uk/Gardening/Trees-and-Shrubs/All-Trees-and-Shrubs/Spiraea-Shirobana-Josephs-Coat_265219.htm

mandyroberts99

Busy-Lizzie said:

I think it is Spirea Shirobana as that has both white and pink flowers on the same plant, which is what you said it has. I have one, pretty. 
https://www.suttons.co.uk/Gardening/Trees-and-Shrubs/All-Trees-and-Shrubs/Spiraea-Shirobana-Josephs-Coat_265219.htm

That's the one! I couldn't find it on RHS

BONE MEAL

I cut mine back to about 6" in the Autumn. If you cut back in the Spring you will run the risk of chopping off the emerging buds thus delaying flowering.

mandyroberts99

BONE MEAL said:

I cut mine back to about 6" in the Autumn. If you cut back in the Spring you will run the risk of chopping off the emerging buds thus delaying flowering.

6"! How big do they get the next summer?

BONE MEAL

About 18" roughly