Spiraea thunbergii ‘Ogon’ (Mellow Yellow)

Baby ’s breath spirea , Spiraea thunbergii , is anornamental woody shrubinthe Rosaceae family . It has gracefully arching stems and slender , somewhat - serrated lanceolate leaves .

The ‘ Ogon ’ cultivar , S. thumbergii ‘ Ogon ’ , aka Mellow Yellow , is remarkable for its other spring bloom fourth dimension and golden leaves .

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Morning light shining on blooming branches of Mellow Yellow ‘Ogon’ Spirea.

In this article , you ’ll learn how to school this landscape industrial plant for foundation or stand - alone placements , as well as motley border and hedge .

What You Will Learn

Cultivation and History

TheSpiraea thunbergiispecies is native to China and Japan . The truthful species and its cultivars are suitable forUS Hardiness zones4 to 8 . It is know by various names , include baby ’s breath , golden nuptial wreath , and Thunberg spirea ; as well as Thunberg ’s meadowsweet .

Please note that S. thunbergii isconsidered invasivein parts of the US , including : Alabama , Mississippi , Louisiana , Maryland , Pennsylvania ( Blair County ) , New York ( Fulton County ) , Connecticut ( New Haven).It is prizedas a Plant of Meritin the Midwest .

The ‘ Ogon ’ cultivar is an other bloomer with a loose , mounding habit that reaches a height and breadth of 3 to 5 feet . It place on a show in spring , its cascading stems laden with petite white blossoms that resemble flyspeck English roses .

Mellow Yellow ‘Ogon’ Spirea with small white flowers in the morning sunlight.

Golden leaves follow the flush , deepening to bright green , for a nice line to dark evergreen in the landscape painting . By fall , the leaves take on bronze tone .

As the last of the leave of absence drop and winter pay off afoot , exfoliating bark is the predominant feature , punctuating the barren landscape with a tangle of stark , textural lines .

Propagation

Spirea may be propagated from cuttings or by layering .

Cuttings are taken in one of two ways .   In the summertime , soft , slender young stem turn are cut , dipped in rooting hormone , and plant in potting medium .

Alternatively , difficult woody stem are cut just before spring , dipped in rooting hormone , and aim in potting sensitive .

Mellow Yellow ‘Ogon’ Spirea with small white flowers in the morning sunlight.

In the layering method , a foresighted , arching stem is bent to the ground , partially break up , and coated with root hormone . It is then traverse with grime and consider down with a rock . The stock-still stem component is then come off from the parent and transplanted .

The mature industrial plant you happen at a nursery were started in one of these three ways , and are established and quick for transplant into the ground , or a container .

If you are container horticulture , choose a sight with a diam at least doubly as wide as twice as deep as the root Lucille Ball , and be prepared to go up in size as the flora reaches its mature height .

Small white flowers of the Mellow Yellow ‘Ogon’ Spirea bush in the morning light.

study more about propagate spirea here .

How to Grow

This is an gentle plant to turn . You may put it in the ground at any time between spring and fall .

This is a long - endure bush with good drought tolerance . It’sdeer resistant , can withstand pollution , andattracts beesandbutterflies .

Growing Tips:

Pruning and Maintenance

To rejuvenate this plant , use a pair of sharp pruners , to get rid of some of the oldest , woody stems . Cut them to the undercoat just after flowering in the give .

You may also prune deeplyevery few years , to a height of about 12 inches , to promote sound , Modern growth .

drop - plant shrub profit from a protective layer of burlap and an extra stratum of mulch to weathertheir first wintertime .

Close up of mellow yellow ‘ogon’ spirea flowers with selective focus and a diffused background.

And while somewhat drought tolerant , in the event of a serious heatwave / ironic spell , you should provide supplemental weewee to minimize stress .

And eventually , utilize a balanced , slow - expiration fertilizer in late fall or former springtime each year .

Where to Buy

Ogon spirea ( Mellow Yellow),Spiraea thunbergii ‘ Ogon ’ , isavailable from Green Promise Farms via Amazon .

Mellow Yellow Spirea Shrub

Managing Pests and Disease

S. thunbergiiis not a pest- or disease - prostrate plant . However , if it ’s stressed due to conditions like unequal space between plant , inefficient soil drainage , over- or under - watering , or poor green goddess controller , it come dupe to problem associated with its nigh relation , the rose .

Some insects to watch out for are : aphids , foliage hair curler , exfoliation , andspider mites . An app offood grade diatomaceous earthis one method of forbid / cover an onslaught .

Potential diseases include : fire blight , foliage spot , powdery mould , androot rot . The removal of affected leaves and stems , and the lotion of a chemical fungicide or a biofungicide may halt the spreadhead of some .

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However , source rot from oversaturation may be irreversible .

Best Uses

To show off your Mellow white-livered dish to best advantage , conceive planting it alone as a specimen . This provides sizable room to be see from all side , as it shows off its blossoms in natural spring , golden leaves in summertime , and bronze tones in fall .

You may favour to include it in a sundry border or bed with bush of various colors , statures , and textures , like evergreen , forsythia , witch alder , Genista raetam , roses , viburnum , andweigela .

It ’s also an excellent choice for adding textural appeal and an ground tackle to the back of a base bed , specially in spring , with a front edging of bulbs in bloom .

Mellow Yellow ‘Ogon’ Spirea use as specimen plant.

And if you ’re see fora plant to utilise as a hedgealong a driveway , or a property margin by a busy route , S. thunbergiioffers an airy , colorful alternative to dense and heavyset choices like privet orboxwood , as it draw fume and creates privacy .

Quick Reference Growing Chart

Get Mellow with Yellow

No plant makes me happier than one that has something interesting to bet at in every season , pull good insects , and come up every year for a farseeing clock time . Add well resistance to insects and disease , and minimum care , and I ’m in love .

Imagine relaxing in spring beside cascading flower , summer of prosperous farewell , and fall ’s bronze exhibit .

Make elbow room forS. thunbergii ‘ Ogon’in your landscape painting this year . Whether you grow it in large containers or in the earth , it ’s a shrub that ’s trusted to please .

Mellow Yellow ‘Ogon’ Spirea used to form a hedge.

If you found this informative , you may wish more of our spiraea guidessuch as :

© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more detail . primitively published September 10th , 2019 . Last updated August 12th , 2023 . Uncredited photograph : Shutterstock .

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Nan Schiller