February Blooms in my Georgia Garden: Fujino Pink Spirea

One of the earliest shrubs to bloom in our Georgia garden is the lovely Spiraea thunbergii 'Fujino Pink.'

Fujino Pink Spiraea in February

Fujino Pink Spiraea is a beautiful, fine branched spirea that sports masses of pink buds along the stems which open to light pink flowers in late winter to early spring before the leaves emerge. This shrub is a soft, airy plant that looks great massed or as a hedge.

Some spiraeas (also often spelled 'spirea') grow very large, but this is one of the small ones maturing to about 4 feet high and wide, making it perfect for a small garden.

Spiraea thunbergii can be grown all over the United States, as it is hardy in USDA Zones 4 - 9.

For best flowering, grow spiraea in full sun, but we have quite a few that receive only part sun and bloom just beautifully anyway. That's typical for our garden, since summer sun can be too intense for delicate foliage.

Spiraes prefer well-drained soil with regular water, but Fujino Pink Spiraea is drought tolerant once established. As I've said before, no shrub is considered established until it has been planted at least a couple of years.

What's Blooming in my Georgia Garden in February: Part 2

Well, it's still February, and now there are even more flowers in our Georgia garden. From my point of view, our weather has been horrible. A few beautiful sunny days warm enough to work outdoors have been sandwiched between lots of rainy cold days amidst dark and dreary cloudy days when the dampness just goes to my bones.

Daphne odora, Fragrant Winter Blooms

If I were a shrub, I would not bloom, and if I were a flower, I would not open. Yet camellias and Daphne shrubs continue to bloom despite all this yucky weather.

Lonicera fragrantissima

And when I walked outside yesterday afternoon, I found Lonicera fragrantissima in full bloom. This variety of Lonicera is known as Winter Honeysuckle since it blooms reliably every Winter. This old-fashioned shrub is also known as Kiss Me at the Gate.

Spirea Fujino Pink

Then I remembered that Fujino Pink Spirea had bloomed earlier this month, and I forgot to mention that in my previous post.

 "Are they still blooming?" I wondered. Yes, yes, they are! 

Now I know what I must do. Since our winter weather can sometimes be too cold and wet for me to venture outdoors, I must plant some of these winter bloomers near a window, to be enjoyed from inside where it is warm!