Spiraea japonica 'NCSX2' DOUBLE PLAY® DOOZIE Japanese spirea

The cultivar name DOOZIE refers to something exceptional, extraordinary, a remarkable piece. And in case of this spirea it tells the truth. In spring, its leaves emerge in vivid red shades that gradually turn dark green, while young shoots retain their red colouration throughout the season. From late spring, clusters of purplish‑red flowers appear and continue to renew themselves until autumn. Since the plant produces no seeds, all its energy is devoted to flowering – resulting in an uninterrupted fireworks display of colour from spring to fall. The habit is compact and slightly cushion‑shaped, reaching 60–90 cm in height and width, which makes it ideal for smaller gardens, borders, and urban plantings. Compared to the species, it is distinguished not only by more colourful foliage which emerges much earlier than most deciduous shrubs, but above all by long‑lasting, continuous flowering, making it one of the most attractive spireas today.

This cultivar was bred in the United States as part of the Double Play® series, which focuses on combining attractive foliage with abundant flowering. It is protected by U.S. plant patent USPP 30,953 from 2019 and European Plant Breeder’s Rights (EU PBR 2019/0404). The breeder is the distinguished American horticulturist Dr. Tom Ranney of North Carolina State University (NCSU), renowned for his innovative woody plants. He became famous especially for his revolutionary series of pink hydrangeas – Pink Annabelle, Sweet Annabelle, and Ruby Annabelle. His portfolio also includes other ornamental woody plants – rhododendrons, azaleas, hollies, barberries, viburnums – and one remarkable novelty: the intergeneric hybrid ×Pyracomeles introduced in 2024. Ranney is a respected professor at NCSU, the recipient of numerous awards, and in addition to breeding ornamental shrubs and trees, he also conducts research on bioenergy crops.

Spiraea began to be widely planted in parks and public spaces by the late 19th century, especially in Europe and North America, as reliable, low‑maintenance shrubs for urban greenery. Japanese spiraea was introduced to the U.S. around 1870 and quickly spread in northeastern states. The advantages are clear: long flowering season, tolerance of pollution, easy maintenance, ability to be transplanted even after many years, and a modest root system. The drawback is that in some parts of the U.S., particularly the Appalachian region and the Northeast, it has become invasive – colonizing meadows and forest clearings and displacing native species, with seeds persisting in the soil for many years. In Europe and its gardens, however, it remains a valued shrub, used as a colourful specimen or combined with dark‑leaved shrubs such as barberry or elder, and it also softens plantings among evergreen shrubs with leathery foliage. In private gardens it is best to avoid hedge-like rows or mass plantings, which may resemble municipal landscaping.

Japanese spiraea ranks among the most reliable and least demanding ornamental shrubs – we call it simply “foolproof.” It thrives in full sun or partial shade, though the richest flowering and foliage colours occur in sunny sites. It can taky virtually any soil type from ordinary garden soil to much poorer mixtures combining construction leftovers and imported dirt. It tolerates drought as well as short‑term waterlogging, and it will even grow in medium‑heavy clay; high fertility or special preparation is not required. Yet in good soil and with regular watering it will look its best and flower longer and repeatedly. Its root system is compact, making it suitable for container culture. Pruning is best done in spring, since it flowers on new wood; shortening shoots promotes density and abundant bloom, and removing spent corymbs can trigger a second flush in late summer. Feeding is not necessary, though a light spring feed after leaf emergence is possible. The species is resistant to browsing by deer, non‑toxic to domestic and farm animals, and very cold‑hardy, tolerating temperatures down to –34 °C requiring no winter protection (USDA zone 4).

Last update 17-11-2025