Spiraea japonica 'Tracy' DOUBLE PLAY® BIG BANG Japanese spirea

The cultivar name of BIG BANG spiraea refers to the “big bang” of colours in its emerging foliage. In spring it begins with vivid orange tones that fade to chartreuse, while new shoots emerge maroon to mahogany. In summer, from June to July, large, flat corymbs of bright pink flowers appear at the ends of shoots. These inflorescences are among the largest in the genus, reaching 15 to 20 cm across. The shrub’s habit is compact and rounded, about 60–90 cm tall and equally wide, making it ideal for smaller gardens and urban plantings. Compared to the species, it is distinguished by significantly more colorful foliage and larger flower clusters, and because it leafs out among the very first deciduous shrubs in spring, it offers vivid colours much earlier than the rest of nature awakens from its winter dormancy.

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 21,588 from 2010. The breeder is the renowned American horticulturist Timothy D. Wood of Spring Meadow Nursery. His plants have become ambassadors of modern garden culture – from the hydrangea ‘Limelight’ to the ninebark ‘Summer Wine®’, now adorning parks and gardens worldwide. He also breeds for example abelias, viburnums, weigelas, sumacs, as well as chamaecyparis, arborvitae, junipers, and yews. His name appears on more than 400 plant patents, and thanks to his work, ornamental shrubs from the U.S. have entered the global assortment and influenced the aesthetics of public and private landscapes across the world.

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