Spiraea japonica Magic Carpet™
Common name: 
Magic Carpet Spirea
Pronunciation: 
sp-i-REE-a ja-PON-i-ka
Family: 
Rosaceae
Genus: 
Spiraea
Synonyms: 
S. × bumalda Magic Carpet
S. × b. 'Walbuma'
'Walbuma'
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Deciduous shrub, spreading, 2-3 ft (60-90 cm) tall and greater width in western Oregon, sometimes listed as reaching only 18 inches (45 cm) tall but 2 ft (60 cm) wide.  Leaves bright orange-red to purplish when young and maturing to yellow-gold with reddish tinge.  Flowers are dark pink, summer blooming.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 4
  • The cultivar resulted from a breeding and selection program involving several thousand plants at Walberton Nursery in West Sussex, England.  Seeds from self-pollinated plants of Spiraea japonica 'Goldflame' were sown and the best seedling selections were chosen.  These selections were then self-pollinated, the resulting seeds sown, and the best seedling selections again chosen.  These seedling selections were also self-pollinated, the resulting seeds swon, and the cultivar Walbuma was discovered by the inventor, David Tristram, in the third generation of this seedling selection process (US Plant Patent 9363, issued Nov. 7, 1995). In the nursery trade 'Walbuma' is known by its unregistered trademark name Magic Carpet.
Click image to enlarge
  • plant habit, spring

    plant habit, spring

  • plant habit, spring

    plant habit, spring

  • young leaves

    young leaves

  • flower clusters

    flower clusters

  • plant habit, summer

    plant habit, summer

  • flower clusters, late summer

    flower clusters, late summer