Pavonia Hastata, a Dark-Eyed Beauty

Say 'Pavonia hastata' a few times. For me, the words conjure up images of Spanish conquistadors and dark eyed maidens. A few years ago I bought a plant tagged 'perennial hibiscus'. The glossy, spear shaped leaves were intriguing, different from the common hibiscus plants that grow around here. Recently, thanks to fellow blogger Cat, The Whimsical Gardener, I learned its botanical name.

Pavonia hastata is a shrub that produces myriads of delicate pink blooms with deep burgundy centers. Hummingbirds love the flowers, as do bees and butterflies. Each bloom is about two inches across and lasts only a day, but with so many buds, it is always in bloom — in my garden from June till frost. It is native to South America and also grows in parts of Australia. It is evergreen in zones 9-13, but it is hardy, though deciduous, in my zone 7b garden. The shrub will grow about 3-4 feet tall, and I prune it to about one feet in late winter to prevent legginess. It also seems to bloom better when I do this. 

Pavonia hastata is also known as spearleaf swampmallow. It will grow in drier conditions, but with good soil, sunshine, and plenty of water it can become weedy, and, indeed I pull up unwanted seedlings every spring. They are easy to identify, and so far I haven't found them anywhere except in the area adjacent to the mother plant. I have planted several of the seedlings in a row, and now I have an attractive hedge along one side of the patio. 

Today is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, the first day of summer according to the calendar. But we have been experiencing summer weather for many weeks now, and a lot of perennials stop flowering in the heat. I am grateful for Pavonia hastata. a dark-eyed beauty with pastel skirts, dancing in the summer breeze.

Spirea, a Great Low Maintenance Shrub

I take it for granted. My Spirea bumalda 'Anthony Waterer' has been blooming since May, and the lacy flowers provide a lovely splash of color beside my patio.

Spirea is an old-fashioned plant, beloved by generations of gardeners. There are over eighty species of spirea, commonly called meadowsweet, and there are hundreds of varieties. They are all tough members of the rose family. They will grow in a range of soil types and, once established, are very draught tolerant. They need full sun to bloom best but will tolerate partial shade. The yellow leafed varieties, such as goldmound spirea, will bloom with less sun. All spireas should be spaced so they can spread their branches freely, and they appreciate a balanced fertilizer once a year.

Older spireas can be rejuvenated by pruning out the older branches. Spring flowering varieties should be pruned right after flowering. Summer bloomers, like my Anthony Waterer, bloom on new wood and should be pruned in early spring before new growth starts. 

This photo shows Anthony Waterer, on the left, just as flower buds are forming in April. The flowering shrub on the right is a knockout rose, another low maintenance shrub.

Spirea will grow in zones 5-9. It grows rapidly to two to nine feet, depending on the variety. Anthony Waterer grows to about three feet tall by four feet wide. It is deciduous and has light green, toothed leaves that turn reddish gold in the fall. Spirea looks great with evergreens. Mine are planted in companion to blue juniper, azaleas and rosemary, as well as the knockout rose growing in that area. The following scenes show Anthony Waterer during fall and again in May.

My Anthony Waterers provide year round interest and have done a great job covering a large portion of the slope beside my patio. They also attract butterflies, which I love. Anyone seeking to plant a low maintenance garden should consider one of the many varieties of spirea.