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Double Play® Blue Kazoo® Spirea Spiraea media

Flower Season
  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Fall
Mature Size
3' 3'
Height: 2' - 3'
Spread: 2' - 3'
  • Details

    Features

    Flowers, foliage, and easy care - Double Play® Blue Kazoo® spirea has it all!

    Your search for a colorful, versatile, easy to grow shrub for your landscape ends at Double Play Blue Kazoo spirea. Its cool blue foliage emerges in a range of shifting hues through the season: red, pink, purple, and green. In early summer, very large white flower clusters appear. Like other spirea, you can count on Double Play Blue Kazoo to look great while needing minimal care. It grows well in lightly shaded conditions (four-six hours of sun or filtered light all day), and is generally unbothered by deer. Not fussy about soil or watering. 

    Top reasons to grow Double Play Blue Kazoo spirea:

    - blue foliage and white flowers work with any home color, even strong orange or red brick

    - colorful new growth keeps this plant interesting from spring through frost

    - needs no special pruning or other maintenance to keep its good looks 

    Foliage Interest
    Resists: 
    Deer

    Characteristics

    Plant Type: 
    Shrub
    Shrub Type: 
    Deciduous
    Height Category: 
    Medium
    Garden Height: 
    24 - 36 Inches
    Spacing: 
    24 - 36 Inches
    Spread: 
    24 - 36 Inches
    Flower Colors: 
    White
    Foliage Colors: 
    Blue
    Foliage Colors: 
    Green
    Foliage Colors: 
    Red
    Foliage Shade: 
    Cool blue-green foliage has burgundy new growth and red fall color
    Habit: 
    Mounded
    Container Role: 
    Thriller

    Plant Needs

    Light Requirement: 
    Part Sun to Sun
    Light Requirement: 
    Sun

    The optimum amount of sun or shade each plant needs to thrive: Full Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours), Full Shade (up to 4 hours).

    Maintenance Category: 
    Easy
    Blooms On: 
    Old Wood
    Bloom Time: 
    Early Summer
    Bloom Time: 
    Late Spring
    Hardiness Zones: 
    3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
    Heat Zones: 
    8
    Water Category: 
    Average
    Uses: 
    Border Plant
    Uses: 
    Edging Plant
    Uses: 
    Landscape
    Uses: 
    Mass Planting
    Uses: 
    Specimen or Focal Point
    Uses Notes: 

    A great low-maintenance plant for mass plantings or low hedges. It can also be incorporated into mixed borders. The multi-season interest of flowers and foliage makes it an effective addition to landscapes.

    Maintenance Notes: 

    If you wish to prune Double Play Blue Kazoo spirea, do so after flowering. This neatens the appearance and also encourages a fresh flush of colorful new growth.

    Cool blue foliage is the perfect contrast to this hardy plant's crisp white blooms. Hints of burgundy in the new growth foreshadow the rich red foliage color it develops in fall. This neat, mounded plant is an excellent addition to the landscaper's palette.

    Double Play® Blue Kazoo® Spiraea media 'SMSMBK' USPP 26,655, Can 5,642
  • 11 Reviews

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    Browse reviews from people who have grown this plant.
    • This plant has beautiful leaf colors! I bought two but unfortunately one didn't make it through shipping. The company plans to send a replacement this spring. The healthy one is doing great even through the harsh winter. If I had room in my yard for more, I would definitely plant more.

      L. Carlson
      , Oregon
      , United States
      , 15 weeks ago
    • Sadly this plant hasn’t grown at all since purchasing it online in early summer. It had already flowered, so I missed that stage, and it didn’t tolerate sun very well at all. Leaves scorched very easily. Im waiting for the weather to cool before transplanting to a less sunny spot in the yard and see if that helps for next year. Also purchased candy corn variety and it’s doing great, although hasn’t put on much growth either.

      Connie
      , California
      , United States
      , 31 weeks ago
    • I planted five blue kazoos three years ago. For the last two summers they have suffered terribly from powdery mildew even though they are sited in a southeast exposure with good air circulation with lots of sun, good drainage and no overhead shade. I also have other varieties of spirea in the landscapes which do well. I like to use spirea for it's deer resistance and low maintenance but sadly, this variety has been a disappointment. I am considering replacing them.

      Stephanie Gallagher
      , New York
      , United States
      , 31 weeks ago
    • Kristin
      , New York
      , United States
      , 50 weeks ago
    • The foliage on this shrub is gorgeous! Blue Kazoo provides wonderful color and texture in our foundation bed. The shape is lovely and the flowers are a nice bright white!

      Eric N
      , New York
      , United States
      , 2 years ago
    • Love the bluish color of this Spirea. Came back after a very harsh winter and has grown to nearly mature height after one year.

      Seth Hendriks
      , Minnesota
      , United States
      , 2 years ago
    • I have a mature Double Play Gold spirea gracing the entrance to the main walkway to my home and have long desired another striking spirea to compliment it on the opposite side of the walkway. With the Blue Kazoo I know I've found its match! Like the DP Gold, the Blue Kazoo also has leaves that are a kaleidoscope of colors as the seasons pass. These guys always get attention from passersby. Deadhead for repeat blooms. Looks best and have more blooms when given a shag cut/trim rather than the coiffed cut/trim.

      Tom
      , Massachusetts
      , United States
      , 8 years ago
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