I Need Advice About My Spirea And Annabelle Hydrangea

Question

Hi! I have a spirea plant that is mostly spindly little sticks, and it does not flower. Please see photo 1. (The ones next to it are okay.) Is there anything to be done, or is this a lost cause and I should dig it up? Also, when I cut my hydrangea shrubs back, I discovered that one of the “shrubs” looked more like come random shoots (that had perhaps spread from the hydrangea adjacent to it). Please see photo 2. Should I just let this be or try to dig it up? Many thanks!

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Answer 1

Try pruning your spirea to perk it up. It looks like it suffered winter injury in the past. For the hydrangea, if you do not want to grow another one, sever the rhizome that is connecting the two (plunge your shovel in the dirt between the two till you see the connecting roots severed). Then you can cut it back to the ground and repeat if it continues to come up. Or after disconnecting it you can use a nonselective herbicide to kill it. Always read and follow label instructions.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/spirea/pruning-spirea-shrubs.htm