Asked on May 16, 2014

What kind of plants are these?

Cassandra N
by Cassandra N
We moved into our new home in winter, so we weren't able to do fall pruning on our plants. I'm not sure what kind of plants these are, or more importantly, how to care for them. It looks like the flowers are dead on one plant, and that new life is growing around the base. Should I pluck the dead parts? Fertilize? Mulch? Any help would be greatly appreciated, as they look like they had been well taken care of, and I would hate to ruin them! Also, we live in Minnesota, if that helps to identify the plants. Thank you!
Large bush with tiny fall colored leaves.
Medium size plant with dead flower sprigs and greenery blooming at the base.
  4 answers
  • Willow Gates Landscaping Willow Gates Landscaping on May 16, 2014
    The shrub is spirea; hack away at it any time you like, it will still bloom. :) In fact, a light shearing after the first flush of bloom will usually encourage a second flush. The second plant is a sedum; I would remove the dead stalks just aesthetics. As a perennial, it will die back to the ground each year. Some varieties tend to flop; if you cut them back before they bloom, they will stay shorter and bloom later. You can easily root those cuttings, btw.
  • Joyce Gott Joyce Gott on May 17, 2014
    Yes, I'm in Wisconsin - same type of weather as MN and have spirea and sedum. I'll guess the second is Autumn Joy sedum
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on May 17, 2014
    Willow Gates's advice is spot-on.
  • Karin Graham Karin Graham on May 17, 2014
    yes cut the spirea back and just clean the sedum up remove the dead stuff