Pink Ice Variegated May Bush

Pink Ice Variegated May Bush (Spiraea x vanhouttei 'Pink Ice') is an arching, semi evergreen shrub that grows 1m to 2.5m tall and 2m to 3m wide. New leaves open cream, freckled with soft pink, then settle to dappled green and cream, with blush tones returning in autumn. Clusters of cream flowers cover the branches in spring, which makes it a cottage garden shrub with interest in three seasons.

Why you'll love it

• Variegated foliage all season. The small soft leaves shift from cream to green to blush pink, so the plant never reads as plain green shrubbery.
• Spring flower clusters. Cream flowers open in September and October in the southern hemisphere, and butterflies visit them.
• Cascading habit. The arching branches spill over retaining walls and down banks, softening hard edges.
• Frost hardy. It copes with cold winters and suits the cooler half of the country.
• Easy to shape. A trim after flowering keeps it compact, and it fills a fence line without the bulk of a large hedge.

Where it works best

Fence lines and informal screens. Plant 1.5m apart along a fence. The arching branches interlock into a soft, flowering screen that stays below 2.5m.

Retaining walls and banks. Planted at the top of a wall, the branches cascade down the face in a loose curtain of cream and green.

Feature planting. Use a single plant as a cottage garden centrepiece, with perennials or roses at its feet.

Growing Pink Ice Variegated May Bush in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the best flowers and foliage colour. It suits cool temperate and warm temperate gardens, and it is frost hardy. Where summers are extremely hot, choose a spot with some protection from the hot afternoon sun. It prefers a cooler climate than the tropics and humid subtropics.

Soil. Well-drained soil is the requirement. Mulch over the roots to keep them cool and moist through summer.

Water and feed. Mulch and water well, and keep watering frequently until the plant is established, around 12 weeks. After that, water regularly through dry spells. Feed with a controlled release fertiliser after flowering to keep growth compact and flowering heavy next season.

Pruning. Trim straight after flowering, shaping the arching branches. Because it flowers on the previous year's growth, pruning later in the season removes next spring's flowers.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Pink Ice Variegated May Bush as tube stock and in 140mm pots in packs of 10. Tube stock is a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly and is the economical choice for a long fence line. The 140mm pots give a planting more presence in its first year. Expect a small, leafy plant that fills out over its first two seasons.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse deciduous shrubs
• Hedging and screening plants
• More frost hardy plants
• How to create a cottage garden in Australia

Common questions

Is it evergreen?

Semi evergreen. In mild winters it keeps much of its foliage, and in colder districts it sheds more of it before the new growth arrives.

How big does it get?

Between 1m and 2.5m tall and 2m to 3m wide, so give it room. It suits fence lines and open beds better than narrow strips.

When should I prune it?

Straight after flowering in late spring. It flowers on last year's wood, so a late prune cuts off the following spring's flowers.