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Genus Spiraea (Spirea)

Spiraea Spiraea nipponica 'Snowmound' Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Bailey Nurseries
spy-REE-ah Common Name: Spirea
About 80 species make up this genus of deciduous or semi-evergreen shrubs. They are grown primarily for their small but profuse white, yellow, pink, or purple flowers in spring or summer. Use spirea in a mixed or shrub border, as a groundocver, in a rock garden, or as hedging, depending on growth habit.
 Noteworthy characteristics: Flowers profusely.
 Care: Fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun. If plant flowers on previous year's wood, prune after flowering by cutting back flowered shoots to strong buds, young lower growth, or basal growth. For those that flower on the current season's wood, cut back to a low permanent framework as buds begin to swell in early spring
 Propagation: Take greenwood cuttings in summer. Suckering species can be divided in late autumn or early spring.
 Problems: Spirea can be affected by dieback, fireblight, powdery mildew, Cylindrocladium leaf spot, weevils, scale insects, and aphids.

Species, varieties and cultivars for genus Spiraea

Spiraea fritschiana Spiraea fritschiana
(Fritsch spirea) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

If you want a summer-flowering shrub with great fall color, look no further. Fritsch spirea jumps out with a striking red, orange, and yellow glow even brighter than the fall color of oaks and maples. It has coarser foliage than others in the genus, and if sheared back in spring, it produces giant summer blooms.
Spiraea japonica 'Alpina’ Spiraea japonica 'Alpina’
(Japanese spirea) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This low-growing, clump-forming shrub has a spreading habit, reaching 10 inches tall. Slender branches spread across the ground. Foliage is light blue-green to 1 inch long. In late June, this plant bears clusters of pink flowers; bloom continues into September if deadheaded.
Spiraea nipponica ‘Snowmound’ Spiraea nipponica ‘Snowmound’
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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This fast-growing, upright specimen has very attractive small, blunt, dark blue-green leaves and arching branches. Bowl-shaped, pure white flowers are borne midsummer in large numbers. They attract butterflies.