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Sorbaria sorbifolia

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
sor-BAY-ree-uh sor-bee-FOH-lee-uh
Description

Sorbaria sorbifolia, or False Spirea, is a deciduous, erect, multi-stemmed shrub that is best grown in average, medium moisture, organically rich, well-drained soil. It flowers best when sited in full sun and spreads by suckers to form colonies. It is a hardy and aggressive plant and you should remove the root suckers promptly to control its spread and prune in late winter and early spring before new growth. To rejuvenate a tired plant, you can cut it close to the ground. Ural Spirea is a cultivar that does not have the invasive characteristic of the parent False Spirea, making it much improved variant for the home gardener. 

This coarse shrub grows to 5 to 8 feet tall (sometimes to 10 feet) and as wide. It displays masses of tiny white flowers in early summer and the deep green foliage resembles mountain ash to which it is related. It is sometimes planted en mass for erosion control.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. It can spread aggressively by root suckers, particularly in loose soils  and seems to be less invasive in heavy clay soils.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • Sem
  • Ural False Spirea
    less invasive than False Spirea
Sem, Ural False Spirea
Tags:
#showy flowers#deciduous#shrub#fast growing#spreading#flowering shrub
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • Sem
  • Ural False Spirea
    less invasive than False Spirea
Sem, Ural False Spirea
Tags:
#showy flowers#deciduous#shrub#fast growing#spreading#flowering shrub
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Sorbaria
    Species:
    sorbifolia
    Family:
    Rosaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Root Cutting
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Central and Eastern Asia
    Dimensions:
    Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Shrub
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    Medium
    Texture:
    Coarse
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    High Organic Matter
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    NC Region:
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Panicle
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Summer
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Masses of 0.3 inch white flowers in June and July borne on 4 to 10 inch panicle on new growth.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Insignificant
    Leaf Type:
    Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Leaf Margin:
    Doubly Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    > 6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Dark green leaves, 8 to 12 inches long, 13-25 leaflets; non-showy fall color.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Naturalized Area
    Slope/Bank
    Design Feature:
    Barrier
    Border
    Mass Planting
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Erosion