Spiraea japonica
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- spy-REE-ah juh-PON-ih-kuh
- This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
- Description
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This plant is problematic and alternatives should be considered.
Japanese Spiraea, is a flowering dwarf deciduous shrub with leaves that change color over the season, growing 4 to 6 feet high and as many feet wide. The plant is drought tolerant and has an upright, low and broadly mounded form creating a dense thicket of thin wiry stems. Japanese Spiraea blooms in early summer with pink flowers that attract butterflies and is often the last of the common spiraeas to bloom in a calendar year.
The plant prefers rich loam, but grows in a range of soil types (including clay) in average, medium moisture, good drainage, and full sun. It will not do well in wet, poorly drained, soil. It tolerates light shade. Japanese Spiraea can be an aggressive self-seeder and has been known to escape gardens and naturalize in many areas of the eastern United States. The plant can also spread in the garden by suckering.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Weedy and invasive, consider planting native alternatives found in the left-hand column. It is listed as invasive in VA, GA, SC TN, KY and others including the Great Smoky Mountains of NC and TN. The NC Invasive Plant Council lists it as invasive. Unlike some other species of Spiraea (Spiraea cantoniersis), this plant may be damaged by deer. Spiraeas are susceptible to many of the diseases and insects that attack other rose family members, including leaf spot, fire blight, powdery mildew, root rot, aphids, leaf roller and scale.
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Floricyle
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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'Gold Mound'
- 'Little Princess'
- 'Neon Flash'
- 'Shirobana'
Showy small pink flowers that appear in late spring 'Lime Mound'
Compact in habit boasting showy small pink flowers - 'Little Princess'
- 'Gold Mound', 'Lime Mound', 'Little Princess', 'Neon Flash', 'Shirobana'
- Tags:










- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
-
'Gold Mound'
- 'Little Princess'
- 'Neon Flash'
- 'Shirobana'
Showy small pink flowers that appear in late spring 'Lime Mound'
Compact in habit boasting showy small pink flowers - 'Little Princess'
- 'Gold Mound', 'Lime Mound', 'Little Princess', 'Neon Flash', 'Shirobana'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Spiraea
- Species:
- japonica
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Japan and China
- Wildlife Value:
- attracts butterflies
- Dimensions:
- Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 7 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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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
- Loam (Silt)
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Type:
- Follicle
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit is a dry, brown follicle.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Corymb
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Blooms in June and July with mild fragrance. Inflorescence is terminal flat-topped corymb or borne in uppermost leaf axils with flower clusters to 8 inches in diameter. Flowers are deep pink or rose-reddish, 1/4 to 1/3 of an inch.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Doubly Serrate
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Lustrous dark green leaves. 1 to 3 inches long when mature. Serrate to double serrate margins. Pink, red, purple, yellow or chartreuse leaves when young. Somewhat glaucous with downy veins beneath.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Wiry, freely branching, erect stems are brown to reddish-brown, round in cross-section and sometimes hairy.
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Landscape:
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Erosion
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Weedy