Spiraea japonica

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.