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Spiraea nipponica 'Snowmound'

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
spy-REE-ah nip-PON-ih-kuh
Description

Spiraea nipponica, or Snowmound Spiraea, is a drought-tolerant, flowering, deciduous shrub growing rapidly to its full size. For most Spiraea species, the height can range from 5 to 8 feet high and an equal spread; however, Snowmound tends to be a bit smaller with a 2 to 4 foot height. When young it is a slender, slightly arching, shrub, but becomes denser and mounded with age. It grows well in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to bring out the best blossoms. However, it will also thrive with light afternoon shade if sited in a place with hot summer climates. It tolerates a wide range of soils, including clay. To extend the flowering and improve the overall appearance of the plant, you should remove faded flower clusters as soon as practicle (light shearing is an option). Keep in mind that Spiraea flower on new wood, so you should prune in late winter or early spring if needed.

The plant blooms in late spring, which is later than other white-flowered spiraeas, and produces a frothy shower of clustered, small, white flowers that cover the limbs like a mound of snow. The blue-green leaves are shaped as narrow triangles with an acute angle toward the base. They tend to be narrower than S. x vanhouttei and grow larger than typically advertised for 'Snowmound', making it a good filler plant, as a mass planting, a bank cover, or in front of a shrub border. Flowers and leaves all appear on the same side of the arching branches. Flowers are attractive to butterflies. The plant is seldom damaged by deer.

Insects, Diseases, and other Plant Problems: 

No serious insect or disease problems. Susceptible to many of the diseases and insects that attack other members of the rose family, including leaf spots, fireblight, powdery mildew, rots, aphids, leaf roller and scale.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#showy flowers#deciduous#drought tolerant#shrub#flowering shrub#deer resistant#ornamentals#fantz#cpp
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#showy flowers#deciduous#drought tolerant#shrub#flowering shrub#deer resistant#ornamentals#fantz#cpp
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Spiraea
    Species:
    nipponica
    Family:
    Rosaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Japan
    Wildlife Value:
    Blossoms attract butterflies.
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    Moderately deer resistant. Drought tolerant.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Perennial
    Shrub
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Arching
    Dense
    Mounding
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Fine
  • 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 Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Follicle
    Fruit Description:
    Fruit is a dry follicle, brown.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Corymb
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    Frothy white flowers that bloom in the spring. Inflorescence is a rounded or conical corymb, terminal, to 1.5 inches. Flowers are not fragrant tending toward weakly foetid and subtended by leafy bracts.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Blue
    Green
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Oblong
    Obovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Dentate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    Lustrous dark blue-green leaves 0.5 to 1.5 inches long. The leaves are obtuse, cuneate, longer than they are broad, and shallowly toothed at apex.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Light Brown
    Red/Burgundy
    Bark Description:
    bark is striped and exfoliating
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Cross Section:
    Angular
    Stem Surface:
    Smooth (glabrous)
    Stem Description:
    Stems are angled and glabrous.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Slope/Bank
    Design Feature:
    Barrier
    Border
    Hedge
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Drought