Plant Encyclopedia

Description:

An elegant and versatile garden shrub with tiny white flowers appearing atop a rounded form, fall color is a showy mix of red, yellow and copper; ideal for use in smaller gardens and rock gardens, very low maintenance

Ornamental Features

Birchleaf Spirea features dainty clusters of white flowers at the ends of the branches from late spring to early summer. It has dark green deciduous foliage. The oval leaves turn an outstanding red in the fall.

Landscape Attributes

Birchleaf Spirea is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Birchleaf Spirea is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Birchleaf Spirea will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America.