Habitat

• native to Japan
• zone 4, warmer parts of 3

Habit and Form

• deciduous vase-shaped shrub
• 3' to 5' tall
• similar width
• very neat and kept appearance
• medium growth rate
• medium texture

Summer Foliage

• alternate leaf arrangement
• simple leaves with serrated leaf tips
• rounded leaf tips
• dark bluish-green leaves
• 1" to 1.5" long
• leaves are 0.5' wide

Autumn Foliage

• not ornamentally attractive

Flowers

• white flowers
• flowers form along top of the stems
• flowers are very abundant
• flowers early summer

Fruit

• brown capsules
• hold through winter
• not ornamentally significant

Bark

• reddish brown color
• branches are covered in ridges
• bark is striped and exfoliating
• predominately branches from base
• buds are appressed

Culture

• full sun to light shade
• prefers well-drained soil
• transplant from container for best results

Landscape Use

• for showy flowers
• group or mass plantings
• for border
• for foundation plant

Liabilities

• possible overused

ID Features

• white flowers along whole length of stem
• brown capsule fruit that is held through winter
• stout reddish brown stems
• exfoliating bark
• appressed buds
• alternate leaf arrangement
• very small serrated leaves
• vase-shaped

Propagation

• by cuttings

Cultivars/Varieties

'Halward's Silver' - This plant is most notable for its more compact habit, to only 4' tall and wide. It blooms well and is handsome in foliage.

'Snowmound' - The most common form of the species in commerce, this plant forms a rounded, dense mound to 7' tall and wide. It is covered by white flowers in spring and offers handsome blue-green leaves that are lighter underneath. It is probably the best of the spring-flowering white spireas, and definitely should be used in place of S. x vanhouttei.