White Spirea
Spiraea betulifolia also listed as Spiraea lucida
White Spirea (Spiraea betulifolia) is a low native shrub with smooth, toothed leaves and flat-topped clusters of tiny white flowers with long stamens. It blooms June into August in the Black Hills and on western prairies, in open woods, on stream banks and on rocky slopes. Photographed in the Black Hills.
| Family | Rosaceae · Rose |
|---|---|
| Status | Native shrub |
| Blooms | June into August |
| Height | 30–90 cm (12–35 in) |
| Where | Open woods, stream banks and rocky slopes |
| Also called | Shining Meadowsweet, Shining Spirea, Shinyleaf Spirea, Western White Spirea |
| Synonym | Spiraea betulifolia var. lucida, Spiraea corymbosa var. lucida |
| Note | Also listed as Spiraea lucida, the name SDSU and a Pacific Northwest guide use for this plant. Both list Spiraea betulifolia var. lucida as another name for it. |
Roots, seeds & germination
Root: Fibrous roots, sometimes with short, woody rhizomes (underground stems). It spreads into loose clumps and colonies.
Seed: Small, dry pods (follicles) that split open in late summer, August or September, to release several tiny seeds.
Germination: Seeds need light. Cold treatment is usually not needed, though 30 to 60 days of cold, moist treatment may help.
How do you identify White Spirea?
Look for a low shrub with flat-topped clusters, 3–7 cm wide, of tiny five-petaled white flowers whose stamens are much longer than the petals. Leaves are smooth and shiny above, 2–7 cm long, and toothed mostly past the middle.
When does it bloom?
June into August.
Where does it grow?
The Black Hills and western prairies, in open woods, on stream banks and rocky slopes, in well-drained sandy or gravelly soil. A Forest Service classification of Black Hills forests names it as a common shrub under ponderosa pine, aspen and white spruce.
Other flowers to compare
Sources: SDSU Open PRAIRIE: Spiraea lucida; Flora of North America: Spiraea lucida; Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles: Spiraea betulifolia; Native Plants PNW: Shinyleaf Spiraea; Chicago Botanic Garden: Western White Spirea; Forest Service: Forest Vegetation of the Black Hills National Forest, A Habitat Type Classification (RM-276, Hoffman and Alexander 1987).