Spiraea × arguta
Common name: 
Garland Spirea
Pronunciation: 
sp-i-REE-a X ar-GU-ta
Family: 
Rosaceae
Genus: 
Spiraea
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Deciduous shrub, 5-6 ft (1.5-1.8 m); spreading, arching.  Leaves alternate, simple, 2-3 cm long, narrow (6-12 mm wide), serrations lacking or only above the middle of the leaf, light green.  Flowers single, white, often distributed all the way to the end of unbranched, arching shoots.
  • Note spelling difference: the genus is Spiraea; the common name is Spirea.
  • Sun to light shade
  •  Hardy to USDA Zone 4      A cross between S. multiflora and S. thunbergii.  Not easy to distinguish S. × arguta from S. thunbergii.  However, when in bloom, S. × arguta has much longer unbranched shoots than S. thunbergii.  This difference can still be observed as flowering ends and shoot growth begins.
  • Oregon State Univ. campus: along southern end of parking lot west of Nash.
Click image to enlarge
  • plant habit, spring flowering

    plant habit, spring flowering

  • flowering branches

    flowering branches

  • flowers

    flowers

  • branches after flowering

    branches after flowering

  • plant habit, summer

    plant habit, summer

  • flowering branches, comparison

    flowering branches, comparison

  • comparison of shoots at end of flowering

    comparison of shoots at end of flowering