Spiraea nipponica
Snowmound Nippon Spirea, Snowmound Spirea
Rosaceae
ExpandHabitat
- 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.