Over the weekend we went to visit family at my in-laws’ house for Easter. While there I saw this amazing flowering display on the Bridal Wreath Spirea (Spiraea x vanhouttei). It was literally covered in branches of white blooms.
They planted this spirea well over 10 years ago. I really can’t say exactly how long it’s been here (it’s not a secret, I just don’t remember), but it is one well established shrub. You can tell it’s been happy in this location. This area of Tennessee has a lot of limestone outcroppings in the ground, cedar glades, and heavy clay soil. Despite these issues the Bridal Wreath Spirea has performed exceedingly well!
Where is Bridal Mound Spirea Native to?
This spirea a native plant of Asia, particularly in China and Korea. The ideal situation is to site the plant where it can have loamy soil for it—maybe slightly acidic—in a full sun location. It’s hardiness is rated for zones 5 through 8, and Tennessee fits that perfectly with our Zone 7 areas.
You can see there are lots of flowers all over each of these stems, covering the plant in what looks like a big bridal wreath, which is probably where it gets its name. There are lots of little bees all over it right now that are enjoying the pollen from this spirea.
Best Growing Conditions for Spirea
It’s best to plant this where it can get some room. It really would probably grow somewhere between 6 and 8 feet tall and around. It’s nestled in between this boxwood hedge and a little garden area. If you have a full sun location for it that’s nice and out in the open, it’ll look amazing out in that spot too.
How to Propagate Spirea?
Spireas like the bridal wreath spirea here—or other spireas—all propagate very well. You just need a little bit of a cutting, somewhere between three and four inches. Stick it in a little bit of rooting hormone, put it in your medium, and then it should be fine. In probably about six to eight weeks or so, it should start to have some roots on it. See here for more info on Propagating Spirea.
Is It Invasive?
A lot of times when you get a plant that comes from another country, particularly Asia, you worry about its invasiveness. And you would be right to worry. There are so many plants from Asia that dominate our local flora, but this plant does not spread. This particular spirea pretty much has stayed where it was planted. There’s always chance you could get some seedlings from it eventually, but I think that chance is fairly low. Keep in mind that an invasive plant may be invasive in one area and not another so always check your local resources for more info before planting new shrubs and trees.
This article was adapted from this video. Would rather see the video version please look below!
Incorporating Herbs in the Garden
One of my goals this year is to add more herbs to the gardens (not just the vegetable garden). Herbs have many different characteristics that can make the attractive as well as useful.Basil (Ocimum basilicum)Last year I became painfully aware that after making a delicious…
Through Winter’s Branches Comes Morning’s Glory
Picture taken on Wednesday March 5, 2008
Vegetable Garden: Melons and Peppers
There really is more in my garden than tomatoes, really! I know, the one vegetable I talk about the most is the tomato but I do try to diversify my garden. I dabble with the herbs, I really dig ornamentals, but you might also say…
Pak Choi and Other Fall Greens
A few weeks ago I planted our fall greens from seed in the vegetable garden. I planted a mix of kale, chard, lettuce, spinach, pak choi, and Brussels sprouts. The seedlings are all located in one of my long 10’x3′ beds made from scrap lumber….
How to Save Seeds from Squash and Zucchini
Saving seeds of squash and zucchini is a very simple process. When the growing season begins to wan start allowing a few squash fruits to grow. They will become large and tough and won’t be well suited for eating but will be perfect for generating…
I’m No Mr. McGregor
We all know the tale about that famous gardener who is protective of his garden and the hungry and curious little Peter Rabbit. The silly rabbit invades Mr. McGregor’s garden (not to be confused with Mr. McGregor’s daughter’s garden) to gorge himself on the fruits…
Discover more from Growing The Home Garden
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.