''Spiraea'' , sometimes spelled spirea in common names, and commonly known as meadowsweets or steeplebushes, is a genus of about 80 to 100 species''Spiraea''.
Flora of China. of

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s in the family

Rosaceae Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a medium-sized family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera. The name is derived from the type genus ''Rosa''. Among the most species-rich genera are ''Alchemilla'' (270), ''Sorbus ...

. They are native to the temperate

Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined as being in the same celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the solar system as Earth's Nort ...

, with the greatest diversity in eastern Asia. The genus formerly included the herbaceous species now segregated into the genera '' Filipendula'' and '' Aruncus''; recent genetic evidence has shown that ''Filipendula'' is only distantly related to ''Spiraea'', belonging in the subfamily

Rosoideae The rose subfamily Rosoideae consists of more than 850 species, including many shrubs, perennial herbs, and fruit plants such as strawberries and brambles. Only a few are annual herbs. The circumscription of the Rosoideae is still not wholly cer ...

Description

'' Spiraea betulifolia'' Spiraea japonica 'Goldflame' 06

'' Spiraea betulifolia'' in autumn ''Spiraea'' plants are

hardy Hardy may refer to: People * Hardy (surname) * Hardy (given name) * Hardy (singer), American singer-songwriter Places Antarctica * Mount Hardy, Enderby Land * Hardy Cove, Greenwich Island * Hardy Rocks, Biscoe Islands Australia * Hardy, Sout ...

, deciduous-leaved

s. The

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

are simple and usually short stalked, and are arranged in a spiralling, alternate fashion. In most species, the leaves are

lanceolate The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular o ...

(narrowly oval) and about long. The leaf margins are usually toothed, occasionally cut or lobed, and rarely smooth. Stipules are absent. The many small

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s of ''Spiraea'' shrubs are clustered together in

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...

s, usually in dense

panicle A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...

s, umbrella-like corymbs, or grape-like clusters. The radial symmetry of each flower is five fold, with the

s usually bisexual, rarely unisexual. The flowers have five

sepals A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...

and five white, pink, or reddish petals that are usually longer than the sepals. Each flower has many (15 to 60) stamens. The fruit is an

aggregate Aggregate or aggregates may refer to: Computing and mathematics * collection of objects that are bound together by a root entity, otherwise known as an aggregate root. The aggregate root guarantees the consistency of changes being made within the ...

of follicles.

Ecology

''Spiraea'' species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

e of many

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

species, including the

brown-tail The brown-tail moth (''Euproctis chrysorrhoea'') is a moth of the family Erebidae. It is native to Europe, neighboring countries in Asia, and the north coast of Africa. Descriptions of outbreaks, i.e., large population increases of several years ...

, the small emperor moth, the

grey dagger The grey dagger (''Acronicta psi'') is a moth of the family Noctuidae. Distribution This species can be found from Europe and North Africa to northern Iran, central Asia, southern and central Siberia and Mongolia. In the Levant it is found in ...

, the setaceous Hebrew character, and the moth '' Hypercompe indecisa''. The leaves of ''S. betulifolia'' are eaten by blue grouse in spring, and the plant is browsed by deer in summer.

Uses

Food

Native Americans ate the species ''S. betulifolia''.

Horticulture

Many species of ''Spiraea'' are used as

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...

s in temperate climates, particularly for their showy clusters of dense flowers. Some species bloom in the spring, others in midsummer. The following species,

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...

s and cultivars are among those found in cultivation: *''S.'' 'Arguta' *''S. betulifolia'' *''S. canescens'' *''S. cantoniensis'' * ''S.'' × ''cinerea'' *''S. douglasii'' *''S. japonica'' *''S. nipponica'' *''S. prunifolia'' *''S.'' × ''pseudosalicifolia'' *''S. salicifolia'' *''S.'' 'Snow White' *''S. thunbergii'' *''S. trichocarpa'' *''S.'' × ''vanhouttei'' *''S. veitchii'' ''Spiraea'' 'Arguta' (bridal wreath) and ''Spiraea'' × ''cinerea'' 'Grefsheim' have won the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

Traditional medicine

''Spiraea'' contain

salicylates Salicylic acid is an organic compound with the formula HOC6H4CO2H. A colorless, bitter-tasting solid, it is a precursor to and a metabolite of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). It is a plant hormone, and has been listed by the EPA Toxic Substance ...

. Acetylsalicylic acid was first isolated from ''

Filipendula ulmaria ''Filipendula ulmaria'', commonly known as meadowsweet or mead wort, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Rosaceae that grows in damp meadows. It is native throughout most of Europe and Western Asia (Near east and Middle east). It has ...

,'' a species at the time classified in the genus ''Spiraea''. The word "aspirin" was coined by adding ''a-'' (for

acetylation : In organic chemistry, acetylation is an organic esterification reaction with acetic acid. It introduces an acetyl group into a chemical compound. Such compounds are termed ''acetate esters'' or simply '' acetates''. Deacetylation is the oppo ...

) to ''spirin'', from the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

''Spirsäure'', a reference to ''Spiraea''. Native American groups have various medicinal uses for local ''Spiraea'' species. ''S. betulifolia'' is used for abdominal pain and made into a

tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of '' Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and northe ...

. The

Blackfoot The Blackfoot Confederacy, ''Niitsitapi'' or ''Siksikaitsitapi'' (ᖹᐟᒧᐧᒣᑯ, meaning "the people" or " Blackfoot-speaking real people"), is a historic collective name for linguistically related groups that make up the Blackfoot or Bla ...

use ''S. splendens'' root in an enema and to treat

venereal Human sexual activity, human sexual practice or human sexual behaviour is the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality. People engage in a variety of sexual acts, ranging from activities done alone (e.g., masturbation) ...

conditions.

Other

Native Americans found ''S. douglasii'' useful for making brooms and hanging seafood to cook.

Species

*'' Spiraea affinis'' *'' Spiraea alaskaense'' *''

Spiraea alba ''Spiraea alba'', commonly known as meadowsweet, white meadowsweet, narrowleaf meadowsweet, pale bridewort, or pipestem, is native to the wet soils of the Allegheny Mountains and other portions of eastern North America, but is currently endanger ...

'' – narrow-leaved meadowsweet, pale bridewort *'' Spiraea albiflora'' *'' Spiraea amoena'' *'' Spiraea arcuata'' *'' Spiraea baldschuanica'' *'' Spiraea bella'' *''

Spiraea betulifolia ''Spiraea'' , sometimes spelled spirea in common names, and commonly known as meadowsweets or steeplebushes, is a genus of about 80 to 100 species

'' – white meadowsweet *''

Spiraea blumei ''Spiraea'' , sometimes spelled spirea in common names, and commonly known as meadowsweets or steeplebushes, is a genus of about 80 to 100 species

'' *'' Spiraea calcicola'' *'' Spiraea cana'' *''

Spiraea canescens ''Spiraea'' , sometimes spelled spirea in common names, and commonly known as meadowsweets or steeplebushes, is a genus of about 80 to 100 species

'' – Himalayan spiraea *'' Spiraea cantoniensis'' – Reeve's spiraea *''

Spiraea chamaedryfolia ''Spiraea chamaedryfolia'', common name germander meadowsweet or elm-leaved spirea, is a species of plant belonging to the family Rosaceae. Description ''Spiraea chamaedryfolia'' is a shrub reaching a height of . Branchlets are brownish or red-b ...

'' – elm-leaf spiraea, germander meadowsweet *'' Spiraea crenata'' *''

Spiraea decumbens ''Spiraea'' , sometimes spelled spirea in common names, and commonly known as meadowsweets or steeplebushes, is a genus of about 80 to 100 species

'' *''

Spiraea douglasii ''Spiraea douglasii'' is a species of flowering plant in the rose family native to western North America. Common names include hardhack, hardhack steeplebush, Douglas' spirea, douglasspirea, steeplebush, and rose spirea. Description ''Spiraea do ...

'' – Douglas' spiraea, steeplebush *''

Spiraea gemmata ''Spiraea'' , sometimes spelled spirea in common names, and commonly known as meadowsweets or steeplebushes, is a genus of about 80 to 100 species

'' *'' Spiraea henryi'' *''

Spiraea hypericifolia ''Spiraea'' , sometimes spelled spirea in common names, and commonly known as meadowsweets or steeplebushes, is a genus of about 80 to 100 species

'' – Iberian meadowsweet *'' Spiraea japonica'' – Japanese spiraea *''

Spiraea latifolia ''Spiraea latifolia'', commonly known as broadleaf meadowsweet, is a shrub in the family Rosaceae. It has often been treated as a variety of ''Spiraea alba'' (white or narrowleaf meadowsweet). It is the primary host plant for ''Hemileuca lucina' ...

'' - broadleaf meadowsweet *'' Spiraea longigemmis'' *'' Spiraea media'' – Russian spiraea *''

Spiraea micrantha ''Spiraea'' , sometimes spelled spirea in common names, and commonly known as meadowsweets or steeplebushes, is a genus of about 80 to 100 species

'' *''

Spiraea miyabei ''Spiraea'' , sometimes spelled spirea in common names, and commonly known as meadowsweets or steeplebushes, is a genus of about 80 to 100 species

'' *''

Spiraea mollifolia ''Spiraea'' , sometimes spelled spirea in common names, and commonly known as meadowsweets or steeplebushes, is a genus of about 80 to 100 species

'' *''

Spiraea nervosa ''Spiraea'' , sometimes spelled spirea in common names, and commonly known as meadowsweets or steeplebushes, is a genus of about 80 to 100 species

'' *''

Spiraea nipponica ''Spiraea nipponica'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Rosaceae, native to the island of Shikoku, Japan. Growing to tall and broad, it is a deciduous shrub with clusters of small, bowl-shaped white flowers in midsummer. The speci ...

'' *''

Spiraea prunifolia ''Spiraea prunifolia'', commonly called bridalwreath spirea, is a species of the genus ''Spiraea'', sometimes also spelled ''Spirea''. It flowers mid-spring, around May 5th, and is native to Japan, Korea, and China China, officially the ...

'' – bridal-wreath spiraea *''

Spiraea pubescens ''Spiraea'' , sometimes spelled spirea in common names, and commonly known as meadowsweets or steeplebushes, is a genus of about 80 to 100 species

'' *''

Spiraea rosthornii ''Spiraea'' , sometimes spelled spirea in common names, and commonly known as meadowsweets or steeplebushes, is a genus of about 80 to 100 species

'' *'' Spiraea salicifolia'' – bridewort, willowleaf meadowsweet *'' Spiraea sargentiana'' *'' Spiraea septentrionalis'' – northern meadowsweet *'' Spiraea splendens'' – rose meadowsweet *'' Spiraea stevenii'' – beauverd spirea *'' Spiraea thunbergii'' – Thunberg's meadowsweet *''

Spiraea tomentosa ''Spiraea tomentosa'', commonly known as steeplebush, meadowsweet, or hardhack, or eastern hardhack, is a flowering plant native to the eastern United States and Canada. Description ''Spiraea tomentosa'' grows to up to four feet high and prefer ...

'' – hardhack, steeplebush *''

Spiraea trichocarpa ''Spiraea'' , sometimes spelled spirea in common names, and commonly known as meadowsweets or steeplebushes, is a genus of about 80 to 100 species

'' – Korean meadow spiraea *'' Spiraea trilobata'' – Asian meadowsweet *'' Spiraea veitchii'' *''

Spiraea virginiana ''Spiraea virginiana'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the rose family (Rosaceae) known by the common names Virginia meadowsweet and Virginia spiraea. It is native to the southern Appalachian Mountains, where it has a distribution scatte ...

'' – Virginia spiraea *'' Spiraea wilsonii'' *''

Spiraea yunnanensis ''Spiraea'' , sometimes spelled spirea in common names, and commonly known as meadowsweets or steeplebushes, is a genus of about 80 to 100 species

Formerly placed here

*''Spiraea lobata'', moved to ''

Filipendula rubra ''Filipendula rubra'', also known as queen-of-the-prairie, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rosaceae native to the northeastern and central United States and southeastern Canada. It prefers full sun or partial shade and moist soil, b ...

'' *''Spiraea discolor'', moved to '' Holodiscus discolor''

Hybrids

There are also numerous named hybrids, some occurring naturally in the wild, others bred in

garden A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate both ...

s, including several important ornamental plants: *''Spiraea'' × ''arguta'' (''S.'' × ''multiflora'' × ''S. thunbergii'') – garland spiraea *''Spiraea'' × ''billiardii'' (''S. douglasii'' × ''S. salicifolia'') – Billiard's spiraea *''Spiraea'' × ''blanda'' (''S. nervosa'' × ''S. cantoniensis'') *''Spiraea'' × ''brachybotrys'' (''S. canescens'' × ''S. douglasii'') *''Spiraea'' × ''bumalda'' (''S. japonica'' × ''S. albiflora'') *''Spiraea'' × ''cinerea'' (''S. hypericifolia'' × ''S. cana'') *''Spiraea'' × ''conspicua'' (''S. japonica'' × ''S. latifolia'') *''Spiraea'' × ''fontenaysii'' (''S. canescens'' × ''S. salicifolia'') *''Spiraea'' × ''foxii'' (''S. japonica'' × ''S. betulifolia'') *''Spiraea'' × ''gieseleriana'' (''S. cana'' × ''S. chamaedryfolia'') *''Spiraea'' × ''macrothyrsa'' (''S. douglasii'' × ''S. latifolia'') *''Spiraea'' × ''multiflora'' (''S. crenata'' × ''S. hypericifolia'') *''Spiraea'' × ''notha'' (''S. betulifolia'' × ''S. latifolia'') *''Spiraea'' × ''nudiflora'' (''S. chamaedryfolia'' × ''S. bella'') *''Spiraea'' × ''pikoviensis'' (''S. crenata'' × ''S. media'') *''Spiraea'' × ''pyramidata'' (''S. betulifolia'' × ''S. douglasii'') – pyramid spiraea *''Spiraea'' × ''revirescens'' (''S. amoena'' × ''S. japonica'') *''Spiraea'' × ''sanssouciana'' (''S. japonica'' × ''S. douglasii'') *''Spiraea'' × ''schinabeckii'' (''S. chamaedryfolia'' × ''S. trilobata'') *''Spiraea'' × ''semperflorens'' (''S. japonica'' × ''S. salicifolia'') *''Spiraea'' × ''vanhouttei'' (''S. trilobata'' × ''S. cantoniensis'') – Van Houtte's spiraea *''Spiraea'' × ''watsoniana'' (''S. douglasii'' × ''S. densiflora'')

References

External links

GRIN Species Records of ''Spiraea''.
Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).
''Spiraea''.
Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). * {{Taxonbar, from=Q148745 Spiraeeae Rosaceae genera