Spirea Bush: Sweet-Scented Blooms Or Just A Pretty Face?

Spirea is a popular flowering shrub that is widely used in landscaping. With its captivating three-season interest, graceful habit, attractive foliage, and long-lasting blooms, it is a beautiful addition to any garden. But does its bloom have a sweet fragrance?

Well, it depends on the variety of spirea. While some types of spirea are known for their pleasant fragrance, others may not have a noticeable scent. For example, the Bridal Wreath Spirea, a large shrub with delicate white flowers, is known for filling gardens with a sweet, springtime aroma. On the other hand, the Double Play® series, which includes colourful varieties such as 'Big Bang', 'Candy Corn', and 'Blue Kazoo', are more recognised for their vibrant foliage and non-invasive, seedless blooms rather than their fragrance.

So, if you're looking to add a sweetly scented spirea to your garden, the Bridal Wreath variety is a perfect choice. However, if you're interested in other varieties, it's worth checking with local experts or gardeners to see if they have a fragrance that suits your preferences.

Spiraea alba, also known as American White Spirea, has fragrant flowers and leaves

Spiraea alba, also known as American White Spirea, is a fragrant shrub. It is called 'Meadowsweet' because of the pleasant fragrance of its mid-summer flowers and its preference for growing in moist, sunny spots, like old meadows. Spiraea alba is a delicate shrub with white fuzzy spires of flowers, blooming between July and September. It is a favourite of many pollinators, including several types of bees, and also serves as food and a host plant for countless other insects.

Spiraea alba is native to the Midwest, as well as most of Canada and the Northeastern US. It is a mound-shaped shrub, 3-4 feet tall and wide, with numerous, fine-textured, erect, unbranched stems. Its deciduous foliage is yellow-green, turning golden-yellow in the fall. Spiraea alba bears tiny white flowers arranged in conical, terminal spikes. The brown fruit that persists after flowering is a distinctive feature of all Spiraea.

Spiraea alba is well-suited for naturalistic landscaping and can be used as an alternative to the non-native Japanese Spiraea, commonly used in traditional landscaping. It is a manageable plant for gardens with limited space, as it can be mistaken for a wildflower due to its fine, upright stems. Spiraea alba responds well to pruning, which helps eliminate apical dominance and encourages lateral branching, resulting in a more formed appearance and potentially more flowers.

Spiraea nipponica 'Snowmound' has fragrant flowers and leaves

Spiraea nipponica Snowmound is a dwarf shrub with dense dark green foliage and masses of pure white flowers in spring. It is often confused with Spiraea cantoniensis and Spiraea x vanhouttei, but can be distinguished by its smaller size, typically growing to a height of 2 to 4 feet. It is a fast-growing, upright specimen with very attractive small, blunt, dark blue-green leaves and arching branches. The bowl-shaped, pure white flowers are borne in midsummer in large numbers and attract butterflies.

Spiraea nipponica Snowmound is native to zones 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, and it grows well in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. It is drought-tolerant and moderately deer-resistant. To improve the overall appearance of the plant, remove faded flower clusters as soon as possible. Keep in mind that Spiraea flower on new wood, so prune in late winter or early spring if needed.

Spiraea nipponica Snowmound is a great choice for a foundation plant, in the shrub border, or in a garden situation. It can be used almost anywhere, including the back of a large border. It is also a good filler plant, as a mass planting, a bank cover, or in front of a shrub border.

Spirea is a versatile flowering shrub with a wide range of colours and sizes

Spirea is the common name for a group of flowering woody shrubs in the Spiraea genus. They are widely appreciated for their many outstanding qualities in the garden and landscape. Spirea bushes come in various shapes and sizes, serving a wide variety of landscaping needs. Short, compact varieties, such as Little Princess, are well-suited for border planting in your garden, or mass planting on a slope, with some offering pure white flowers to enhance their appeal. Larger specimens, such as Vanhoutte, can grow up to 8 feet tall and can serve as a focal point or privacy screen.

Spirea flowers are delicate and lacy, and can be white, pink, red or mauve. Finely toothed foliage comes in shades of green, chartreuse, gold, blue, with some varieties putting on a showy fall display. The Goldflame Spirea is popular for its dark pink flowers, which bloom in the summer and are complemented by radiant golden-orange leaves in the spring that turn to lime green in the summer. In early summer, the Snowmound Spirea bursts with bright white flowers that completely cover the plant.

Spirea is resilient to pruning and can be cut back to your desired shape and size. Their adaptability allows for creative pruning practices, ensuring your Spirea remains a vibrant and attractive feature throughout the seasons. Spirea is also drought-tolerant and responds well to different growing conditions, making it an ideal choice for a stress-free and visually appealing garden.

Spirea is easy to grow and maintain, and attracts butterflies and other pollinators

Spirea is a low-maintenance addition to any garden. The pink-flowering shrub is widely available, easy to grow, and flowers for a few weeks in the middle of summer. It is also a great option for those looking to attract butterflies and other pollinators. Bees, in particular, love Spirea plants.

Spirea is a great option for those looking for a flowering shrub that requires little upkeep. It is a very hardy plant, resisting disease and deer, and requiring minimal maintenance—simply deadhead for more clusters of flowers throughout the summer. Spirea grows in Zones 3 to 8 and prefers to be in areas with full sun to part shade.

Spirea is a great option for those looking to attract pollinators to their gardens. Bees, butterflies, and other helpful insects are drawn to the pink blooms of the Spirea shrub. The flowers are flat and clustered, providing a landing pad for butterflies, and the plant produces ample nectar, which butterflies probe for as fuel. In addition, the Spirea's blooms are brightly coloured (red, yellow, orange), which attracts butterflies as they have good vision but a weak sense of smell.

Spirea alba, also known as American White Spirea or 'Meadowsweet', is a fragrant variety of the plant. This 3-4' shrub gets its name from its pleasant-smelling flowers and its preference for growing in moist, sunny spots. Spirea nipponica 'Snowmound' is another variety said to have both fragrant flowers and leaves.

Spirea is a popular landscape plant, often used as a privacy screen or to divide garden rooms

Spirea is a popular choice for landscaping and gardening, and for good reason. With nearly 100 unique species, Spirea offers a versatile and adaptable option for any outdoor space. Whether you have a large garden or a small balcony, there is a Spirea variety that will suit your needs.

One of the main appeals of Spirea is its low-maintenance nature. This hardy shrub thrives in most conditions, from full sun to part-shade, and is drought-tolerant once established. It grows well in most soil types and is resistant to many common plant diseases and pests. Spirea is also deer and rabbit resistant, making it a great choice for those who live in close proximity to wildlife.

In addition to its ease of care, Spirea provides year-round visual interest. Depending on the variety, Spirea blooms in spring, summer, or fall, with some species blooming for three seasons. The flowers come in a range of colours, including white, pink, and purple, and have a pleasant fragrance. The foliage is equally attractive, with bright chartreuse, yellow, orange, and red hues that change with the seasons.

Spirea is a versatile plant that can be used in a variety of ways in the garden. It can be trained to grow as a privacy hedge or screen, or used to divide garden rooms or border paths. For those with limited space, Spirea can be planted in containers or added to a foundation planting for a pop of colour.

With so many varieties to choose from, Spirea is an excellent choice for anyone looking to add beauty and fragrance to their outdoor space.

Frequently asked questions