Spirea x vanhouttei

Vanhoutte’s Spirea, Bridal Wreath Spirea
Spirea x vanhouttei
Type: Deciduous Shrub
Exposure: Full Sun / Light Shade
Water: Regular

There are essentially two different types of garden spirea. Earlier, we looked at Spirea japonica “magic carpet,” which was a “shrubby” spirea. Today’s plant is of the other type, called “bridal wreath spireas.”

This is an old gardener’s favorite, having been commercially available for more than a century. Graceful branches form a fountain-shaped shrub that will reach 6ft (1.8m) by 8ft (2.4m) wide. These branches are clothed in dark green, roughly diamond-shaped leaves, which are all but hidden by the profusion of pure white flowers that cover most of the shrub in mid spring to early summer. Use this guy near the back of a  border to provide a dense, dark backdrop to summer bloomers, or plant in a row to form an informal hedge. The foliage turns purple in the fall.

Cheers,

John