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Shrubs

Spiraea douglasii

steeple bush

A vigorous suckering shrub with oblong leaves, grey-felted beneath, and compact terminal panicles of purplish-pink flowers in early summer

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Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

1.5–2.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing or North–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Rosaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Suckering
Genus: Spiraea are deciduous shrubs, sometimes suckering, with simple leaves and short racemes, panicles or corymbs of small, 5-petalled white or pink flowers in spring or summer
Name status: Correct
Plant range: N America

How to grow

Cultivation

Easy to grow in most moist soils, tolerant of all but the most extreme conditions. A rampant shrub that in time can form a dense thicket

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in summer or by division in autumn or spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Low Maintenance
Banks and slopes
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning group 2. If overgrown, can be renovated by cutting back hard immediately after flowering

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free but may be susceptible to honey fungus

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