Famous for its spires of showy pink flowers, Steeplebush also features excellent foliage that turns bright reddish-gold in the fall. Individual flowerets are similar to cultivated spireas, but this native forms a colony of upright, slender wand-like …
Famous for its spires of showy pink flowers, Steeplebush also features excellent foliage that turns bright reddish-gold in the fall. Individual flowerets are similar to cultivated spireas, but this native forms a colony of upright, slender wand-like plants. Spiraea tomentosa requires a moist setting and is well suited for planting along shorelines, around ponds, in rain gardens, and naturalized swale or detention areas. It prefers full sun, but light shade is tolerated. Flowers occur on new wood, so prune in late winter or very early spring if needed.
Steeplebush, also known as "Hardhack,” is an uncommon shrub in wild, found in high quality wetland habitats where it often forms large colonies. Populations have declined because of urban sprawl, drainage projects, and destruction of wetlands. It is one of several host plants for the Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon).
Native plants can be grown outside of their native range in the appropriate growing conditions. This map shows the native range, as well as the introduced range, of this species.
Plant Shipping Rates: for plant orders up to $50 the shipping amount is $9.95. For plant orders from $50.01 and over, the shipping rate is 20% of the total plant cost.
Fall plant-shipping begins on September 9, 2024. The last day to order your plants for fall shipment is September 29.
During checkout, you will be asked to choose a Shipping Week for your plant delivery, from the dates that are available. The week that you choose will be included in your order confirmation email. When your plants ship you will receive an email that includes your tracking information.
This shrub is not deer resistant.
If you live in an area where deer are present, we recommend protecting any newly installed shrubs by surrounding them with a wire fencing cage, or a plastic netting to protect them from being browsed by deer and/or rabbits. Food sources can be scarce in the winter, and young shrubs are choice when when there are no tender perennials available. If you live in an urban area where there are no deer, you may have rabbits in your yard. Rabbits also browse young, newly planted shrubs when other plants are not available.
These shrubs are deer resistant: New Jersey Tea,Sweet Fern,Shrubby St. John's Wort,Carolina Rose,Purple Flowering Raspberry.
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