Spiraea tomentosa

Spiraea tomentosa, commonly known as the steeplebush,[2] meadowsweet,[2] or hardhack,[2] is a plant similar in characteristics to S. douglasii.

"Hardhack" redirects here. For golden hardhack, see Dasiphora fruticosa.

Spiraea tomentosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Spiraea
Species:
S. tomentosa
Binomial name
Spiraea tomentosa
Synonyms[1]

Spiraea tomentosa grows to up to four feet high, and prefers moist to wet soil and full sun. It blooms in summer. Individual Steeplebush flowers are about 1/16 of an inch wide and are arranged in narrow, pyramid-shaped clusters that can be up to eight inches long. Butterflies and other nectar-feeding insects find the flowers highly attractive. The flowers are followed by small, dry, brown fruit. It has a dense white-woolly tomentum which covers its stem and the underside of its leaves. It is noted for its astringent properties, which cause it to be used medicinally.

The hardiness zone for this plant is listed as zones 4 to 8. It is found natively in the eastern United States and Canada.

References
  1. "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species". Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  2. "Spiraea tomentosa". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 3 June 2014.
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