Spiraea × arguta
Spiraea × arguta
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
Spiraea x arguta is a very cold-tolerant plant, able to withstand temperatures down to at least -20°c[1]. An easily grown plant, it tolerates most soils[2], but prefers a good loamy soil, abundant moisture and full sunlight[3, 2]. A very ornamental plant[4]. Species in this genus generally hybridize freely with other members of this genus, and so seed cannot be relied upon to come true unless the plant has been grown in isolation from other species that are flowering at the same time[3]. Plants flower on the previous years wood and any pruning is best done soon after the plant has flowered, aiming to remove the dead flower heads and encourage strong growth from below the flowered portion of the stem[5].
Propagation
Seed - this is a hybrid species and will not bred true from seed. We have no specific information for this species but suggest sowing the seed as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame if possible. It is likely to require stratification before it germinates, so stored seed should be sown in a cold frame as early in the year as you receive it. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a light sandy soil a frame. Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, 15cm long, autumn in an outdoor frame[2]. Layering. The slender, flexible branches are easily bent to the ground, making this the easiest and most reliable form of propagation[3]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Spiraea+%C3%97%C2%A0arguta>
Pollinators
Insects
References
- [1]Shrubs. — Phillips. R. & Rix. M. · Pan Books · 1989 · ISBN 0-330-30258-2 ↩︎Excellent photographs and a terse description of 1,900 species and cultivars.
- [2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
- [3]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
- [4]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
- [5]Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. — Thomas. G. S. · Murray · 1992 · ISBN 0-7195-5043-2 ↩︎Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.