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Threelobe Spirea

Spiraea trilobata (spy-REE-ah try-lo-BAY-tuh)

Family: Rosaceae Non-native Shrub (3-15 ft)

Spiraea trilobata , or Threelobe Spiraea, is a spiraea cultivar. It is a dense, upright, compact deciduous shrub that typically grows to 3-4' tall with a slightly larger width. This cultivar is noted for its numerous white flowers displayed in crowded umbels in spring. The flowers, which are attractive to butterflies, are offset by three-lobed, coarsely-toothed, blue-green foliage. You can remove faded flower clusters to promote additional bloom and, once flowering has ceased for the season, you can prune the plant. Because the plant has a dense, compact habit, slender with spreading branches, selective pruning may be all that is necessary. Threelobe Spiraea is easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. It can tolerate a wide range of soils, including sandy sites, but prefers a good loamy soil. It also tolerates drought. In its native habitat, it is typically found in thickets or ravines, sunny slopes, and along roadsides. Insects, Diseases, and other Plant Problems: Susceptible to many of the diseases and insects that attack other members of the rose family, including leaf spots, fireblight, powdery mildew, rots, aphids, leaf roller and scale. More information on Spiraea .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 44 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Often confused with Spiraea x vanhouttei
Fills a similar niche Buddleja 'Miss Violet' Spiraea x vanhouttei Syringa pubescens subsp. pubescens

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Spreading
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Blue; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf size
< 1 inch long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Glaucous bluish-green leaves 1/2 to 1 inch long.
Flower color
White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Umbel
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
White flowers on 0.7 to 1.5 inch umbels bloom in May.
Bloom time
Spring
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Central and Eastern Asia
Wildlife value
Attracts butterflies
Attracts
Butterflies
Food & Medicine

Uses (ethnobotany)

The leaves have been used as a tea substitute.

Landscape Use
Landscape location
Slope/Bank
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Drought Tolerant Garden
Design feature
Barrier; Border; Hedge
Garden tags
#deciduous #drought tolerant #flowering shrub #shrub #deer resistant #butterfly friendly #hedge
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Deer; Drought
Particularly resistant to
tolerates deer
Propagation
Seed; Stem Cutting

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.