Spiraea x 'Vanhouttei' - Vanhoutte Spirea

Discover Vanhoutte Spirea (Spiraea x vanhouttei), a timeless deciduous shrub that transforms your garden into a cascade of pure white each spring. Famous for its gracefully arching branches that become covered in a profusion of small white flowers, creating a spectacular "bridal wreath" effect. This hardy and easy-care shrub is a versatile choice to add elegance, movement, and striking visual interest to any landscape.

Characteristics

• Foliage : The foliage consists of small, oval leaves, an attractive dark green throughout the growing season. The foliage is deciduous and does not present significant fall colour.
• Bloom : In late spring or early summer (generally May-June), the shrub becomes covered in an extraordinary profusion of small, pure white flowers grouped in dense corymbs along the arching branches. The bloom is unscented but has a very strong visual impact.
• Light : Thrives in full sun for the most spectacular blooming and a dense form. It can tolerate partial shade, but flowering will be less abundant.
• Habit : Its habit is broad, spreading, and arching, with branches that gracefully droop, hence its "bridal wreath" nickname.
• Growth : Its growth is considered fast. It quickly reaches its mature size.
• Humidity : Requires average water needs. It tolerates a variety of soil conditions but prefers soil that remains uniformly moist, especially during hot and dry periods.
• Soil : Adapts to a wide variety of soil types, provided they are well-drained. It tolerates average to dry soils once well-established.
• Temperature : Extremely hardy. It is well-adapted to cold winters.
• Watering : Requires average watering. Water regularly during establishment. Once well-established, it is drought-tolerant, but consistent moisture promotes optimal growth and flowering.

Uses

• Types of Use : Ideal as a specimen plant, in mass plantings, to form informal hedges or screens, in shrub borders, or for erosion control on slopes. Its elegant shape makes it perfect for adding movement and texture to the landscape.
• Decorative Advantages : Its massive burst of white blooms in spring is an unforgettable spectacle. It transforms the garden into a place of purity and grace, adding striking visual interest that lasts for several weeks.

Care

• Fertilization : Light fertilization in spring with a balanced shrub fertilizer can be beneficial to support its vigor and blooming.
• Pruning : It is an easy-care shrub. Pruning is generally done after flowering (late June-early July) to maintain its shape, encourage new growth, and maximize the following year's bloom. Avoid pruning before flowering, as flowers form on old wood.
• Planting :
  • Distance : Space plants approximately 1.5 to 2.5 metres (5 to 8 feet) apart to allow for their full development and arching habit. For a dense hedge, reduce spacing slightly.
  • Depth : Plant the root ball at the same level as the soil in the original container.
  • Period : Spring or fall are the best times for planting.