Spiraea tomentosa, called steeplebush or hardhack, is a suckering deciduous shrub that grows 2-4' tall with a slightly larger spread. It is native to wet meadows, wet pastures, boggy areas, marshes, fields, and lake margins. Elliptic to ovate, medium to dark green leaves with coarse marginal teeth are tapered at both ends and densely tomentose beneath. No fall color. Tiny pink to rose to rose-purple flowers in dense, narrow, steeple-shaped, terminal spikes bloom from top to bottom from mid-summer to early autumn. Flowers are attractive to butterflies.
- Type: Deciduous shrub
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Native
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Zone: 3 to 8
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Height: 2-4 feet
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Spread: 3-5 feet
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Bloom Time: July to September
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Bloom Description: Pink to rose-purple
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Sun: Full sun
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Water: Medium to wet
- Maintenance: Low
- Suggested Use: Hedge, Naturalize, Rain Garden
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Flower: Showy
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Attracts: Butterflies
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Tolerate: Deer, Erosion