Spirea is a cold-hardy flowering shrub that can tolerate heat and dry soil. The wreath-like flowers bloom in many different colors, depending on which spirea variety you choose.
So, what are the different colors of spirea flowers? Spirea flowers can bloom in white, pink, purple, or red – it depends on the variety you pick. Spirea leaves come in various shades of green, including blue-green or silvery-green. The leaves turn various colors in fall, including golden yellow or purple bronze.
Some spirea varieties can tolerate more cold than others, so check your USDA Hardiness Zone (and your plant’s hardiness zones) before you choose a spirea.
In this article, we’ll look at the various colors of spirea and a sample of varieties that bloom in those colors.
Let’s get started.
Hey – you can get our weekly gardening newsletter here!
Join 1000+ gardeners to get access to news, tips, and information.
Delivered right to your inbox – once per week.
What Are The Different Colors Of Spirea?
Spirea flowers come in all different colors, including:
- White
- Pink
- Purple
- Red
The leaves can come in various shades of green (including some with blue-green or silvery-green leaves). Spirea is deciduous, and the leaves turn colors before they fall off in autumn (some colors include golden yellow and purple bronze).
Below, we’ll take a look at some spirea varieties with each flower color listed above. We’ll start with white flowers.
Spirea With White Flowers
There are many spirea varieties with white flowers, but to name just a few, we have:
- Spiraea alba
- Spiraea cantoniensis
- Spiraea fritschiana
- Spiraea nipponica
- Spiraea prunifolia
- Spiraea salicifolia
- Spiraea thunbergii
- Spiraea trilobata
You can find out more about each one below.
Spiraea alba
Spiraea alba (White Meadowsweet) produces clusters of small white flowers in summer.
Spiraea alba stands at 3 to 4 feet tall and has a width of 3 to 4 feet at maturity.
It is hardy to USDA Zone 3a (as cold as -40 degrees Fahrenheit or –40 degrees Celsius).
You can find Spiraea alba from Prairie Moon Nursery
Spiraea cantoniensis
Spiraea cantoniensis (Cape May or May Bush) produces clusters of small white flowers in spring.
Spiraea cantoniensis stands at 4 to 6 feet tall and has a width of 3 to 5 feet at maturity.
It is hardy to USDA Zone 5a (as cold as -20 degrees Fahrenheit or –29 degrees Celsius).
You can find Spiraea cantoniensis from ShrubHub.
Spiraea fritschiana
Spiraea fritschiana (Korean spiraea) produces clusters of small white flowers in spring.
Spiraea fritschiana stands at 2 to 3 feet tall and has a width of 4 to 5 feet at maturity.
It is hardy to USDA Zone 3a (as cold as -40 degrees Fahrenheit or –40 degrees Celsius).
You can find Spiraea fritschiana from Nature Hills.
Spiraea nipponica
Spiraea nipponica (White Meadowsweet) produces clusters of small white flowers in spring.
Spiraea nipponica stands at 3 to 5 feet tall and has a width of 4 to 5 feet at maturity.
It is hardy to USDA Zone 3a (as cold as -40 degrees Fahrenheit or –40 degrees Celsius).
You can find Spiraea nipponica from Nature Hills.
Spiraea prunifolia
Spiraea prunifolia (Bridal Wreath) produces clusters of small white flowers in spring.
Spiraea prunifolia stands at 4 to 8 feet tall and has a width of 4 to 8 feet at maturity.
It is hardy to USDA Zone 5a (as cold as -20 degrees Fahrenheit or –29 degrees Celsius).
You can find Spiraea prunifolia from Forest Farm.
Spiraea salicifolia
Spiraea salicifolia (Bridewort) produces clusters of small white flowers in summer.
Spiraea salicifolia grows up to 6 feet tall and has a width of 3 to 6 feet at maturity.
It is hardy to USDA Zone 4a (as cold as -30 degrees Fahrenheit or –34 degrees Celsius).
Spiraea thunbergii
Spiraea thunbergii (Baby’s Breath Spiraea) produces clusters of small white flowers in spring.
Spiraea thunbergii stands at 3 to 5 feet tall and has a width of 3 to 5 feet at maturity.
It is hardy to USDA Zone 4a (as cold as -30 degrees Fahrenheit or –34 degrees Celsius).
You can find Spiraea thunbergii from Garden Treasures.
Spiraea trilobata
Spiraea trilobata (White Meadowsweet) produces clusters of small white flowers in spring.
Spiraea trilobata stands at 3 to 5 feet tall and has a width of 3 to 5 feet at maturity.
It is hardy to USDA Zone 3a (as cold as -40 degrees Fahrenheit or –40 degrees Celsius).
Spirea With Pink Flowers
One spirea variety with pink flowers is Spiraea japonica.
Spiraea japonica produces clusters of pink flowers from spring to summer.
Spiraea japonica stands at 4 to 6 feet tall and has a width 4 to 7 feet at maturity.
It is hardy to USDA Zone 3a (as cold as -40 degrees Fahrenheit or –40 degrees Celsius).
You can find Spiraea japonica from TN Nursery.
Spirea With Purple Flowers
One spirea variety with showy purple or pinkish-rose flowers is Spiraea tomentosa (known as Hardbark Spiraea or Hardhack).
Hardbark spiraea produces clusters of purple flowers from midsummer to early autumn.
Hardbark spiraea stands at 2 to 4 feet tall and has a width 3 to 5 feet at maturity.
It is hardy to USDA Zone 3a (as cold as -40 degrees Fahrenheit or –40 degrees Celsius).
You can find Hardbark spiraea from Horsford Garden & Nursery.
Spirea With Red Flowers
One spirea variety with red or burgundy flowers is Spiraea x bumalda (known as Anthony Waterer spiraea).
Anthony Waterer spiraea produces clusters of red flowers from spring to summer.
Anthony Waterer spiraea stands at 2 to 3 feet tall and has a width 3 to 4 feet at maturity.
It is hardy to USDA Zone 4a (as cold as -30 degrees Fahrenheit or –34 degrees Celsius).
You can find Anthony Waterer spiraea from Nature Hills.
Conclusion
Now you have a list of spirea varieties with various flower colors to use in a drought-tolerant landscape. If you get cold winters, make sure to pick one that will survive in your USDA Hardiness Zone!
I hope you found this article helpful. If so, please share it with someone who can use the information.
You can learn more about spirea care requirements in these articles:
To find books, courses, seeds, gardening supplies, and more, check out The Shop at Greenupside!
Hey – you can get our weekly gardening newsletter here!
Join 1000+ gardeners to get access to news, tips, and information.
Delivered right to your inbox – once per week.
If you want to read some of my most popular posts, check out the “Best of GreenUpSide” page here. Enjoy!
~Jonathon