Practical
Plants

Spiraea douglasii

Steeplebush

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Spiraea genus in the family Rosaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Spiraea
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
2.5 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An infusion of the seeds has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea[6].

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The branches have been used to make brooms[6].

Environment

Range
Western N. America. Rarely naturalized in Britain[3].
Habitat
Almost always found in wet soils in redwood and red fir forests from sea level to elevations of 2100 metres[7].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - we have no 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, July/August in a light sandy soil a frame. Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, 15cm long, October/November in an outdoor frame[5]. Another report says that September is a good time to do this[2]. Division of suckers in early spring[5]. They can be planted out straight into their permanent positions.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Tolerates most soils[5], but prefers a good loamy soil, abundant moisture and full sunlight[2][5]. Prefers a moist lime-free soil[4], plants quickly become chlorotic on chalk soils[5]. A very cold hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to about -25°c[5]. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[2]. A rampant suckering shrub, it quickly produces dense thickets and can be used for large-scale naturalistic plantings[5]. It is apt to get thin and poor unless divided up fairly regularly and replanted in fairly good soil[1].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩

  4. Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2

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  5. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  6. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2

  7. Flora of California www.calflora.org

    ↩

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