Virginia Tech Dendrology

rose meadowsweet Rosaceae Spiraea splendens Baumann ex K. Koch symbol: SPSP2
Leaf: Alternate, simple, ovate, 1 inch long, margins coarsely toothed near the apex but entire close to the base, green and sparsely hairy above and below; petiole less than 1/4 inch long.
Flower: Small, pink to red, in dense pom-pom terminal clusters, appearing in mid-summer.
Fruit: Fruits are small brown follicles about 1/8 inch borne in upright terminal clusters, persistent.
Twig: Twigs slender; tan turning to red-brown.
Bark: Bark is red-brown, often exfoliating on older twigs but smooth on larger, older stems.
Form: Erect deciduous shrub usually under 3 feet tall.
Looks like: Japanese spiraea - Douglas spiraea - shinyleaf spiraea

Additional Range Information: Spiraea splendens is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information