Spiraea (Spiraea douglasii), The Rose Family (Rosaceae)

Habitat

This small shrub lives in low to middle elevations along moist habitats such as streambanks, swamps, and damp meadows. It is an erect leggy shrub that often forms thickets and grows from 2 - 7 feet tall. It grows throughout the arboretum. Along the pond lily trail and the wetland’s exhibit are good places to see it.

Leaves

The leaves are oblong to oval in shape and 1.5 - 4 inches long. They are toothed above the middle of the leaf. They are green above, and the underside is paler and often grey-woolly below.

Flowers

The flowers form in long, narrow, compact clusters that are several times longer than wide. The flowers are tiny (about .2 inches or 5 mm across) with 5 petals. Bumblebees love visiting these flowers. The bumblebee in the photo is collecting pollen, which is a light gray in color.

Fruit

A cluster of several small, smooth, pod-like follicles remains on the shrub after the leaves have fallen.

Bark

The bark is brown. It has small, white, cotton-like buds.

References

Mathews, Daniel. Cascade-Olympic Natural History. Raven Editions in conjunction with Portland Audubon Society, 1988.

Pojar, Jim, and Andy MacKinnon. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Alaska (Revised). B.C. Ministry of Forests and Lone Pine Publishing, 1994.

Quick Reference:

Height: 2-7 feet tall.
Leaves: Deciduous, alternate, oblong; Toothed above the middle of leaf; Green above, paler and often grey-wooly beneath.
Fruit: Cluster of several small, smooth, pod-like follicles.
Habitat: Moist habitats such as streambanks, swamps, and damp meadows.
Photo Location:
Mt. Pisgah Arboretum
Eugene, OR