Japanese spiraea: Spiraea japonica (Rosales: Rosaceae)

Japanese spiraea
Rosales > Rosaceae > Spiraea japonica L. f.
Japanese spiraea is a small, deciduous shrub up to 6 ft. (1.8 m) tall that invades a variety of habitats throughout the eastern United States. The alternate leaves are oval to lance shaped, toothed along the margins and 1-3 in. (2.5-7.6 cm) long. In late spring white to pink flowers occur in clusters at the tips of branches. Japanese spiraea invades a variety of habitats including fields, forests, stream banks and many disturbed areas. Once established, it can form dense stands which displace native vegetation and close open areas. Japanese spiraea is native to eastern Asia and was first introduced into the United States around 1879 as an ornamental.

Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources

Invasive Plant Manual - Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council

Invasive Plants of Asian Origin Established in the United States and Their Natural Enemies - Volume 2 - USDA Forest Service

Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests - USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station

Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas - National Park Service & U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Prescriptions for Specific Nonnative Invasive Plants - USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station

Weeds Gone Wild Fact Sheets - Plant Conservation Alliance's Alien Plant Working Group

Weeds of the Week - USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area, Forest Health Protection

Selected Images from Invasive.org

Click on each thumbnail to download the image at 1536x1024 resolution or below for available resolutions.

Use 768x512 for Microsoft PowerPoint and use 1536x1024 for Prints and Publications.

Foliage; James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Stem(s); James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Foliage; James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024
Flower(s); James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Flower(s); James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Flower(s); Great Smoky Mountains National Park Resource Management Archive, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024
Fruit(s); James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Seed(s); Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Plant(s); Nancy Fraley, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024
Infestation; Nancy Fraley, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024	Diagram or Graphic; Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. Vol. 2: 246. USDA PLANTS Database, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org 768x512 / 1536x1024

Invasive Reference(s):

Check Invasive.org for most current lists.

Georgia - EPPC list
Kentucky - EPPC List
Tennessee - EPPC List
Virginia - Invasive Alien Plant Species
Mid-Atlantic - EPPC List
Invasive Plants: Guide to Identification and the Impacts and Control of Common North American Species
Invasive Plants of the Upper Midwest

External Links


				Bargeron, C.T., C.R. Minteer, C.W. Evans, D.J. Moorhead, G.K. Douce and R.C. Reardon. Technical Coordinators. 2008. Invasive Plants of the United States DVD-ROM: Identification, Biology and Control. USDA Forest Service. Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team. Morgantown, WV. FHTET-08-11.