Spiraea media aka Russian Spiraea

Spiraea media is a shrub in the rose family. It sheds its leaves each year. Gardeners call it spirea or Oriental spirea. It comes from central and southeastern Europe through eastern Asia. Its range includes the Russian Far East, northern China, and Japan. It grows in mixed woods and on grassy slopes. It also grows at rocky alpine sites, high in mountains. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

The shrub forms an upright mound with a broad outline. Garden plants grow 3–5 feet [0.9–1.52 metres] tall and wide. Chicago Botanic Garden gives a size near 4 feet [1.2 metres]. The dark green leaves are narrow, shaped like a lance. Some are widest toward the tip. They measure about one to two inches long. Leaf edges are smooth or have teeth near their tips. Reports differ on fall leaf color. Missouri Botanical Garden reports no fall color. Chicago records orange-red tones.

Small white flowers grow in groups at leafy shoot tips. Each bloom measures up to three-eighths of an inch across. These flower clusters are round with flat tops. Missouri Botanical Garden gives a bloom time of late April through June. Chicago gives a shorter span, from May through June. The flowers make the shrub's main show in late spring. Missouri Botanical Garden notes visits from butterflies and hummingbirds.

Grow this spirea in full sun, the light it prefers. Missouri Botanical Garden says it copes with light shade too. Use soil that drains well, with a moderate amount of moisture. It grows best with some soil nutrients and steady moisture. Chicago lists it for USDA hardiness zones 4–8. The shrub needs little care and is easy to grow. It blooms on wood that grew the year before. To shape it or limit size, prune just after bloom. Remove spent flower heads to help it bloom again. This may work, but does not ensure more blooms. You can grow more plants from summer cuttings.

Plant it in groups in shrub beds or mixed borders. It suits beds by house walls and hedges beside paths. Chicago also lists its use as a screen. Both gardens say it resists deer. Missouri Botanical Garden says it copes with city conditions too. It seldom has serious pest or disease problems. Still, leaf spot, fire blight, and powdery mildew can occur. Root rot is a risk too. Aphids, leaf rollers, and scale may also attack it. The sources give no facts on edible parts for this species. Nor do they say if this species is toxic.