Search Results
Two native shrubs, Spiraea alba (meadowsweet) and Spiraea tomentosa (hardhack or steeplebush), have potential as landscape plants, but little is known about light requirements for these species. The performance of plants from four geographical seed sources of each species was evaluated in the field under six different light treatments: full sun; morning full sun; afternoon full sun; and 40%, 60%, and 80% shade. Provenance differences did exist for height, flowering, and leaf greenness. Growth, flowering, and canopy density were greater in full sun and 40% shade and least in 80% shade. Both species responded to shade with increased individual leaf area and higher specific leaf area. Relative leaf greenness decreased with shade in S. tomentosa but did not change in S. alba. Plants grown in morning or afternoon shade were shorter and smaller and had fewer inflorescences than did the full-sun plants. These species can survive in deep shade, but based on growth and appearance, they are best suited to full sun or light shade in the landscape.
Two native shrubs, meadowsweet (Spiraea alba) and steeplebush (Spiraea tomentosa), are currently grown for use in habitat restoration. Pruning could improve their form and encourage use in more formal gardens. Two seedling populations of each species were grown in the field or in containers outdoors. In Mar. 2009, plants were pruned to 3 or 15 cm or were left unpruned. By midsummer, there was no effect of pruning on plant height in field-grown plants. However, pruning did eliminate lateral growth in field plants and, therefore, improved overall form of the plants. Meadowsweet pruned to 3 cm had about half as many inflorescences as did meadowsweet pruned to 15 cm, with unpruned plants producing an intermediate number of inflorescences. Pruning container plants to 3 cm resulted in plants that were about half the height of unpruned plants, and total biomass was greatly reduced. In general, plants that were pruned had fewer inflorescences, although the total number of inflorescences in all plants was small. Pruning resulted in lower quality plant form in container plants. Species and seed sources within species responded similarly to pruning. Based on the data collected in this study, newly planted meadowsweet and steeplebush should be pruned to achieve good form in the first year. Despite the sometimes leggy growth habit in containers, these species should not be pruned before growing out in the spring, or maximum growth and good form will not be attained.