SPY Japanese Spiraea! EcoQuest Challenge, June 2022
Japanese spiraea, or spiraea japonica, is also known as Japanese meadowsweet and Korean spiraea, and is native to Japan China and Korea. It is an emerging invasive species in the Lower Hudson region of New York with a few populations located across the state.
Japanese spiraea is a:
Perennial, deciduous shrub
Grows to a height of 4-6 feet
Prefers wetter soil and full sun, though can tolerate partial shade.
To identify Japanese Spiraea, be on the lookout for its eye-catching, rosy-pink flowers in broad clusters at the end of long, alternate-leafed stems. The stem itself is woody, slender and reddish brown, and sometimes hairy, while the leaves are oval-shaped with a toothy edge and are about 1-3 inches in size.
This shrub grows in an upright, low and broadly mounded form, creating a dense thicket of thin wiry stems. This species is especially threatening because it can invade a variety ...more ↓
SPY Japanese Spiraea! EcoQuest Challenge, June 2022
Japanese spiraea, or spiraea japonica, is also known as Japanese meadowsweet and Korean spiraea, and is native to Japan China and Korea. It is an emerging invasive species in the Lower Hudson region of New York with a few populations located across the state.
Japanese spiraea is a:
Perennial, deciduous shrub
Grows to a height of 4-6 feet
Prefers wetter soil and full sun, though can tolerate partial shade.
To identify Japanese Spiraea, be on the lookout for its eye-catching, rosy-pink flowers in broad clusters at the end of long, alternate-leafed stems. The stem itself is woody, slender and reddish brown, and sometimes hairy, while the leaves are oval-shaped with a toothy edge and are about 1-3 inches in size.
This shrub grows in an upright, low and broadly mounded form, creating a dense thicket of thin wiry stems. This species is especially threatening because it can invade a variety of habitats from wet, riparian areas, to forests, and even fields.
Lookalikes:
White meadowsweet -
Five-petaled white or pinkish flowers
Flowers in cone-shaped clusters.
Steeplebush -
Spike-like clusters of deep pink flowers
Flowers tower above stems
With your help, we can take steps to manage and control this invasive species.
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Invasives Strike Force EcoQuest
