0541 



SPIREA. 



Family: ROSACEAE. 



Reproductive system: ICOSANDRY, PENTAGYNY. 



The spireas are noteworthy for their pretty flowers and the variety of their foliage. 

 One might say that they've totally borrowed the different shapes of their leaves from 

 other plants. 



The snow spirea, Spircea crenata, Linn., grows about a meter high. It has woody 

 stems and straight branches with oblong leaves that are entire at the base and toothed at 

 the tip. The white flowers are pedunculate and are arranged in corymbs. 



FLOWERS: in June and July. 



RANGE: Siberia and the mountains of the Auvergne. 



The willow-leaved spirea, Spircea salicifolia, Linn., puts up several smooth, 

 woody stems about two meters high. The leaves are lanceolate, finely toothed on the 

 margins, and blunt at their tip. The red-violet flowers form dense terminal spikes. 



FLOWERS: in July and August. 



RANGE: North America; naturalized for several years in all our recreational 

 gardens. 



The germander spirea, Spircea chamedrifolia, Linn., is a shrub with oval leaves, 

 entire at their base and toothed at the tip. The white flowers are assembled in corymbs 

 together with the leaves. 



FLOWERS: at the beginning of spring. 



RANGE: Siberia; grown in the open in ornamental gardens. 



The snowball-bush-leaved spirea, Spircea opulifolia, Linn., is a small tree three or 

 four meters high with brown bark that is partially shed every year. The leaves are 

 alternate with three or more toothed and pointed lobes. 



The St. John's wort-leaved spirea, Spircea hypericifolia, 



