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Rosaceae
Spiraea

not marked as a favorite taxon Spiraea tomentosa Linnaeus. Common name: Hardhack, Steeplebush, Rosy Meadowsweet. Phenology: (Jun-) Jul-Sep; Sep-Oct. Habitat: Bogs, wet meadows. Distribution: Nova Scotia west to Minnesota, south to South Carolina, ne. Georgia, c. Tennessee, ne. Alabama, and Arkansas.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: Salamun (1951) studied variation in the density of flowers in the inflorescences, and supported the recognition of two varieties. Var. tomentosa, with flowers more dense (averaging in a colony 12 or more flowers/fruits per cm of inflorescence, "determined for a unit length of one centimeter on the spire of the inflorescence, immediately above the first lateral branch"), more northeastern in distribution (in our region in NY, NJ, and PA), and var. rosea, with flowers less dense (averaging in a colony 9-11 flowers/fruits per cm of inflorescence), more southern and interior {in our region south and west of NJ and PA). We are not convinced that the variation warrants taxonomic recognition,

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, Chap3, GW2, Il, K1, K4, Mi, Mo3, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S13, Tat, Tn, Va, W, WV; > Spiraea subcanescens Rydberg — S; > Spiraea tomentosa L. — S; > Spiraea tomentosa L. var. rosea (Raf.) Fernald — C, Can, F, FNA9, G, NS, POWO, Robertson (1974), Salamun (1951); > Spiraea tomentosa L. var. tomentosa — C, Can, F, FNA9, G, NS, POWO, Robertson (1974), Salamun (1951). Basionym: Spiraea tomentosa L. 1753

Links to other floras: > Spiraea tomentosa var. rosea - FNA9; > Spiraea tomentosa var. tomentosa - FNA9

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW
  • Great Plains: FACW
  • Midwest: FACW
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACW

Heliophily ⓘ: 8

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image #1 of Spiraea tomentosa© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Spiraea tomentosa© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image #3 of Spiraea tomentosa© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image #4 of Spiraea tomentosa© Collectors SOS | Original Image ⭷
image #5 of Spiraea tomentosa© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #6 of Spiraea tomentosa© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image #7 of Spiraea tomentosa© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image #8 of Spiraea tomentosa© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image #9 of Spiraea tomentosa© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #10 of Spiraea tomentosa© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #11 of Spiraea tomentosa© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro:

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Comments:

Height: 2-4 ft.: width 3-6 ft.

plant sale text: Hardhack is a southeastern native shrub that is easy to grow. Its arching branches bear dense pyramidal clusters of small pink flowers, opening from top to bottom. Its flowers are very attractive to butterflies as well as other pollinating insects. The underside of each leaf is covered with whitish woolly hairs, hence its species name tomentosa. Hardhack can be found growing along stream banks and on roadside swales in many counties in North Carolina. Over time each shrub grows into a thicket of upright stems. The Spiraea genus supports up to 86 lepidoptera species.

bloom table text:

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native range: eastern North America