Sorbaria sorbifolia Sem

Sorbaria sorbifolia 'Sem', also known as false spiraea with rowan leaves, is a splendid new horticultural variety with subtly coloured chartreuse green foliage tinged with purple pink and a summer flowering in frothy white panicles that are light and airy. Compact and non-invasive, this novelty resembles a generous fern with subtle hues and will be particularly well-suited near natural ponds or water features.

Sorbaria sorbifolia 'Sem' is a horticultural variety derived from S. sorbifolia and belongs to the Rosaceae family. It is native to Siberia (the Urals) and East Asia (China, Korea, Mongolia, Japan). Compact compared to its parent, the 'Sem' cultivar will not exceed 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in height and will spread 2.5 m (8.2 ft) in width.

'Sem' has a compact, upright and bushy habit. The major asset of this shrub is its foliage, for two reasons: its pinnate and deeply cut nature, with dentate leaflets measuring 5 cm to 10 cm (2 in to 3.9 in) long, but also and above all, the symphony of colours that it adorns itself with. The young shoots emerge dark pink, then gradually take on shades of rosy beige and bronze against a chartreuse green background, before turning crimson again in autumn. Flowering appears in July-August in the form of opulent pyramid-shaped panicles of small white flowers with a light and fluffy appearance. The bright brown to red branches remain decorative in winter.

'Sem' is a versatile bush. It will find its place among larger shrubs, in moist flower beds. It is welcome in small gardens, where it will brighten up dull shrub borders. Well-suited for cultivation in large pots, it will offer the spectacle of its subtle and changing hues from spring to autumn, placed on a terrace or balcony. But it is at the edge of water features or ponds that this shrub will be most advantageous. Plant alongside other shrubs such as Viburnum opulus, Itea virginiana, Fothergilla major, Salix purpurea 'Nana', or moisture-loving perennials such as Astilbe sinensis, Polygonum affine, Typha laxmanii, Eupatorium cannabinum, or the famous Gunnera manicata.