Spiraea nipponica White Carpet

The 'White Carpet' Japanese Spiraea is a modest-sized bush with a diffuse habit, both upright and spreading, which gives it all its elegance and originality. It is also appreciated for its massive flowering in June, with white garlands covering its flexible branches like a carpet of snow. When not in bloom, it surprises with its luxuriant rounded foliage symmetrically arranged along each stem, and delights with its beautiful golden colours in autumn. This late-flowering and late-foliage bush is easy to grow in most regions, including in cold climates.

The 'White Carpet' Japanese Spirea (Gelspir), quite rare in cultivation, belongs to the Rosaceae family. Its ancestor, Spiraea nipponica, is a vigorous bush native to the island of Shikoku, Japan. This bush has a moderately fast growth rate, and its mature size rarely exceeds 1m (3ft) in all directions. The 'White Carpet' Japanese Spiraea has a unique habit, both upright and spreading, supported by sturdy erect branches that are barely bent by the weight of the flowers. The very generous flowering, quite late for a spring spiraea, takes place in June. It covers the bush with countless small white bouquets, in flattened corymbs measuring 2 to 4 cm (1 to 2in), made up of small single flowers. They attract many insects and butterflies. The foliage is glossy, composed of small alternate, rounded, single leaves measuring 1 to 3 cm (1in) in length, dark green and shiny on the upper side and bluish underneath. Flowers and leaves appear on the same side of the arching branches. This spiraea acquires golden hues in autumn.

The 'White Carpet' Japanese Spirea will adapt to all climates and all soils, but dislikes dense shade or excessively hot or arid situations. The bush looks superb planted alone, in an informal hedge, in large borders, or in a bed. It can also be used in combination with trees and/or shrubs, or to fill a large slope. Accompany this small spiraea with e.g. dwarf buddleias, evergreen ceanothus, Physocarpus 'Summer Wine', Leycesteria formosa, or Japanese quinces. This spiraea also adapts very well to container cultivation, to decorate the terrace.

The word Spiraea means "curl" or "garland" in Greek; legend has it that the queen of the meadows used these flowers to make garlands. It was in the 16th century that the botanist Charles de l'Escluse attributed the name Spiraea to the entire genus. The nipponica species is native to Japan, and the Japanese spiraea was recently introduced. It was discovered by the German naturalist Siebold in 1885 but was only introduced to Europe in 1908. It has been used to create several cultivars.