Pollinator plant

Japanese Spirea

Spiraea japonica

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Common names

28 names · 25 languages
EnglishYour language
+1 more nameShow fewer names
Other languages (24)
Dutch
  • Spiraea
French
Belarusian
  • Спірэя японская[3]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 粉花绣线菊[3]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 粉花繡線菊[3]
Croatian
  • Japanska suručica[3]
Czech
  • tavolník japonský[3]
Danish
  • Rosen-Spiræa[3]
Estonian
  • jaapani enelas[3]
Finnish
  • japaninangervo[3]
German
Greek
  • Ιαπωνική σπειραία[3]
Italian
Japanese
  • シモツケ[3]
Korean
  • 일본조팝나무[3]
Latvian
  • Japānas spireja[3]
Lithuanian
  • Japoninė lanksva[3]
Norwegian
  • japanspirea[3]
Polish
  • Tawuła japońska[3]
Russian
  • Спирея японская[3]
Slovak
  • tavoľník japonský[3]
Swedish
  • Praktspirea[3]
Turkish
  • Keçi Sakalı[3]
Ukrainian
  • Таволга японська[3]
Sources & name notes (4)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Spiraea japonica — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Japanese Meadowsweet — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Spiraea japonica.
  • Bumald Spiraea — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Spiraea japonica.
  • Japanese Spiraea — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Spiraea japonica.
[2] Spiraea japonica — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Japanese meadowsweet — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Japanische Spiere — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Japanese Spiraea — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Japanese Spirea — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Spirée du Japon — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Spirea del Giappone — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
[3] Spiraea japonica — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Japanese meadowsweet — results[1].names[17]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Japanische Spiere — results[1].names[11]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Japanese Spiraea — results[1].names[12]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Japanese Spirea — results[1].names[2]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Spirée du Japon — results[1].names[4]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Spirea del Giappone — results[1].names[23]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • シモツケ — results[1].names[1]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • tavolník japonský — results[1].names[3]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • jaapani enelas — results[1].names[5]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • japanspirea — results[1].names[6]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Praktspirea — results[1].names[7]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Rosen-Spiræa — results[1].names[8]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • japaninangervo — results[1].names[9]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Спирея японская — results[1].names[10]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Japoninė lanksva — results[1].names[13]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • 粉花绣线菊 — results[1].names[14]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • 粉花繡線菊 — results[1].names[15]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Ιαπωνική σπειραία — results[1].names[16]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • 일본조팝나무 — results[1].names[18]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Спірэя японская — results[1].names[19]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Japānas spireja — results[1].names[20]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Таволга японська — results[1].names[21]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Tawuła japońska — results[1].names[22]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Japanska suručica — results[1].names[25]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • tavoľník japonský — results[1].names[26]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
  • Keçi Sakalı — results[1].names[27]; taxon id 125790; Spiraea japonica.
[4] Royal Horticultural Society — common names ↗

Names retained from the referenced botanical profile or table.

Source records
  • Japanese spiraea — Page 5, column 1, row top 127 pt; common-name cell after Spiraea japonica.; Spiraea japonica.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Botanical family
Rosaceae

Genus-level classification for Spiraea; this does not confirm the complete catalogue name.

Sources [1]
Taxonomy
NC State Extension publishes a profile under Spiraea japonica.

Profile-name match; no accepted-name status is asserted.

Sources [2]
Mature height
1.22–1.83 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
1.22–2.13 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Dense; Erect; Rounded

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Perennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Rapid

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Foliage
Deciduous

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Shallow Rocky

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Spring; Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: butterflies.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Pollinator guidance
RHS includes Spiraea japonica in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.

RHS planting guidance. Choose accessible flowers with pollen and nectar; reduced-resource and double-flowered forms may be unsuitable.

Sources [3]
Native range
China to N. Myanmar, C. & S. Japan, Taiwan.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [4]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Medium suitability
Nectar value Medium
Pollen value Medium
Plant profile

About this plant

Japanese Meadowsweet (Spiraea japonica) is a shrub. It flowers from June to September.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Spiraea — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: Botanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 1904434; ID 646D8; rank genus; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Spiraea japonica — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: TaxonomyMature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleGrowth rateFoliageLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Main botanical heading (h1)
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Horticultural Society RHS Plants for Pollinators — Garden Plants

    RHS planting guidance; applicable flower-form restrictions are retained. General recommendations do not measure local nectar or pollen production.

    Supports: Pollinator guidance
    Relevant sections
    • Pollinator guidance: Page 5, column 1, entry Spiraea japonica (top 127 pt)

    Source checked on .

  4. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Spiraea japonica — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 1445478; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 1540963, 1540964, 1540965, 1540966, 1540967, 1540969, 1540971

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.