Van Houtte Spirea, Van Houtte Bridal Wreath Spirea                spi-RE-a X van-HOOT-e-i

• Deciduous shrub, 6-8 ft (1.8-2.4 m), arching, fountain-like.  Leaves alternate, simple, 2-4.5 cm long, apex pointed, base tapering, teeth irregular and coarse, obscurely to 3 to 5-lobed, dull bluish green in summer; little or no fall color, especially in shade, occasionally in full sun an overcast of purple or red-brown.  Flowers white, 8 mm across, on 2.5-5 cm clusters (umbles), showy.
• Sun, most popular of the spireas [Dirr (1990, p. 808) "the arching, fountain-like habit coupled with the profusion of white flowers has contributed to its popularity with the masses"].  A good spiraea for the Pacific Northwest.
• Hardy to USDA Zone 3      Hybrid of S. trilobata ´ S. cantoniensis, developed in 1862 in France.
• Bridalwreath Spirea
: both S. ´ vanhouttei and S. prunifolia 'Plena' are known by this name.
• Oregon State Univ. campus: southwest Memorial Union.