SPIRAEA.

SPIRAEA BELLA.—­Pretty-flowered Spiraea.  Himalayas, 1820.  The reddish stems of this rather tall-growing species are of interest, and render the plant distinct.  Leaves ovate, acute, and serrated, and tomentose beneath.  Flowers in spreading corymbs of a very beautiful rose colour, and at their best from the middle of May till the middle of June.  S. bella alba has white flowers.

S. BLUMEI.—­Blume’s Spiraea.  Japan.  This is a Japanese species, growing 4 feet or 5 feet high, with small, ovate, bluntly-pointed leaves, and white flowers arranged in compact terminal cymes.  It is a good and worthy species for ornamental planting.

S. BULLATA (syn S. crispifolia.)—­Japan.  This will ever be accounted valuable for the rock garden, owing to its very dwarf habit and extreme floriferousness.  It bears tiny bunches of bright rose-coloured flowers, and these look all the more charming owing to the miniature size of the shrub, its average height being about 12 inches.  A very interesting and valuable rock shrub, and one that no doubt about its perfect hardihood need be entertained.

S. CANA.—­Hoary-leaved Spiraea.  Croatia, 1825.  This is a small spreading shrub that rarely rises to more than 18 inches in height, with small, ovate, hoary leaves, and pretty white flowers arranged in corymbs.  For rockwork planting it is one of the most valuable species, growing freely and producing its showy flowers in abundance.  Quite hardy.

S. CANTONIENSIS (syn S. Reevesiana).—­Reeve’s Spiraea.  Japan, 1843.  An evergreen or sub-evergreen species, growing 3 feet high, with lanceolate leaves on long footstalks, and large, pure white flowers arranged in terminal corymbs, and placed on long peduncles.

S. CHAMAEDRIFOLIA (syn S. ceanothifolia).—­Germander-leaved Spiraea.  South-eastern Europe to Japan, 1789.  Grows about a yard high, with ovate, pubescent leaves, and white flowers.  It varies widely in the shape and size of leaves.  S. chamaedrifolia ulmifolia (Elm-leaved Spiraea) a twiggy shrub, 3 feet high, with broad leaves and white flowers, is from Siberia.  S. chamaedrifolia crataegifolia (Hawthorn-leaved Spiraea) is of stout, half-erect growth, with rather stiff glaucous leaves that are oval in shape, and bright red or pink flowers in fastigiate panicles.  From Siberia 1790, and flowering at mid-summer.

S. DECUMBENS (syn S. nana).—­Decumbent Spiraea.  Tyrol.  This is the smallest-growing of the shrubby Spiraeas, rarely attaining to a greater height than 12 inches.  It is a neat growing plant, with small oval leaves, and white pedunculate flowers.  For planting on the rockwork or in the front line of the shrubbery, this is an invaluable shrub, and soon forms a neat and pretty specimen.  It is perfectly hardy.