White birch-leaved spirea Seeds / Spiraea betulifolia

It is a large shrub or small tree that is native to wooded areas on slopes, valleys and grasslands in northeast China, Siberia and Korea. It is commonly called Amur lilac. It typically grows in a multi-stemmed form to 6-8’ (less frequently to 12').

Shrub or tree 3-6, less often up to 8-12 m high, with a rounded-tent-shaped or wide-pyramidal, fairly symmetrical crown, the fruit is a red or brownish-red, less often yellow apple, broadly ovoid or broadly ellipsoidal in shape, long 7-10 mm.

A particularly unusual and rarely seen shrub which originates from China. Rhodotypos scandens bears single, white flowers from the tips of each shoot with an appealing simplicity. The blooms are later replaced by large berries meausining up to 8mm across.

Our only native species is this attractive, medium-sized shrub with pendulous racemes of small, pale yellow flowers (with unusual, sensitive stamens) followed by bright red, translucent berries. These are edible and make an excellent jelly.

Winter-hardy perennial plant. The stems are erect, 40-50 cm high. The flowers are solitary, cup-shaped, intense blue in color, 6-8 cm in diameter.