Douglas Spirea Live Plant – Spiraea douglasii

Add fragrant summer flowers and valuable wildlife habitat to your landscape with Douglas spirea, a fast-growing deciduous shrub native to western North America. This attractive native plant produces beautiful pink, spire-shaped flower clusters from July through August and forms colonies that provide cover for birds and other wildlife.

Available as a 6–10-inch-tall potted starter plant, coming Spring 2026.

Plant Features

• Common name: Douglas spirea

• Botanical name: Spiraea douglasii

• Plant type: Deciduous native flowering shrub

• Shipping height: 6–10 inches

• Mature height: Approximately 3–6 feet

• Flowers: Fragrant pink flower clusters

• Bloom time: July–August

• Foliage: Oblong, toothed green leaves

• Growth habit: Fast-growing, colony-forming shrub

• USDA hardiness zones: 5–8; zone 4 with wind protection

• Availability: Spring 2026

Beautiful Summer Flowers

Douglas spirea produces clusters of fragrant pink flowers that rise above its leafy branches during summer. Its distinctive spire-shaped blooms bring color and texture to naturalistic gardens while attracting pollinators.

Its suckering growth habit allows it to form dense colonies, making it useful for larger landscape areas and wildlife plantings.

Native Plant and Wildlife Benefits

Douglas spirea is native primarily to the Pacific coast, extending from Alaska south through the Pacific Northwest into northern California. It also occurs east of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon, Idaho, and western Montana, with isolated populations in Colorado, Missouri, and Tennessee.

This native shrub offers several ecological benefits:

• Attracts pollinators with its summer flowers

• Provides food and cover for birds and other wildlife

• Forms dense thickets that create wildlife habitat

• Helps stabilize moist soils along streambanks

• Works well in rain gardens and wet landscape areas

• Tolerates seasonal flooding

Growing and Care Information

Douglas spirea naturally grows in moist environments such as streambanks, wetlands, and wet meadows. Consistent soil moisture is important for successful growth.

• Light: Full sun to partial shade

• Soil: Acidic, moist to wet, well-drained soil

• Water: Requires consistently moist to wet soil; water regularly when conditions are dry

• Mature height: 3–6 feet

• Spread: Forms colonies through suckering

• Hardiness: USDA Zones 5–8; Zone 4 with wind protection

Planting and Maintenance

• Choose a location where soil remains consistently moist.

• Use mulch to help retain moisture and suppress weeds.

• Water in the morning to help reduce conditions favorable to fungal diseases.

• Prune aggressively in late winter if needed to remove dead branches or control size.

• A balanced fertilizer may be applied in early spring and mid-summer.

Great Uses in the Landscape

Douglas spirea is particularly useful for:

• Rain gardens

• Streambank plantings

• Erosion control in moist areas

• Native plant gardens

• Wildlife habitat and thicket plantings

• Wet meadows and naturalized landscapes

Its spreading growth makes it especially suitable for areas where a colony-forming shrub is desirable.

Shipping and Plant Care Support

• Ships as a potted starter plant, approximately 6–10 inches tall.

• Free shipping to most locations.

• Alaska, Hawaii, APO addresses, U.S. territories, and areas considered remote may require a freight surcharge.

• We ship to all states, subject to the stated shipping restrictions and surcharges.

• Orders may be held when temperatures are above 89°F or below 20°F until conditions improve.

• Please enter your preferred ship date in the Special Instructions to Seller at checkout.

Plants include detailed planting, growing, and care instructions. You can also call or email us if you have additional questions.

All plants are inspected for quality before shipment. If your plant arrives damaged, please contact us promptly and include photographs of the package and plant so we can help resolve the issue.

About Scenic Hill Farm

Scenic Hill Farm is a licensed Oregon nursery. We take pride in offering quality plants and helping gardeners succeed with their growing projects.

Bring the beauty and wildlife value of this fragrant native flowering shrub to your garden with Douglas spirea!