Quercus

Steeplebush

Spiraea tomentosa

Native to South Carolina (estimated)

Care

  • Keep the soil moist.
  • Optional bloom tip: Removing faded flower clusters can encourage more blooms.
Care sources
Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

49CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including SC

Genus host records with ranges including SC · Spiraea

  • Acronicta noctivagaNight-Wandering Dagger, Burglar Dagger
  • Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
  • Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
  • Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
  • Archips purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
  • Automeris ioIo Moth
  • Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
  • Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
  • Celastrina neglectaSummer Azure
  • Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
Show all 49
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
  • Euchlaena irrariaLeast-Marked Euchlaena
  • Euchlaena johnsonariaJohnson's Euchlaena
  • Euchlaena marginariaOchre Euchlaena
  • Euchlaena serrataThe Saw-Wing
  • Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
  • Glena cognatariaBlueberry Gray
  • Harrisimemna trisignataHarris's Three-Spot
  • Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Lacinipolia loreaBridled Arches, Bridle Groundcat
  • Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
  • Metarranthis duariaRuddy Metarranthis
  • Metarranthis hypochrariaCommon Metarranthis
  • Metarranthis obfirmariaYellow-Washed Metarranthis
  • Morrisonia evictaBicolored Woodgrain
  • Olethreutes permundanaRaspberry Leafroller
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthosia revictaSubdued Quaker
  • Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
  • Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
  • Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
  • Pero morrisonariaMorrison's Pero
  • Phlogophora periculosaBrown Angle Shades
  • Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
  • Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
  • Pseudohermonassa bicarneaPink-Spotted Dart
  • Pyrrharctia isabellaIsabella Tiger Moth, Banded Woolybear
  • Rheumaptera prunivorataFerguson's Scallop Shell, Cherry Scallop Shell
  • Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
  • Smerinthus jamaicensisTwin-Spotted Sphinx
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Xanthotype sospetaCrocus Geometer
  • Xanthotype urticariaFalse Crocus Geometer
  • Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
  • Xestia normanianusNorman's Dart
  • Ancylis spiraeifoliana
  • Olethreutes albiciliana
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
6BeesSoutheastern regional records
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
1BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Spiraea

  • Falcipennis canadensisSpruce Grouse
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Rosaceae
Hardiness
Zones 3a–8b
Soil pH
Acidic
Flower color
Pink or purple
Growth rate
Moderate
Growth habit
Spreads by rhizomes
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
Summer
Fruit ends
Fall

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Hardhack; Steeplebush

Conservation status

South Carolina rankNot available
Global rankG5
SC statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources