The graceful, sprays of small white flowers make this a favorite both in my garden and spring bouquets. Blooming with the flowering cherries and iris it gives old-fashioned charm to any vase or border. The dainty flowers belie the fact that the plant is tough and easy to grow, tolerating either sun or light shade as well as many different soil types as long as the drainage is good.
When we first moved to our home in Annapolis, MD we inherited a single bush growing in an overgrown hedge along the property line. After clearing away the vines and brambles the bush emerged, scraggly and unkempt. The headgardener wanted to get rid of it but my childhood memories of a similar bush pushed me to keep it and in a couple of years it was putting forth its beautiful sprays. We transplanted it many times, cutting it back severely, but it always came back to its former glory. Funny thing, the headgardener bought and planted several plants the first growing season in our new house in North Carolina.
Type: Deciduous flowering shrub.
Outstanding Feature: Graceful, old fashioned sprays of flowers.
Form: Vase-shape.
Growth Rate: Medium.
Bloom: Small white flowers are borne in flat clusters in spring.
Size: 6-8’ H x 6-12’ W.
Light: Full sun to part shade.
Soil: Sandy loam to clay, well drained.
Hardiness: Zones 4-8.
Care: Prune after flowering to control size by removing old weak stems.
Pests and Diseases: None of significance.
Propagation: Semi-ripe cuttings in late autumn.
Karen Meyers