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Japanese spirea and Yellow rabbitbrush: growing conditions and wildlife benefits.
COMMON CHOICE Japanese spirea Spiraea japonica	NATIVE ALTERNATIVE Yellow rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus
Milada · CC-BY-SA 2.0	GO NATIVE Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Native range
Japan and China	North America; see the linked native-range checklist.See state guides
Sunlight
Full sun to part shade	Full sun
Soil moisture
Average moisture; well-drained soil	Dry soil
Mature height
4–6 ft	1–4 ft
Mature spread
4–7 ft	Spread not specified
USDA hardiness zones
3–8	Cold hardy to USDA zone 3; upper zone not specified.
Season of interest
Spring–summer	Late summer flowers
Garden & wildlife value
Flowers attract butterflies.	Native yellow flowers add late color with little water once established.
Growing notes
A deciduous shrub with many smaller cultivars. Can spread by seed beyond garden beds.	Needs well-drained soil; can colonize open ground by seed and tolerates alkaline conditions.
Growing information	Growing information Native range: Kew

Sizes describe the species; individual cultivars can differ.

Japanese spirea