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Japanese spirea and Virginia sweetspire: growing conditions and wildlife benefits.

COMMON CHOICE Japanese spirea Spiraea japonica	NATIVE ALTERNATIVE Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica
	GO NATIVE
Native range
Japan and China	Southeastern United StatesSee state guides
Sunlight
Full sun to part shade	Part sun & shade
Soil moisture
Average moisture; well-drained soil	Moist to wet / Average moisture
Mature height
4–6 ft	4–8 ft
Mature spread
4–7 ft	3–6 ft
USDA hardiness zones
3–8	5–9
Season of interest
Spring–summer	Late spring–summer
Garden & wildlife value
Flowers attract butterflies.	Fragrant flowers feed local pollinators, and the seeds give songbirds another food source.
Growing notes
A deciduous shrub with many smaller cultivars. Can spread by seed beyond garden beds.	Tolerates wet soil and spreads by suckers; check the mature size of dwarf cultivars.
Growing information	Growing information

Sizes describe the species; individual cultivars can differ.