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Spiraea cantoniensis
Also called Reeve's Spiraea, Bridal Wreath, Cape May, Kaapse Mei, May Bush, Reeve's Spirea, Reeves Spiraea
Reeves' meadowsweet is a deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub grown for its frothy clusters of snow-white spring flowers. It is easy to grow in well-drained soil in full sun or light shade, and it tolerates poor soil and drought.
Spiraea cantoniensis is a species of flowering plant in the rose family, Rosaceae. It is sometimes referred to by the common names Reeve's spiraea, bridalwreath spirea, double white may, Cape may or may bush. It is an ornamental plant featured in gardens, it is a shrub growing up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) tall with frothy, pompom-like clusters of snow-white flowers borne along arching branches that bloom in May in its native country, hence its common name.
It is used as a screening or bordering plant alongside a fence line or as a conspicuous feature plant. May bushes prefer a full sun to partly shaded position with well drained soil, forgiving both light frost, wind, heat, poor soils and drought. It is generally best grown in cooler climates with protection from the hot afternoon sun which can cause leaf burn. Furthermore, the plant should be mulched and well-watered. Trimming and fertilisation may be need after flowering to keep a wedged growth habit and boost productive flowering in the next season.
It is native to Southeast China, and is found as an introduced species in Assam, the Azores, South Brazil, Bulgaria, South-Central China, Chita Oblast, Guatemala, Japan, Korea, Nepal, North and South New Zealand, Pakistan, Portugal, Spain, Trinidad-Tobago, and The United States (Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia).
Spiraea crenata · Iberian spirea · Japanese meadowsweet · Russian Spiraea · Snowmound Spiraea · Bridalwreath spirea · Willowleaf meadowsweet · Thunberg's meadowsweet · Spirea
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Spiraea cantoniensis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
