Deno’s GardenMy Garden

Spiraea betulifolia

Birch-leaved Meadowsweet · Birch-leaved Spirea · Birchleaf Spirea · White Spirea

Family RosaceaeGenus Spiraea

Flat-topped heads of tiny white flowers held above a shrub of rounded blue-green leaves with toothed edges.
FlowerQwert1234Public domain

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
subshrub or shrubPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, ShrubPLANTS Database
Height
3.0 ft90 cmPLANTS Database
Flower
WhitePLANTS Database
Blooms
Early SummerPLANTS Database
Native range
Amur, Japan, Kamchatka, Khabarovsk, Korea, Kuril Is. and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Growing conditions

Sun
Shade tolerance: LowPLANTS Database
Soil
Adapted to coarse, medium, fine textured soilsPLANTS Database
Soil pH
6.0-7.5PLANTS Database
Moisture
Moisture use: HighPLANTS Database
Watering
Drought tolerance: LowPLANTS Database

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

This source reports three treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 28 days to germinate.

100% germination in 7–28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Spiraea p. 217Public domain
Show the original text
Spiraea (Rosaceae). Some required light. S. betulifolia requires light for germination.. Fresh seed or seed DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(100% in 1-4 w), 70D(1%), 40-70L(100% in 1-4 w), and 40-70D(none).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Spiraea p. 217. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 8, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 28 days.

100% germination in 7–28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Spiraea p. 217Public domain
Show the original text
Spiraea (Rosaceae). Some required light. S. betulifolia requires light for germination.. Fresh seed or seed DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(100% in 1-4 w), 70D(1%), 40-70L(100% in 1-4 w), and 40-70D(none).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Spiraea p. 217. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

1% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Spiraea p. 217Public domain
Show the original text
Spiraea (Rosaceae). Some required light. S. betulifolia requires light for germination.. Fresh seed or seed DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(100% in 1-4 w), 70D(1%), 40-70L(100% in 1-4 w), and 40-70D(none).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Spiraea p. 217. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

Add to My Garden

View species page