# Steeplebush (*Spiraea tomentosa*) Steeplebush is a lovely shrub with fluffy pink flowers that bloom in summer. It grows in wet areas and is great for attracting butterflies and bees! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Steeplebush](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Spiraea-tomentosa-Acadia.jpg&width=800) Photo: Steven G. Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spiraea-tomentosa-Acadia.jpg) ## Appearance The Steeplebush has distinctive, steeple-shaped clusters of tiny, fuzzy pink flowers that look like bottlebrushes. Its slender stems often have a reddish-brown hue. The leaves are typically dark green, lance-shaped, and slightly hairy underneath. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Spiraea ## Interesting facts - Even after flowering, its brown seed capsules can stay on the plant all winter long, adding interest! - Its unique flowers are often called 'hardhack' because their stems are tough to cut! - Small birds love to hide and nest in the dense, twiggy branches of the Steeplebush! - Some Native American tribes traditionally brewed tea from its leaves for medicinal purposes! ## Special abilities - **Wet-Feet Wizard:** Steeplebush can thrive in soggy, waterlogged soils that most plants avoid, helping it survive in swampy areas. - **Pollinator Party Host:** Steeplebush has dense clusters of tiny flowers that attract many different insects all at once for efficient pollination. - **Soil Saver:** Steeplebush can form dense thickets with strong roots, helping prevent soil erosion, especially near water bodies. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 60-150 cm - **Spread:** 60-120 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Visits flowers for nectar - **Eats:** [Frosted Elfin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/frosted-elfin) (*Callophrys irus*) — Larvae feed on leaves - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Browses on stems and leaves - **Shelter:** [American Goldfinch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-goldfinch) (*Carduelis tristis*) — Hides in dense thickets ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always stay on paths and don't pick plants without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Steeplebush? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Steeplebush? 60-150 cm ### How wide does Steeplebush spread? 60-120 cm ### How big are the flowers on Steeplebush? 0.3-0.5 cm ### When does Steeplebush bloom? Summer ### Is Steeplebush edible? No ### Is Steeplebush toxic? None ### What is Steeplebush's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Quehanna Wild Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/quehanna-wild-area) — Pennsylvania, US · Nature Reserve - [Canoe Landing Prairie State Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/canoe-landing-prairie-state-natural-area) — Wisconsin, US · State Park - [Cowles Bog](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cowles-bog) — Indiana, US · Nature Reserve - [Great Wass Island Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/great-wass-island-preserve) — Maine, US · Nature Reserve - [Mattatuck State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mattatuck-state-forest) — Connecticut, US · Forest - [Sam's Point Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sams-point-preserve) — New York, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see Steeplebush](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/steeplebush) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Steeplebush: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/steeplebush)