Birch Leaf Spirea vs Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat - TreeTime.ca

Birch Leaf Spirea vs Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat

Spiraea betulifolia

Eriogonum umbellatum

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Birch Leaf Spirea
Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat

Birch Leaf Meadowsweet is a small, rounded shrub, reaching 3 to 4 feet high.

In the early summer, white flowers emerge with dark green foliage. Come fall, birch-like leaves turn a kaleidoscope of red, orange, and purple adding seasonal interest.

Native to Japan and Eastern Asia, this dwarf shrub attracts butterflies and is an excellent option for the front row of a shrub border.

Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat is a native perennial wildflower known for its dense clusters of cream to yellow flowers. The long-lasting blooms persist from late spring into summer, providing an extended nectar source for a variety of pollinators. The flower buds are often red-tinted before opening. As the blooms age, they shift to orange or red, adding seasonal interest and making them well-suited to dried flower arrangements. Its seeds are also eaten by birds, adding to its ecological value.

Depending on climate and conditions, Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat may be evergreen to semi-evergreen, or its foliage may turn red during fall. Its deep roots and spreading growth stabilize rocky or sandy soils, making it useful for erosion control. Exceptionally hardy once established, it requires little care and thrives in challenging environments, making it an excellent choice for pollinator gardens, naturalization, and ecological restoration projects.

Birch Leaf Spirea Quick Facts

Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat Quick Facts

Zone: 4a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright to spreading, clump-forming
Spreading: seeds - low
Suckering: none


Foliage: leathery
Fall colour: reddish bronze
Flowers: colour varies, typically white to yellow
Bloom time: mid spring to mid summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: birch leaf meadowsweet, shiny leaf spirea, white spirea
Other Names: sulphur buckwheat, sulphur flower, wild buckwheat