Birch Leaf Spirea vs Wood Lily - TreeTime.ca

Birch Leaf Spirea vs Wood Lily

Spiraea betulifolia

Lilium philadelphicum

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

Birch Leaf Spirea
Wood Lily

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.

Wood Lily is a native perennial wildflower known for its vibrant, trumpet-shaped blooms in shades of orange to red. Its showy flowers appear mid-summer and are highly visible in meadows and prairies. The upward-facing flowers are an important nectar source for many pollinators, including native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Unlike most lilies, the Wood Lily’s flowers face upward rather than nodding. It is slow to establish and may take years before flowering, but once mature, it requires little maintenance. It is well-suited for pollinator gardens, naturalisation projects, prairie restoration, and open woodland plantings.
Wood Lily is the provincial flower of Saskatchewan and North America’s most widespread lily. Despite its wide natural range, populations have been declining. Habitat loss, overgrazing by deer, and unsustainable picking have reduced both its abundance and density across many regions. These pressures highlight the importance of protecting and restoring this once-common wildflower.

Birch Leaf Spirea Quick Facts

Wood Lily Quick Facts

Zone: 4a
Zone: 2b
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright
Spreading: seeds - low
Suckering: none


Toxicity: toxic to cats
Flowers: bright orange to red with dark spots
Bloom time: early to mid summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC
Other Names: birch leaf meadowsweet, shiny leaf spirea, white spirea
Other Names: prairie wood lily, red lily, red wood lily