This shrub was an old-fashioned favourite back in the late 19th century to middle 20th century in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and much of the South in the USA. The mother species is native to China and Korea. This double-flowered cultivar that is infertile is the form that really has shown up in cultivation in North America. The mother species often has been listed as Spiraea prunifolia simpliciflora and it has the normal single flowers with stamen and pistils and is fertile. Its small leaves are about 1 to 2 inches long and with its slender, shiny brown, hairless, zig-zag twigs, it has a fine texture. Its small white flowers bloom before the leaves emerge in March-April, depending how far north or south the location. I don't see this shrub very often anymore. Other spirea species and cultivars have replaced it. It eventually gets very twiggy. I believe a few mail order nurseries might still sell some.

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