spirea

noun

spi·​rea spī-ˈrē-ə How to pronounce spirea (audio)
variants or spiraea
1
: any of a genus (Spiraea) of deciduous shrubs of the rose family with small usually white or pink flowers in dense racemes, corymbs, cymes, or panicles
2
: any of several garden plants resembling spireas
especially : a shrub (Astilbe japonica) of the saxifrage family

Examples of spirea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Most spireas can be grown in Zones 4-8, with some adapting to Zone 3 or 9. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2025 Janney likes ‘Blue Kazoo’, a compact variety of spirea that grows only 2 feet tall and has blue foliage and white bloom; and ‘Goldflame,’ a medium-sized variety that grows 3 feet tall and has yellow-green foliage and rosy red flowers. Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Apr. 2025 Incorporate lilac, lavender, and spirea to provide high value nutrition from May through September. Peter Gorman, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2024 See All Example Sentences for spirea

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Spiraea, from Latin, a plant, from Greek speiraia

First Known Use

1669, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spirea was in 1669

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Cite this Entry

“Spirea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spirea. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

spirea

noun
spi·​rea
variants or spiraea
: any of a genus of shrubs related to the roses and having small usually white or pink flowers in dense clusters

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