Spiraeas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Deciduous or evergreen shrubs of the rose family known for clusters of small flowers and often used in ornamental gardening ; a group of plants characterized by their multiple slender branches that resemble spirals ; flowering shrubs commonly cultivated for their attractive blooms and foliage in landscape design
2. Shrubs belonging to a genus noted for tiny clustered flowers and ability to thrive as ornamentals ; woody plants with spirally arranged leaves and showy blossoms found in temperate regions ; plants used decoratively that produce dense flower heads and have flexible stems
3. A genus of garden shrubs featuring dense sprays of small flowers and compound leaves ; temperate zone shrubs prized for floral displays and bushy growth ; plants with a spiral arrangement of leaves and delicate flower clusters often employed in horticulture

Etymology: "Spiraeas" is the plural of "spiraea", the name for the genus of flowering shrubs in the rose family. The singular comes from Latin "spiraea", borrowed from Greek "speiraia", a word for a plant with twisting or coiled growth, related to "speira", meaning a coil or spiral. The name refers to the way the plant's stems and seed pods curl, which is why the genus was given a word meaning spiral.

Synonyms: meadowsweets