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shrub

Birchleaf spirea 'Tor'

Spiraea betulifolia 'Tor'

Preview: plant data is awaiting horticulturist review. A professional horticulturist hasn't reviewed our plant table yet. Lists still follow fixed rules for zone, sun, pets, deer and invasive status.

Hardy in zones 4–8, Birchleaf spirea 'Tor' is a deciduous shrub. It grows 2–3 ft tall and 2–3 ft wide, so plant it 2.5 ft apart. Give it full sun to part sun and average water. It flowers white in May to June. In a FloraVista list it usually plays the structure role: a shrub that holds the bed's shape at the back all year. Deer may browse it when other food is short, and it is not listed as toxic to dogs or cats. Our rules leave it out of lists in Florida and the Gulf, Texas and the South-Central states and the Desert Southwest, where summer heat, humidity or mild winters hold it back even inside its zone range.

Facts from our plant table

Botanical name
Spiraea betulifolia 'Tor'
Plant type
Shrub, deciduous
Hardiness zones
4 to 8
Sun
Full sun (6+ hours); Part sun (4–6 hours)
Water
Medium
Soil
Adapts to most well-drained soils, including clay.
Mature size
2–3 ft tall × 2–3 ft wide
Spacing
2.5 ft apart (centre to centre)
Growth rate
Medium
Bloom
May–Jun · white
Roles in a bed
Structure
Styles
cottage, modern
Deer resistance
Medium: browsed when deer are hungry
Pets
Not listed as toxic to dogs or cats. Not on the ASPCA toxic list; no known toxic compounds.
Native to
Not native to the US (or a garden hybrid)
Pot size and price
2-gallon pot, typically $25–$40 (sometimes stocked)
Plant in
Spring or Fall
First-year watering
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first summer, more in heat waves, so the root ball never dries out.
Pruning
Trim lightly after flowering; cut a few old stems to the base in late winter.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder; ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list; Rutgers NJAES deer resistance ratings (A-D); state noxious weed lists / Invasive Plant Atlas of the US; typical 2026 US garden-centre and big-box listings. Not yet reviewed by a horticulturist.

Good companions

The plants our list engine most often puts in the same bed as Birchleaf spirea 'Tor', across the sun, zone, pet, deer and style combinations it fits.

If you can't find it

Plants that do the same job and pass the same rules for the conditions Birchleaf spirea 'Tor' suits.

How this page was made

This page was generated from this plant's record in FloraVista's plant table by fixed rules. The companions and substitutes come from the lists our rules engine composes. No named expert has reviewed this page.

Data status: the plant table is awaiting review by a horticulturist. Check each plant with a local nursery or extension office before you buy.

Sources

  • Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, state extension services and the USDA PLANTS database (zones, size, sun, water, bloom, native range)
  • ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists (dog and cat toxicity)
  • Rutgers NJAES and regional extension deer-resistance ratings
  • State noxious-weed and invasive-plant lists and the Invasive Plant Atlas of the US
  • Typical US garden-centre listings (pot size and price band)

Generated . How FloraVista chooses plants