Virginia Spirea (Spiraea virginiana) is a shrub three to seven feet in height that is related to the Rose family. Each stock of individual plants consists of a number of upright or arching stems growing from underground rootstock. The leaves alternate along the length of the stem and vary from two to four inches in size. The plant flowers in June and July with blooms of creamy white that grow in clusters at the ends of the leafy branches. Their habitat is usually rocky, high banks along rivers or streams that have been cleared out by floods. It is thought that the flood cleansing may be important to this species because it decreases competition from larger trees and plants and helps create perfect conditions for its root system.