Invasive Alien Species in Belgium: Spiraea tomentosa

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Spiraea tomentosa - Steeplebush

French name:	Spirée tomenteuse
Dutch name:	Viltige pluimspirea
Family:	Rosaceae

Group:	Vascular plants
Origin:	North America
Habitat:	terrestrial
Introduction:	agri- and horticulture

ISEIA Score : 9

Naturalization in Belgium

First observation in the wild:	1870
Invasion stage:	spread
Spatial distribution:	isolated

Invasiveness

Reproduction in the wild:	yes
Dispersion potential:	medium
Natural habitats:	high

More on invasiveness: Steeplebush grows on sandy acidic wet and organic soils. It is mainly found in wet heaths and meadows, peatbogs and bog woodlands. This pioneer species needs full sunlight for optimal growth, flowering and fruiting but may survive under tree canopy. It doesn't seem to produce mature seeds under Belgian climatic conditions and progagates vegetatively. Steeplebush has been only found in a limited number of localities in Belgium (Kempen).

Distribution in Belgium

Established populations Biogeographic areas where the species is known to be established in the wild

	absent from district
	isolated populations (1-5 localities per district)
	widespread (>5 localities per district)

Endangered areas Biogeographic areas including Natura 2000 habitats that are likely to be invaded by the species (occurence of dense populations)

Biogeographic areas including Natura 2000 habitats that are likely to be invaded by the species (occurence of dense populations)

	low risk
	medium risk
	high risk

Endangered Natura 2000 habitats (

heath & scrub:	4010
grasslands:	6410 6520
bogs, mires & fens:	7120
forest habitats:	91D0*

Impacts on Species

Predation / Herbivory:	low
Competition:	likely
Disease transmission:	low
Genetic effects:	low

Impacts on Ecosystems

Nutrient cycling:	unknown
Physical alteration:	likely
Natural successions:	likely
Food web alteration:	low

More on impacts: As other Spiraea species, steeplebush is a rhizomatous species, propagating clonally. Although it is considered as a potential danger for peatbogs in central Europe, the formation of dense populations has never been observed so far in Belgium. Although it doesn't seem to inhibit plant succession in its native range, it has been reported to be a problem in peatbogs and tree plantations in Poland. Old dry plant shoots are vulnerable to early ignition and may be the cause of fires.

Data Source & References

Authors:	Branquart Etienne, Vanderhoeven Sonia, Van Landuyt Wouter, Van Rossum Fabienne, Verloove Filip
Published on:	13 December 2010
Last update:	14 December 2010

References:

AEF (2006)

Cartes provisoires de la distribution de néophytes en Wallonie.

Unpublished document.

Dajdok, Z. et al. (2010)

Invasive alien species fact sheet Spiraea tomentosa.

From online database of the North European and Baltic network on invasive alien species (NOBANIS).

Duvigneaud, J. (1975)

Les Spiréoidées (Rosaceae, Spiraeoidae) en Belgique et dans les régions voisines.

Natura Mosana 28: 33-55.

Gille, A. (1950)

Le Spiraea tomentosa L. dans la région de Granby (Comté de Shefford, Québec, Canada): Étude écologique et phytosociologique.

Plant Ecology 2(2-3): 166-196.

Lambinon, J., Delvosalle, L. & Duvigneaud, J. (2004)

Nouvelle fore de la Belgique, du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, du Nord de la France et des régions voisines.

Editions du Patrimoine du Jardin botanique national de Belgique, Meise.

Lohmeyer, W. & Sukopp, H. (2001)

Agriophyten in der Vegetation Mitteleuropas.

In: Brandes, D. (ed.) Adventivpflanzen. Beiträge zur Biologie, Vorkommen und Ausbreitungsdynamik von Archäophyten und Neophyten in Mitteleuropa, vol 8. Universitätsbibliothek Braunschweig, Braunschweig, pp 179-220.

Van Landuyt, W., Hoste, I., Vanhecke, L., Van den Bremt, P. Vercruysse, W. & De Beer, D. (2006)

Atlas van de Flora van Vlaanderen en het Brussels gewest.

Nationale Plantentuin en het Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek i.s.m. Flo.Wer vzw.

Verloove, F. (2006)

Catalogue of the Neophytes in Belgium (1800-2005).

Scripta Botanica Belgica 39, 89 pp.