Mitsuba-iwagasa Meadowsweet

Found growing on rocks in the mountains or by the sea, the mitsuba-iwagasa meadowsweet is a shrub (a tree less than 3 m tall) that loses its leaves in winter. In the Oki Islands, it is commonly seen on the coasts. The branches often curve upward in a bow-like shape and are smooth. The leaves are its distinguishing feature as a subspecies of Spiraea blumei—wide, oval-shaped, and relatively large. On the tips of the branches bloom numerous white and pale pink flowers.