A shrub 3 ft or more high and as much through, of dense, twiggy habit, the young shoots round and covered with a thick grey down. Leaves narrowly oval or ovate, tapering at both ends, 1⁄3 to 1 in. long, about half as wide, nearly always entire; covered on both sides, but especially beneath, with a grey silky down. Flowers dull white, 1⁄4 in. across, produced during May at the end of short leafy twigs in dense umbel-like racemes 3⁄4 to 1 in. wide.
Native of N.W. Yugoslavia, just reaching into Italy; introduced in 1825. The leaf is very like that of Salix repens in its dense grey down, not, however, so silvery. One of the least attractive of the spiraeas, but of neat habit and quite hardy; also distinct in the character of its leaves.