Meadowsweet is a native deciduous shrub with a rounded, upright growth habit. Its green leaves are narrow and oblong with toothed margins turn yellow in fall. Clusters of tiny fragrant white flowers in narrow, pyramid-shaped panicles bloom at the branch tips in summer, and are very attractive to butterflies. Grows best in full sun and moist well-drained soils. Can tolerate clay and wet soils, and even occasional flooding.
Spiraea alba is a host plant to the Spring Azure butterfly.
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Type:
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Shrub
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Origins:
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Northeast N. America
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Height:
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3' - 4'
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Spread:
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3’ - 4'
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Spacing:
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3'
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USDA Hardiness Zone:
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3 - 7
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Culture:
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Full Sun, Part Sun
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Bloom Color:
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White
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Season of Interest:
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Summer, Fall
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MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Low Maintenance. Pruning should be done in late winter to early spring to maintain its shape and promote vigorous growth. No serious pests or diseases. However, watch for aphids, leaf spot, and powdery mildew.
LANDSCAPE USES: Accents or Group Plantings, Naturalized Areas, Wildlife Garden, Foundation Plantings, Hedges, and Containers.
COMPANION PLANTS: Barberry, Salvia, Coneflower
IMAGES: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, Spiraea alba Tawuła biała 2020-07-31 01, CC BY-SA 4.0, (2) Ryan Hodnett, White Meadowsweet (Spiraea alba) - Springdale, Newfoundland 2019-08-16 (02), CC BY-SA 4.0, (3) Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, Spiraea alba Tawuła biała 2020-07-31 02, CC BY-SA 4.0, (4) Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, Spiraea alba Tawuła biała 2020-07-31 04, CC BY-SA 4.0
*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.
