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Spiraea alba

white meadowsweet

Rosaceae

Northeastern and central North America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterHigh

HardinessZones 3–8

Overview

Spiraea alba is an upright deciduous shrub 2-6 feet (60-180 cm) tall and about as wide, forming colonies from suckering roots. The slender, reddish-brown to yellow-brown stems are densely branched and carry narrow, lance-shaped leaves 1-3 inches (2.5-7.5 cm) long with finely toothed margins, mid-green above and paler beneath. From early summer into autumn it produces narrow, pyramidal flower panicles 2-8 inches (5-20 cm) long at the stem tips, packed with many tiny five-petalled white flowers and projecting stamens that give the clusters a soft, feathery look. S. alba grows in wet meadows, marshes, fens, and along stream and pond margins across northeastern and central North America. It spreads steadily by suckers and self-seeding, which can let it form dense stands. After flowering, the brown seed heads and bare twiggy stems persist through winter.

Native Range

Spiraea alba is native to northeastern and north-central North America, from Quebec and the Great Lakes south to North Carolina and west to the Dakotas and Missouri. It grows in wet meadows, marshes, ditches, and on stream and lake margins.

Suggested Uses

Planted in rain gardens, bog gardens, and along pond and stream edges where soil stays wet. It is used for bank stabilization and in native and pollinator plantings. The white summer panicles suit naturalistic and wildlife borders.

How to Identify

White meadowsweet shows narrow, pyramidal clusters of small white flowers at the tips of slender, reddish-brown stems 2-6 feet (60-180 cm) tall. The lance-shaped leaves are finely toothed all around and lack the lobing of many spireas. The narrow, upright white panicles separate it from Spiraea tomentosa, steeplebush, which has pink flowers and woolly, rust-coloured leaf undersides.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height2' - 6'

Width/Spread2' - 5'

Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years

Colors

Flower Colors

white

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

yellow

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~12 weeks

Summer

Flowering runs from June to September, peaking in midsummer. New panicles open at the tips of the current season growth over many weeks. Brown seed capsules follow and hold on the stems well into winter.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

mid-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

clay loam silt

Drainagewet

Water & Climate

Water Needs

High

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow Spiraea alba in full sun to partial shade in moist to wet soil, including clay and loam, at a slightly acidic to neutral pH. It is hardy through USDA zones 3 to 8 and tolerates standing water and seasonal flooding. The shrub flowers on new wood, so it can be cut back hard in late winter to keep it dense and within bounds. Suckers spread outward each year and can be dug or mown off to limit the colony. Water during dry spells, as the plant wilts quickly in drought. No routine feeding is needed on moisture-retentive ground.

Pruning

Cut stems back by a third to a half in late winter or early spring, since flowers form on new growth. Take out the oldest stems at the base every few years to renew the clump. Spent flower heads can be sheared off to limit self-seeding.