SPIRAEA ALBA / MEADOWSWEET

SPIRAEA ALBA / WHITE MEADOW-SWEET

A Native Shrub with Fragrant Flowers and Wetland Tolerance

Spiraea alba, commonly known as White Meadow-Sweet, is a native deciduous shrub valued for its clusters of fragrant white flowers, attractive foliage, and adaptability to moist soils. Thriving in full sun to partial shade with well-drained to wet soils, White Meadow-Sweet is ideal for naturalized landscapes, pollinator gardens, and wetland plantings. Its long-lasting blooms and ecological benefits make it a versatile and attractive native shrub.

Why Choose White Meadow-Sweet?

Fragrant White Flowers: Produces airy clusters of small, fragrant blooms from mid to late summer.
Pollinator Friendly: Flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
Wet-Site Tolerant: Thrives in moist soils, including pond edges and wet meadows.
Low Maintenance & Hardy: Adaptable, resilient, and long-lived in native landscapes.

Key Features:

Foliage Color: Medium green leaves; yellow to red in fall.
Flower Color: White flower clusters in mid to late summer.
Height and Spread: Typically grows 3–6 feet tall and wide.
Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zones 3–8.
Sunlight: Prefers full sun to partial shade.
Soil Requirements: Moist to wet soils; tolerates loam, clay, or sandy soils.

Specifications:

Plant Size: 3–6 feet tall, 3–6 feet wide.
Growth Habit: Upright, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 3–8.
Flowering: Mid to late summer.
Fall Interest: Leaves turn yellow to red.

Ideal Uses:

Pollinator Gardens: Attracts bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
Wetland & Riparian Plantings: Excellent for pond edges, wet meadows, and streambanks.
Naturalized Landscapes: Perfect for woodland edges, meadows, and native gardens.
Mixed Borders & Beds: Adds texture, fragrance, and summer blooms to perennial plantings.

White Meadow-Sweet is an elegant and ecologically valuable native shrub. Its fragrant white flowers, wet-site adaptability, and pollinator benefits make it an excellent choice for naturalized landscapes, pollinator gardens, and wildlife-friendly plantings.