White Meadowsweet

Deciduous Shrub  •  $8 to $11, quart/gallon pot

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Height	2 to 6 ft
Spacing	1 to 3 ft
Sun Exposure	Full to Part Sun
Soil Moisture	Medium Wet to Wet
Bloom Color	White
Bloom Time	July, Aug, Sept
Companion Plantings	Swamp Buttercup, Dense Blazing Star
Special Attributes

Spiraea alba

Often confused as a perennial forb (herbaceous wildflower), White Meadowsweet is actually a slender deciduous shrub. Fuzzy, bright white panicles of flowers erupt from the ends of the upper branches in mid-summer and are especially attractive to bees. This plant is a powerhouse native in that it not only supports more than 50 butterfly and moth species as a host plant, but many songbirds have also been observed using this plant as protective cover and for nesting, including the Indigo Bunting, Song Sparrow, and Red-Winged Blackbird.

Primarily occurring in northern climates and at higher elevations, there are a few local populations of White Meadowsweet, primarily in Southern Indiana. Its pink native sibling, Steeplebush (Spiraea tomentosa), is similar in habit and has a more Southeastern range. Both of these plants are fantastic native alternatives to the invasive Japanese Spiraea, which is listed on the Invasive Plant Atlas and should be avoided.

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