Spiraea alba: Country Or Region Of Origin
North America
Plant Profile: Spiraea alba
Taxonomy: Spiraea albaNames
Meadowsweet, Narrowleaf Meadowsweet, White Meadowsweet
Phonetic Spelling:spy-REE-ah AL-ba
Genus:Spiraea
Species:alba
Family:Rosaceae
Meadowsweet, a deciduous shrub belonging to the rose family, thrives in its natural habitats such as bogs, streambanks, and areas with seepage. Known for its aromatic blossoms and striking yellow foliage in autumn, this plant is particularly sensitive to high temperatures. It's important to steer clear of the invasive Japanese Spiraea (Spiraea japonica), especially in the mountainous regions of North Carolina.
Tags
#deciduous
#white flowers
#wildlife plant
#pink flowers
#moths
#deciduous shrub
#native shrub
#NC native
#naturalized area
#larval host plant
#food source herbage
#food source nectar
#food source pollen
#Coastal FACW
#Piedmont Mountains FACW
#bird friendly
#food source hard mast fruit
#mammals
#butterfly friendly
#moth larvae
#bee friendly
#audubon
Similar Plants
Spiraea alba Feature Summary
Attributes
North America
Larval host plant to the Spring Azure (Celastrina "ladon") butterfly.
Woody
Fruit
Persistent brown fruit is available August-October.
Brown/Copper
Summer
Fall
Flowers
Tiny white or pale pink flowers arranged around a central stem in a cone. Flowers bloom June-September.
Pink
White
Summer
< 1 inch
Leaves
Green-yellow thin oblong leaves turn yellow in the fall.
Deciduous
Green
Gold/Yellow
Gold/Yellow
Simple
Oblong
Stem
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Native Plant
Deciduous
Erect
Mounding
Fine
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Occasionally Wet
Occasionally Dry
Mountains
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Native Garden
Naturalized Area
Butterflies
Songbirds
Bees
Moths
Small Mammals
Spiraea alba Image Gallery
Spiraea alba Attributes
Spiraea alba: Wildlife Value
Larval host plant to the Spring Azure (Celastrina "ladon") butterfly.
Spiraea alba: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Spiraea alba Fruit
Spiraea alba: Fruit Description
Persistent brown fruit is available August-October.
Spiraea alba: Fruit Color
Brown/Copper
Spiraea alba: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Spiraea alba Flowers
Spiraea alba: Flower Description
Tiny white or pale pink flowers arranged around a central stem in a cone. Flowers bloom June-September.
Spiraea alba: Flower Color
Pink
White
Spiraea alba: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Spiraea alba: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Spiraea alba: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Spiraea alba Leaves
Spiraea alba: Leaf Description
Green-yellow thin oblong leaves turn yellow in the fall.
Spiraea alba: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Spiraea alba: Leaf Color
Gold/Yellow
Green
Spiraea alba: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color
Gold/Yellow
Spiraea alba: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Spiraea alba: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Spiraea alba: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Spiraea alba Stem
Spiraea alba: Stem Description
Erect, unbranched stems
Spiraea alba: Stem Color
Green
Spiraea alba: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Spiraea alba Whole Plant Traits
Spiraea alba: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Spiraea alba: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Spiraea alba: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Spiraea alba: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Spiraea alba Cultural Conditions
Spiraea alba: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Spiraea alba: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Spiraea alba: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Spiraea alba: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Spiraea alba: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Spiraea alba Landscape
Spiraea alba: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Spiraea alba: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Spiraea alba: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
