Meadowsweet (Spiraea alba), also known as White Meadowsweet or Narrowleaf Meadowsweet, is a deciduous, flowering shrub native to the eastern and central United States and parts of Canada. It typically grows 2 to 4 feet tall and wide, forming upright, suckering clumps with slender stems and narrow, finely toothed green leaves that may turn yellow in fall. From mid to late summer (July to September), Meadowsweet produces dense, fluffy spikes of small white to pale pink flowers that bloom from the bottom upward, creating a soft, foamy appearance.
This adaptable shrub prefers full sun to partial shade and moist to wet soils, thriving in habitats such as wet meadows, streambanks, bogs, and damp woodland edges. It performs best in loam or clay-loam soils with consistent moisture but can tolerate periodic flooding and seasonal wetness. Hardy in USDA Zones 3 to 8, Meadowsweet is well-suited for rain gardens, pollinator plantings, and naturalized landscapes. Its spreading habit makes it useful for stabilizing soil along slopes and waterways.
Ecologically, Spiraea alba supports a variety of pollinators. Its nectar- and pollen-rich blooms attract bees, butterflies, and flower flies, while its dense structure provides shelter for beneficial insects and small wildlife. Though not a host plant for many caterpillars, it contributes to native plant diversity and helps support a thriving pollinator community during mid to late summer, when many other wetland species have already bloomed.
