White Meadowsweet
Spiraea alba
Crisp white flower spikes on reddish-brown stems from July through August. Upright and airy for rain gardens and wet clay edges.
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Sep 248 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Sep 258 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Sep 268 AM – 2 PM
Upright white flower spikes for mid-summer pollinators in wet sites where structure and simplicity are what you need.
White meadowsweet (sometimes called narrow-leaved meadowsweet) is the upright, clean-stemmed spiraea of wet prairies and stream banks. The pure white flower spikes are narrower and more refined than Spiraea latifolia, appearing from July through August on reddish-brown stems. The overall effect is crisp and airy. It fits naturally at the back of a rain garden or massed along a wet edge where its upright form provides vertical interest. The fine-toothed, narrow leaves are clean through the season. It handles wet clay soils with ease. Like all native spiraeas, it's a solid mid-summer pollinator resource that fills the gap between spring and late-summer blooms. Deer largely leave it alone. Cut to the ground in late winter for the freshest, most productive growth each year.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown white meadowsweet propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 2–5 ft · 24–48 in wide
- Bloom time
- July–August
- Bloom color
- White
- USDA zones
- 3–7
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Native range
- Eastern and central North America from Quebec to Georgia, west to South Dakota
Care notes for white meadowsweet.
Moist to wet, slightly acidic soil in full sun. Handles clay and periodic flooding well. Annual cutback to the ground in late winter keeps growth vigorous and dense. Spreads slowly by suckering in favorable conditions; use this to build a naturalized colony along a wet bank.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside white meadowsweet.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Skyline Drive Package
This package celebrates the world renowned “Skyline Drive” by featuring native plant species encountered along the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park.
Piedmont Rain Garden Package
For homeowners with a yard that floods when it rains, this package is your solution! The Piedmont Swale Garden Package is comprised of flood tolerant species that will thrive in wet soils.
Exceptional Patio Garden Package
The Exceptional Patio Garden Package is a low maintenance, fool proof way to guarantee an endless color show for you and your guests to enjoy all patio season long.