White Meadowsweet

Spiraea alba

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.