White Meadowsweet

Light Needs

Partial Shade to Full Sun

(At Least 3 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

3-4 Feet

Mature Spread

3-4 Feet

Growing Zones

3 to 7

Spirea alba is the native Meadowsweet shrub. White Meadowsweet is a variety of the native that grows in a more compact shape that makes it much more low maintenance. The pink buds open into fluffy white masses of flowers that are magnets for beneficial pollinators. White Meadowsweet is a deciduous shrub that is at home in a naturalized native garden or highly ornamental Cottage Garden.

Meadowsweet makes for a great cut flower and is often used as a filler in mid-summer arrangements. This shrub is native to New England, the upper Atlantic states and the upper midwest. It is a wildlife magnet. Many species of Butterflies, native bees, birds and other small animals use various parts of this plant for survival. The masses of fluffy flowers ripen into seeds that feed the birds throughout the winter.

White Meadowsweet Care

White Meadowsweet is really suited to most soil textures and pH levels. It grows better in poor soil than overly fertile soil. Watering  ust be consistent. This shrub is often used in Rain Garden schemes or along stream sites. Good drainage during the winter months is very important to keep the roots from rotting and freezing. Full sun to part shade is important. Meadowsweet will bloom better in more sun.

Pruning is rarely needed. A quick deadheading after the blooms finish is useful to restrict seeding. Alternately, pruning back of dead, diseased, dying and diagonal branches is done in the early spring to clean up any winter damage. Mulching with leaves or other organic compost in the winter will help to improve the soil's water holding capacity over time. 

White Meadowsweet Spacing

The mature height of White Meadowsweet is 3-4 feet with a width of 3-4 feet. Planting many together in a woodland setting is very effective and will give a more naturalistic feel to the garden. Space the plants at 40 inches on center to allow proper air circulation.