Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Brundage, Stephanie

Spiraea alba var. latifolia

Spiraea alba Du Roi var. latifolia (Aiton) Dippel

White Meadowsweet, Meadowsweet

Rosaceae (Rose Family)

Synonym(s): Spiraea latifolia

USDA Symbol: SPALL

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N), SPM (N)

A mounded, 1-6 ft. shrub with numerous, fine-textured, erect, unbranched stems. The broadly oblong leaves are shiny-green, turning golden-yellow in fall. Tiny white or pinkish flowers are arranged in elongated, terminal spikes.

From the Image Gallery

23 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Fruit Type: Aggregate , Follicle
Size Notes: Up to about 6 feet tall.
Autumn Foliage: yes
Fruit: Brown, aggregated follicles.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: CT , DE , IL , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , VA , VT , WV
Canada: MB , NB , NS , PE , QC
Native Distribution: Nf. to n. MI, s. to Long Island & NC mts.
Native Habitat: Moist slopes & meadows

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil Description: Moist soils.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Supports Conservation Biological Control

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FACW				FACW			FACW	FACW

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Spiraea alba var. latifolia in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Spiraea alba var. latifolia in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Spiraea alba var. latifolia

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-28
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back