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Meadowsweet flowers

Meadowsweet flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Meadowsweet in fall

Meadowsweet in fall

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Description:

An upright, deciduous shrub presenting cone shaped clusters of tiny white flowers in summer; excellent along streams or ponds, low spots or boggy areas; garden use requires regular watering; deadhead to promote additional blooms

Ornamental Features

Meadowsweet features showy clusters of white flowers at the ends of the branches from early to mid summer. It has green deciduous foliage. The serrated pointy leaves turn outstanding shades of orange, coppery-bronze and scarlet in the fall.

Landscape Attributes

Meadowsweet is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep. Trim off the flower heads after they fade and die to encourage more blooms late into the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Insects
• Disease

Meadowsweet is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Bog Gardens

Planting & Growing

Meadowsweet will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. To help this plant achive its best flowering performance, periodically apply a flower-boosting fertilizer from early spring through into the active growing season. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is native to parts of North America.