Does it need pruning?

Yes, prune it back in late winter or early spring to encourage dense growth and more flowers.

Can it grow in shade?

It prefers full sun but will tolerate light shade, though it may flower less.

Plant guide

White meadowsweet.

Spiraea alba

Pronounced spy-REE-uh AL-buh

Also known as Meadowsweet, Pale Bridewort, White Meadowsweet, narrow-leaved meadowsweet

This lovely deciduous shrub is a native beauty that brings a touch of the wild to your garden. It produces charming clusters of tiny white flowers that attract plenty of pollinators. You will find it is quite hardy and adapts well to various garden conditions.

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Deciduous shrub
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 5 to 10 days
Mature size: 3 to 4 feet
Growth rate: Medium
Hardiness: USDA 3 to 7
Bloom time: Early to mid summer

Care

Plant this shrub in a spot that gets plenty of sun to encourage the best blooms. Keep an eye on the soil moisture, as it prefers to stay consistently damp but not waterlogged. Prune back the stems after flowering to keep the plant looking tidy and encourage new growth.

Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during hot and dry spells.
Feeding: Apply a balanced fertilizer once in early spring before new growth begins.
Pruning: Trim back the branches in late winter or early spring, before new growth begins, to maintain shape.
Repotting: If growing in a container, move to a larger pot every few years when it becomes root bound.
Soil: Moist, well draining soil
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.5
Temperature: -35 to 30°C
Humidity: 40 to 70%

Safety

People: There are no significant reports of toxicity in humans, but it is not intended for consumption.
Children: The small, dry fruit clusters are not a significant choking hazard, but ingestion should be discouraged.
Contact allergens: Some individuals may experience mild skin irritation from handling the foliage.
Airborne allergens: The pollen may cause mild reactions in sensitive individuals during the flowering season.
Edibility: This plant is not considered edible and should not be consumed.

How to identify it

Clusters of tiny white flowers
Lance shaped serrated leaves
Slender reddish brown stems
Deciduous shrub habit

Height: 0.6 to 1.5m
Spread: 0.6 to 1.5m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: white, 0.5 to 1cm
Fruit: brown, late summer

Problems to watch for

Aphids · Small insects that may cluster on new growth and cause leaf curling.
Powdery mildew · A fungal infection that creates a white, dusty coating on leaves in humid conditions.

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: cuttings, division, seed
When to plant: spring, fall

Group this shrub with other moisture loving perennials to create a low maintenance rain garden.

Grows well with

Joe Pye Weed · They share similar moisture requirements and bloom at the same time.
Blue Flag Iris · This iris thrives in the same damp soil conditions as the meadowsweet.

Similar species

Steeplebush · It is a close relative with pink flowers and similar growth habits.

Science

Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Spiraea
Order: Rosales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Eastern and central North America.
Conservation: It is not currently listed as endangered or threatened in its native range.

It thrives in moist, open habitats like wetlands and meadows where it can spread through its root system.

Value to wildlife: nectar source, larval host plant
Pollinators: bees, butterflies
Uses: ornamental shrub, pollinator garden, erosion control

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 1/9
Soil reaction: 5/9
Light: 7/9
Temperature: 4/9
Moisture: 7/9
Nutrients: 5/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Does it need pruning?: Yes, prune it back in late winter or early spring to encourage dense growth and more flowers.
Can it grow in shade?: It prefers full sun but will tolerate light shade, though it may flower less.

Where the name comes from

The name Spiraea comes from the Greek word speira, meaning wreath, referring to the flexible stems. The specific epithet alba is Latin for white, describing the flower color.

Good to know

It is commonly known as white meadowsweet.
The flowers are arranged in dense, upright clusters called panicles.
It spreads by underground stems to form small colonies.

Keep your white meadowsweet growing

This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.

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This guide was generated with AI on October 19, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.