MEADOWSWEET
MEADOWSWEET AKA WHITE MEADOWSWEET
GENESIS NAME: Spiraea alba
DISTRIBUTION: Northern and eastern states. Most of Canada
SEASON: June thru September
MEDICAL USE: The plant is commonly used to treat childhood diarrhea. Because it contains salicylates, there is a risk of causing Reye's syndrome when given to children under 12 years.
POISONOUS: Because it contains salicylates, there is a risk of causing Reye's syndrome when given to children under 12 years.EDIBILITY: Young leaves are edible but are commonly used in soups and to make tea. Meadowsweet is a perennial plant in the Rosaceae family. Although edible, meadowsweet is more recognized as an herbal medicine used to help with many maladies. In particular the flower head contains salicylic acid.
FEATURES: Meadowsweet is considered a shrub rather than a wildflower and it tends to grow in colonies. When in bloom it is very easy to identify. Meadowsweet is a large, clump-forming, upright perennial that typically grows relatively tall.
LEAVES: Meadowsweet leaves are alternate (up to 3" long and 3/4" across) and occur along the young branches. The leaves are narrowly ovate, sharply serrated, pinnately veined, and glabrous (rarely sparsely hairy underneath); they have short petioles. The upper side of each leaf is medium green, while its lower side is pale green. The branches terminate in panicles of flowers.
FRUITS: The brown fruit, which persists after flowering, is a distinctive feature of all Spiraea. Although less spectacular than the showy, introduced garden spiraeas, this native species is most suitable for naturalistic landscaping. Virginia Spiraea (S. virginiana), with a rounded, short, broad flower cluster and thin oblong leaves
DISTRIBUTION: Northern and eastern states. Most of Canada
SEASON: June thru September
MEDICAL USE: The plant is commonly used to treat childhood diarrhea. Because it contains salicylates, there is a risk of causing Reye's syndrome when given to children under 12 years.
POISONOUS: Because it contains salicylates, there is a risk of causing Reye's syndrome when given to children under 12 years.EDIBILITY: Young leaves are edible but are commonly used in soups and to make tea. Meadowsweet is a perennial plant in the Rosaceae family. Although edible, meadowsweet is more recognized as an herbal medicine used to help with many maladies. In particular the flower head contains salicylic acid.
FEATURES: Meadowsweet is considered a shrub rather than a wildflower and it tends to grow in colonies. When in bloom it is very easy to identify. Meadowsweet is a large, clump-forming, upright perennial that typically grows relatively tall.
LEAVES: Meadowsweet leaves are alternate (up to 3" long and 3/4" across) and occur along the young branches. The leaves are narrowly ovate, sharply serrated, pinnately veined, and glabrous (rarely sparsely hairy underneath); they have short petioles. The upper side of each leaf is medium green, while its lower side is pale green. The branches terminate in panicles of flowers.
FRUITS: The brown fruit, which persists after flowering, is a distinctive feature of all Spiraea. Although less spectacular than the showy, introduced garden spiraeas, this native species is most suitable for naturalistic landscaping. Virginia Spiraea (S. virginiana), with a rounded, short, broad flower cluster and thin oblong leaves
DESCRIPTION:
FlowersEach flower is about 1/4" across, consisting of 5 white petals, 5 light green sepals, 5 light green pistils, and numerous stamens (20 or more). The petals are much longer than the sepals, while the filaments of the stamens are much longer than the styles of the pistils. Where the nectaries of each flower are located, there is a narrow ring-like structure that surrounds the 5 pistils in the center of the flower; this floral structure is pink, orange, or yellow. It flowers mid- to late summer.
This mound-shaped shrub, 3-6 ft. tall and wide, bears numerous, fine-textured, erect, unbranched stems. Deciduous foliage is yellow-green, turning golden-yellow in fall. Tiny white flowers are arranged in conical, terminal spikes. A woody shrub with a dense, pyramidal, terminal cluster of small, white or pale pinkish flowers.
This mound-shaped shrub, 3-6 ft. tall and wide, bears numerous, fine-textured, erect, unbranched stems. Deciduous foliage is yellow-green, turning golden-yellow in fall. Tiny white flowers are arranged in conical, terminal spikes. A woody shrub with a dense, pyramidal, terminal cluster of small, white or pale pinkish flowers.
