Leaves are alternate, narrow, toothed, and terminal. Flowers are cone-shaped (3-4" long) and consist of tiny, white flowers that bloom in summer. Fruits contain 5 pod-shaped follicles which dry out and split, maturing in September.
The meadowsweet is an Indiana native shrub that can be found in wet prairies, marshes, and flood plains. Its flowers appear on panicles during the later summer months and last till about September, making this shrub a great addition to the landscape as a late blooming shrub. The flowers also attract pollinators, such as bumblebees and other bee species. Wet soils are needed for this shrub and can even tolerate periods of flooding. Every three years, cut down the stems to the ground to allow new flush of growth and to maintain the health of the shrub.
When Spiraea alba has been observed flowering or fruiting at Purdue University
Indiana Native 
