Spiraea alba (Meadowsweet Spirea)

Spiraea alba, commonly called meadowsweet or white spiraea, is an upright, deciduous shrub native to much of northeastern North America. Tolerant of both sun and shade, meadowsweet grows to 3-4' tall and wide, though occasionally as tall as 6', and is typically found in wet meadows and swampy woodlands, and produces showy, cone-shaped clusters of fragrant white flowers that bloom throughout the summer that attract butterflies and a variety of other pollinators. After flowers have faded, spikes produce seed pods with five parts that disperse seeds for reproduction.

As they are native to wetter areas, Spiraea alba prefers acidic, medium to wet soils, but tolerates a variety of soil consistencies, as well as deer damage. Attractive, fragrant flowers with a ton of ecological appeal and showy, upright branches of light green foliage make white meadowsweet a good addition to almost any wet location around the home landscape, but especially planted in masses for screens and borders or for a showy specimen for small spaces and pollinator gardens.