Western Sand Cherry vs White Meadowsweet - TreeTime.ca

Western Sand Cherry vs White Meadowsweet

Prunus pumila var besseyi

Spiraea alba

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Western Sand Cherry
White Meadowsweet

Western Sand Cherry is known for its unique, leathery grey-green foliage and beautiful white blossoms. It is a popular ornamental shrub in parks and front yards. Both you and the wildlife will love its edible small dark red to purple cherries.

Due to its small stature and spreading qualities, Western Sandcherry is suitable as an underplanting or groundcover.

Many people graft plum and cherry varieties to Western Sand Cherry and use it as rootstock. It is also popular to graft hardy apricots to.

White Meadowsweet is a woody, deciduous shrub that begins to bloom in early summer with small white and pink flowers. Its foliage turns from a light green into an attractive golden-yellow later in the fall.

The White Meadowsweet, also known as Mead-Wort or Bride-Wort, is favored by birds and butterflies but is largely ignored by deer. They produce small brown berries in the summer, and while they are technically edible, they are not sweet and are more desired by wildlife.

Western Sand Cherry Quick Facts

White Meadowsweet Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: medium
Suckering: high


Foliage: grey-green
Fall colour: reddish-orange
Fall colour: golden yellow
Flowers: white
Flowers: white, small
Berries: small purple cherries
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: SK, MB, ON
Native to: AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, PE
Other Names: mead wort, meadowsweet, narrowleaf meadowsweet, pale bridewort, pipestem