Birch Leaf Spirea vs White Meadowsweet - TreeTime.ca

Birch Leaf Spirea vs White Meadowsweet

Spiraea alba

Spiraea betulifolia

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

White Meadowsweet
Birch Leaf Spirea

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.

Birch Leaf Meadowsweet is a small, rounded shrub, reaching 3 to 4 feet high.

In the early summer, white flowers emerge with dark green foliage. Come fall, birch-like leaves turn a kaleidoscope of red, orange, and purple adding seasonal interest.

Native to Japan and Eastern Asia, this dwarf shrub attracts butterflies and is an excellent option for the front row of a shrub border.

White Meadowsweet Quick Facts

Birch Leaf Spirea Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 4a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: high
Suckering: none


Fall colour: golden yellow
Flowers: white, small
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


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