White Meadowsweet vs Cutleaf Anemone - TreeTime.ca

White Meadowsweet vs Cutleaf Anemone

Spiraea alba

Anemone multifida

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

White Meadowsweet
Cutleaf Anemone

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.

Pacific Anemone is a native perennial wildflower with buttercup-like blooms. The flowers can be a variety of colors, including white, pink, and dark red. The deeply cut leaves add a unique texture to the landscape. The flowers bloom from May to August, providing early-season nectar and pollen for insects. They attract a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies.

As the flowers fade, they become fluffy white seed heads, which birds often use in their nests. They can spread readily through self-seeding; to limit their spread, regular deadheading is recommended. Tolerant of drought and poor soils, the Pacific Anemone is well suited for wildflower gardens, pollinator gardens, and naturalization projects.

White Meadowsweet Quick Facts

Cutleaf Anemone Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: very fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: high
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: golden yellow
Flowers: white, small
Flowers: white, pink, or deep red
Bloom time: late spring to early summer
Seeds: fluffy, silky seedheads
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU
Other Names: mead wort, meadowsweet, narrowleaf meadowsweet, pale bridewort, pipestem
Other Names: birds-foot anemone, cut leaf anemone, cut-leaved anemone, red windflower