White Meadowsweet vs Nuttalls Sunflower - TreeTime.ca

White Meadowsweet vs Nuttalls Sunflower

Spiraea alba

Helianthus nuttallii

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

White Meadowsweet
Nuttalls Sunflower

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.

Nuttall’s Sunflower is a native perennial wildflower known for its bright, golden-yellow blooms. Flowering from mid to late summer, it offers a late-season nectar source for various bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, while the seeds provide a fall food source for birds. The upright growth habit adds structural height and visual variety to your landscape.

Nuttall’s Sunflower can be found growing in moist to wet meadows, prairies, and open spaces. It can spread quickly via underground rhizomes, making it ideal for large-scale plantings. It is well-suited for naturalization, soil stabilization, riparian zones, and wetland restoration projects. If planting in smaller urban yards or gardens, extra care and maintenance will be required to limit its spread.

White Meadowsweet Quick Facts

Nuttalls Sunflower Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2b
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, colony forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: high


Fall colour: golden yellow
Flowers: white, small
Flowers: golden yellow, daisy-like
Bloom time: late summer to early fall
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
Other Names: mead wort, meadowsweet, narrowleaf meadowsweet, pale bridewort, pipestem
Other Names: common tall sunflower