Spiraea alba
| Spiraea alba | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 5' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Spiraea alba (common name: white meadowsweet)
Propagation: Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame if possible. It is likely to require stratification before it germinates, so stored seed should be sown in a cold frame as early in the year as you receive it. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a light sandy soil a frame.
Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, 15cm long, October/November in an outdoor frame[1]. Another report says that September is a good time to do this[2].
Division of suckers in early spring[1]. They can be planted out straight into their permanent positions.
Cultivation: Tolerates most soils[1], but prefers a good loamy soil, abundant moisture and full sunlight[2][1].
This species is closely related to S. salicifolia and is often treated as no more than a variety of it[2].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[2].
Range: North-eastern N. America - Ontario to New York, North Carolina, Saskatchewan, Indiana and Missouri.
Habitat: Moist meadows, marshes, moist open low woodlands, often in sandy soils[3].
Edibility: An infusion of the leaves tastes like China tea[4].
Medicinal: An infusion of the leaves is esteemed as a restorative tonic[4].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: S. salicifolia paniculata.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ McGregor, Ronald. Flora of the Great Plains. University Press of Kansas, 1986.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Coffey, Timothy. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File, 1993.