Virginia Tech Dendrology

meadowsweet Rosaceae Spiraea alba var. latifolia Du Roi var. (Aiton) Dippel symbol: SPALL
Leaf: Alternate, simple, finely serrated, elliptical, 2 inches long, green above, paler below.
Flower: Small, white, in narrow, upright 4 to 6 inch terminal clusters, appearing in mid-summer.
Fruit: Narrow clusters of 5-parted dry capsules, persistent.
Twig: Slender, stiff, "wandlike", largely unbranched, reddish brown; leaf scar small and raised, 1 bundle scar.
Bark: Smooth, grayish to reddish brown eventually peeling off in fine strips.
Form: A multi-stemmed shrub to 6 feet tall.
Looks like: narrowleaf spiraea

Additional Range Information: Spiraea alba var. latifolia is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information