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Meadowsweet, Spiraea latifolia (Ait.) Borkh.
Rosaceae

An erect shrub, usually 0.6-1.2 m high.

Stems: Reddish or brownish-purple, smooth and often ridged. Older bark is papery.

Buds: Small and similar in color to twigs.

Leaves: Alternate, oval, oblong, wedge-shaped or rounded at the base, or rounded or sharp-pointed at the tip, 2.5-7 cm long and coarsely toothed. Both surfaces are hairless. In autumn leaves turn yellow or apricot.

Flowers: White or pink, in erect, open or compact, pyramidal to ovoid clusters, 5-12 cm high. Each flower has five petals and 10-50 stamens. Stamens are long, giving the flower cluster a fuzzy appearance. Blooms mid-July to late September.

Fruit: Small, dry, five-parted capsules that persist through winter.

Habitat: Old fields, damp meadows, stream banks, rocky slopes, edges of clearings and along roadsides. Often forms extensive thickets. Occurs throughout most of Newfoundland but absent from Northern Peninsula and Labrador.

Source: Native Trees and Shrubs
of Newfoundland and Labrador
By A. Glen Ryan

Used with permission from
Parks and Natural Areas Division
Department of Environment and Conservation
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador 1995