Meadowsweet is a native hardy perennial and flowers from June to September, to a height of 120cm. The flowers are sweet-smelling and are gathered into frothy, creamy-white clusters on tall stems. Its dark green leaves are divided into pairs of leaflets and have silvery undersides.

Although meadowsweet produces little nectar, its pollen is of high protein value to wildlife including bumblebees.

Meadowsweet can be found in a variety of damp habitats, from damp meadows, ditches, bogs and riverbanks to wet woodland rides. It can also tolerate full sun to shade. It is ideally suited in your garden, from informal damp borders to boggy areas around pond.

Meadowsweet can propagate by seed sown in the autumn. Propagation can also easily be done by dividing existing plants in the autumn or spring when the ground is not frozen.

Interesting facts:

• Meadowsweet’s name refers to its use in the flavouring of the Anglo Saxon drink, mead adding a honey/vanilla aroma.
• Meadowsweet flowerheads were scattered on floors to freshen up medieval houses leaving a sweet fragrance.
• In 1835 meadowsweet was discovered to contain salicylic acid, later synthesized into aspirin

More detail on how you can grow meadowsweet can be found on our Wildflowers for Sale page.