Meadowsweet, also known as Filipendula Purpurea, is a plant that grows in clumps with small pink puffy flowers. It grows up to four feet tall near bodies of water. Throughout the seasons, its appearance changes - in autumn it has green maple-like leaves and red stems, in winter it is plain with faded red stems and buds forming, in spring it has many buds and small flowers with redder stems, and in summer it is in full bloom with a floral explosion of pink flowers scenting the air. Meadowsweet needs full or half sun, medium to wet and well drained soil to survive.

1. Meadowsweet
Botanist’s Point of View
Shayna Oxfeld

2. Filipendula Purpurea
The common name for
the plant “Filipendula
Purpurea” is
“Meadowsweet”.
Filipendula is the genus.
There are nine other
species under this
genus. It grows in
clumps but each flower
is small. They grow well
near bodies of water.
Meadowsweet grows
up to four feet tall.

3. In Autumn
“Palmate, maple-like, rich green
leaves are deeply divided into 5-7
doubly serrate lobes.” In the
autumn the flowers of the
meadowsweet have just left their
full bloom and are closing. The
plant bears its green, maple-like
leaves and some of its red stems.
There are many leaves in each
plant.

5. In Winter
During the winter the Meadowsweet is plain looking
and blends well with the plants around it. It’s mostly
stems which have faded from the vibrant red that
they previously were. Towards the end of the winter
buds form on the end of the stems. The stems also
get progressively redder.

8. In Spring
Usually, in Spring the Meadowsweet has many buds
and sometimes small flowers. The stems are growing
more and more red. The flower is preparing itself for
its bloom. The bloom occurs in the summer.

10. In Summer
Now that the Meadowsweet has been well prepared by
the Spring it’s time for the flowers to form! Pink puffs of
flowers form from every bud of every stem. A floral
explosion occurs and the Filipendula is in its brightest
state. The scent of dozens of flowers floats through the
air.

12. More Information
 The common name is “Meadowsweet” and the entire classification is
Filipendula Purpurea.
 Plants that are closely related are Filipendula Rubra and Filipendula
Ulmaria.
 This plant is normally found in Japan but it was planted here to be sold
for flowers. Many people plant them in their gardens due to their beauty.
 For the plant to survive it needs full or half sun, medium to wet, well
drained soil and to be in a Temperate Deciduous Forest biome.
 This plant does not bare any fruit or seeds.
 The plant does not have pests but it needs bees and birds for pollination.

13. More Information
The flowers are used for perfume or for display in
vases.
The plant provides for birds and bees like any
flowering plant.
This plant does not have predators.
The plant is susceptible to powdery mildew, rust
and leaf spot.
An interesting fact about the Meadowsweet
grows well next to bodies of water.