Narrowleaf Meadowsweet

 
Some of you know that one of my favorite things is when I discover a plant that is new to me. Here's one, just a couple of miles from home. I passed it on my most common roadwalk. Took a look at it and said "meadowsweet."



Then I went over and looked carefully at it, and those narrow leaves threw me for a loop. I said, "huh... goldenrod leaves, not meadowsweet." Of course it's growing right in the middle of a patch of goldenrod. There is a white goldenrod (called silverrod), but this isn't it.



Then I looked closely at the flowers. Five petals. Lots of stamens. That says Rosaceae, rose family. Huh.



Interesting seed pods, too.


So I came home and looked up meadowsweet, Spiraea latifolia. Just as I thought, it has wider leaves. Like this... found at Nordhouse Dunes last summer.



Looked at a bunch of other things with white spikes, easily eliminating the ones I know for sure. Still stuck on those flowers that screamed "Rosaceae." Kept looking... Aha! Narrowleaf meadowsweet. Spiraea alba.

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