The meadowsweet is a perennial, tall-growing perennial that thrives particularly well in the garden pond. In addition to the floral decoration, Filipendula ulmaria is also popular as a medicinal plant.
The real meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) not only enchants with its pretty fragrant flowers, but can also provide relief for indigestion and other he alth problems. The medicinal plant grows into lush perennials in the garden and is quite easy to cultivate. The shrub, which smells of honey and almonds, attracts bees and insects.
Real Meadowsweet - Origin
Meadowsweet is a member of the rose family and is also known as swamp meadowsweet. There are only 15 different species worldwide. The Little Meadowsweet has been known since the Middle Ages and is native to Europe and North Africa. It is believed that the botanical name "Filipendula" has its origin there. Because the root bulbs of the plants resemble a "hanging thread".
The German name suggests that the leaves and shoots of the real meadowsweet were once used to flavor the honey wine called mead. The occurrence of meadowsweet is limited to the temperate climatic zones of the northern hemisphere. There the plant grows in forests, on meadows or along streams. The Kamchatka Meadowsweet thrives in Northeast Asia. The prairie meadowsweet is native to North America.
| Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) | |
|---|---|
| Growth: | upright, strong growth, forming runners |
| Growth: | 60 - 150 cm |
| Flowering: | early June - late August |
| Plant Supplies: | 5 plants per m² |
| Location: | Sun to partial shade |
| Floor: | moist, nutritious, slightly to moderately acidic, sandy, loamy |
Meadowsweet - use as a medicinal plant
The healing effect of Filipendula ulmaria is based on the salicylic glycosides it contains. These substances are said to have antipyretic and pain-relieving properties - roughly comparable to the effect of aspirin. This was recognized early, because an olderMeadowsweet is called Spiraea ulmaria. The first aspirin tablets to hit the market in the late 1800s were called Spiraea.
Most of the healing properties can be found in the flower buds. A tea infusion can help with colds, indigestion, gout or rheumatism. Ingestion can relieve headaches and body aches associated with colds. Any side effects are absent. An extract from the plant can promise relief for acne or psoriasis.
Find the right location
A sunny to partially shaded location should be chosen for the meadowsweet. A damp location is an advantage. Therefore, the plants prefer to thrive on the edges of ponds and can be used to design natural pond landscapes.
The meadowsweet can also provide pretty contrasts in the perennial border.
Preferred plant neighbors are:
- Lossomstrife
- Water Dose
- Tablesheet
- Shield Sheet
- Irises
In the natural garden, the meadowsweet can be used to naturalise certain areas.
Selecting the ideal substrate
The real meadowsweet needs a nutrient-rich substrate. Adapted to the natural distribution area, a damp stand with a saturated soil should be preferred.
» Tip: Meadowsweet thrives in water depths of up to three centimetres.
Plant Meadowsweet
The plants can be purchased as container goods. In principle, planting is possible all year round on frost-free days. If the meadowsweet is planted in the ground in spring, the plants can grow well and appear strong and robust enough to survive frosts until the following winter.
Group planting is ideal for meadowsweet. A planting distance of about 50 centimeters must be maintained. The height of the plants must also be taken into account. Some species grow to two meters and taller.
Pouring real meadowsweet properly
The plants need a lot of moisture. If you don't want to water regularly, put the plant in the riparian zone of the garden pond. The substrate must not dry out in the bed. Water regularly, especially on hot summer days.
Fertilize real meadowsweet
If the advice regarding the choice of location is considered, the meadowsweet does not need any additional fertilizer. Compost or horn shavings can be worked in to make the soil more nutritious when planting.
Pretty varieties presented
The following is a short portrait of some of the most common meadowsweet varieties:
Little Meadowsweet
In early summer, flower stalks about 50 centimeters high emerge from a rosette that is only 15 centimeters high. While the flowers give off their sweet scent, the leaves are reminiscent of orange when crushed.
Real Meadowsweet
The plant described here can develop into lush clumps and grow up to 60 centimeters wide. Heights of two meters are not uncommon. A typical distinguishing feature of this variety is the alternation of smaller and larger pairs of leaves. The flowers appear from June and spread an intense honey-almond aroma.
American Meadowsweet
The American meadowsweet or prairie meadowsweet will grow almost two meters in height. The pink flowers open from July and spread their sweet fragrance in the evening. The seed pods are a pretty ornament in the conservatory.
Pink Meadowsweet
The plants grow rather compact and love it moist and sunny. The variety flowers as early as June and has airy, pink umbelliferous flowers.
Cutting Meadowsweet
The real meadowsweet is cut in autumn at the earliest. If you want to keep the seeds as a decoration of the winter garden, you can also cut the plant in the following spring. It is important to ensure that the fresh shoots are not damaged.
Increasing Meadowsweet
A simple way of propagation is to divide the plant. This can be done in spring or autumn. The division in spring should be preferred, which can also be combined with the pruning of the shoots.
Hobby gardeners give their plants a head start in growth if they are divided in autumn. As a rule, the soil still has enough heat stored so that the roots are not damaged by the first frost.
Proceed as follows for division:
- Loosen the root ball with the digging fork
- Dig up the root ball with the spade
- Control Roots
- Divide mother plant into several segments
- Leave at least one shoot bud on each ball piece
- Replant individual segments immediately and water well
Harvest real meadowsweet
If you want to use the healing properties of the plant, you should harvest meadowsweet while the stalks are in full bloom. The cut of the stemstakes place close to the ground. The stalks are tied together with string and hung upside down to dry in a warm and airy place.
» Tip: If the plant crackles when touched, drying is complete.
The herb can be stored in dark screw-top jars for a longer period of time. Leaves and flowers can also be frozen. Easy removal is guaranteed if you use an ice cube maker.
Detect diseases and pests
If the site requirements and care instructions are observed, the meadowsweet can develop into a stable and hardy plant and is therefore well protected from diseases and pests.
If the soil is too dry, powdery mildew can appear. The affected parts of the plant should be cut off and discarded. This should be done with the household waste and never on the compost, because that is where the fungus continues to multiply undisturbed.
The larvae of the fritillary moth sometimes prey on the plant. The caterpillars attack the flowers and leaves from the end of May. You can recognize the pests by their grey, white and brown vertical stripes. The caterpillars are active at night and can easily be collected in the morning.
The plants are also frequently infested with aphids. The infestation is less obvious. A good prevention is coffee grounds, which are applied in a ring around the plant.
Wintering Meadowsweet
Meadowsweet does not require any special winter protection in beds. You should only make sure that the soil does not dry out and water occasionally on frost-free days.
Container plants are endangered in winter. The vessel threatens to freeze through and the roots would die because the absorption of liquid and food is prevented. If possible, the tub should be overwintered in a frost-free room in the house.
In the sheltered outdoor area you can cover the root area with leaves or brushwood. Placing it on a block of wood or styrofoam can prevent the planter from freezing through.