Queen-of-the-prairie

Filipendula rubra

Pollinator Value

❄️ Winter Food Source: Persistent achenes may provide minor seed forage. Avian diet data (genus-level) lists Eurasian Linnet and European Goldfinch (Fringillidae), but these are Old World species not relevant to ON/QC. Local winter food value is likely limited to small seed-eating birds gleaning persistent fruit clusters.
S57

Proximity Score: 1
Native Status: ❌ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ❌ QC ❌ ON
Closest Direction: S
CEC Eco-Regions: 8 – Eastern Temperate Forests, 8.1 – Mixed Wood Plains, 8.1.1 – Eastern Great Lakes and Hudson Lowlands
Rarity Notes: Ranked SNA (Not Applicable) in both Ontario and Quebec as an introduced species. Not listed under SARA. Globally ranked G4 (Apparently Secure) by NatureServe, with native populations in 12 US states. Native range centers on the Great Lakes and upper Midwest.
S22+S26
Rarity Ranks: QC SNA – Not Applicable, ON SNA – Not Applicable
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: Filipendula rubra is native to moist prairies, fens, wet meadows, and calcareous shores in the central and eastern United States. It occurs naturally in scattered populations from Pennsylvania to Michigan and south to North Carolina and Iowa. In Canada it is introduced, with VASCAN listing it as non-native in both Ontario and Quebec. Michigan Flora notes natural populations in calcareous wetlands of southwestern Michigan, with many other occurrences likely representing garden escapes. An indicator plant of high-quality moist habitats.
S7+S10+S1

Roles: Fortress/Barrier, Living Mulch, Nutrient Accumulator
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)] | Living Mulch: S10 keyword match: forms? colon(?:y|ies) (supporting signal only)] | Nutrient Accumulator: S72 Hemenway (tables: 6-2, pp. 96)]
Notes: Fills multiple guild roles: nutrient accumulator (Mg, P, Ca, Fe, S per Hemenway Table 6-2), living mulch via rhizomatous colony formation, and potential fortress/barrier from dense clump growth. Tolerates heavy clay soils and thrives in moist to wet conditions, making it well-suited to rain garden and riparian guild designs. Attracts bees, flies, and beetles as pollinators.
S72+S29+S10

Category: Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory, Astringent, Cardiac
S29 PFAF medicinal categories; S28 Moerman Heart Medicine
Notes: Root is rich in tannin, used by the Meskwaki as an important medicine for heart ailments and as a component of love medicine compounds (Moerman/Smith 1928). PFAF notes astringent properties for treating diarrhea, dysentery, and bleeding. Plant likely contains salicylic acid (chemical precursor of aspirin), providing anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
S28+S29

❌ Not Edible

Foraging Notes: No edible uses documented. PFAF rates edibility 0 of 5. Moerman lists only medicinal uses for the Meskwaki, with no food category records.
S29+S28