White Meadowsweet

Spiraea alba

Pollinator Value

🔑 Keystone: Spiraea supports 97 species of butterflies and moths as a larval host genus in ecoregion 8 (NWF data). The genus is a keystone woody plant providing critical caterpillar biomass in wetland-edge habitats. Top associated Lepidoptera include Sphinx gordius, Pyrrharctia isabella, and Automeris io.
S13 97 lepidoptera species; S14 69 host records
🐛 Larval Host: Sphinx gordius, Pyrrharctia isabella, Xanthotype sospeta, Paonias excaecatus, Automeris io, Hyalophora cecropia, Orgyia leucostigma, Sympistis piffardi, Diachrysia aereoides, Phragmatobia lineata
S13+S15 10 verified Eastern NA
❄️ Winter Food Source: Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis) feeds on Spiraea, occurring in 22% of diet samples (Avian Diet Database, genus-level match). Ruffed Grouse and Greater Prairie Chicken also consume buds and seeds that persist into early winter.
S57 Spruce Grouse 22% occurrence; S10 Ruffed Grouse feeds on leaves, buds, seeds

Proximity Score: 0
Native Status: ✅ Outaouais ✅ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: Local
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians
Rarity Notes: Globally secure (G5) and nationally secure in Canada (N5). S5 in Ontario, SNR (not ranked) in Quebec. Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. Widespread across eastern North America from Alberta to the Atlantic provinces.
S22 G5, N5; S26 not SARA listed
Rarity Ranks: QC SNR – Not Ranked, ON S5 – Secure
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: A wetland-edge shrub of open, poorly drained habitats across the mixed-wood shield. Typical of wet meadows, sedge marshes, bog margins, stream shores, and tamarack swamps, where it forms small thickets on organic or clay soils. In the Ottawa-Gatineau region it is common on both sides of the Ottawa River in moist depressions, old beaver meadows, and riverine fringes.
S7 wet shores, marshes, sedge meadows, tamarack swamps, peatlands; S10 wet prairies, edges of marshes, bogs; S63 Common Ottawa-Hull

Roles: Fire Retardant, Fortress/Barrier, Insectary Plant, Pollinator Attractor
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fire Retardant: S73 [MEDIUM]: S11 Fire Tolerance = High (not definitional)] | Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)] | Insectary Plant: S64 NPPBI 'beneficial insects' flag] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [HIGH]: S64 Xerces listed (source-classified)]

Category: Analgesic, Antiemetic, Tonic
S28 Iroquois Analgesic (root decoction for side pain), Iroquois Antiemetic (decoction for nausea/vomiting); S29 restorative tonic
Notes: Iroquois used a compound decoction of mashed and powdered dried roots for side pain (analgesic). Iroquois also used a decoction of the plant with other leaves and branches for nausea and vomiting (antiemetic). Algonquin of Quebec used an infusion of leaves and stems as a medicinal tea. PFAF rates medicinal value 1/5 and describes the leaf infusion as a restorative tonic.
S28 Iroquois analgesic, antiemetic; Algonquin medicinal tea; S29 restorative tonic 1/5

✅ Edible

Foraging Notes: Leaves were used by the Abnaki to make a tea beverage. PFAF notes an infusion of the leaves tastes like China tea. Edibility rating is low (1/5); use is limited to tea preparation.
S28 Abnaki Food/Beverage, leaves for tea; S29 infusion of leaves tastes like China tea