Last updated on May 21st, 2023 at 10:11 pm

Meadowsweet or mead wort, Filipendula ulmaria, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the Rosaceae family that thrives in wet meadows. It may be often found across the majority of Europe and Western Asia. In North America, it has been imported and naturalized.

Meadowsweet features delicate, elegant, creamy-white blooms grouped close together in irregularly branching cymes with a rich, sweet scent. They bloom from early summer to early fall, and various insects, including Musca and flies, visit them.

Meadowsweet is a rose that thrives in moist environments like ditches, damp meadows, and riverbanks. A vivid orange rust fungus can sometimes be seen on its leaves. Sprays of small creamy-white flowers appear on tall stalks from June through September, when it blooms. Its pleasant scent enticed people to keep it in their homes in the past – yet, when crushed, it may smell like disinfectant!

Meadowsweet grows in colonies and is classified as a shrub rather than a wildflower. It is simple to spot when in bloom. A Meadowsweet flower’s meaning can often be associated with many things.

Meadowsweet has a variety of different names. It was also known as bride wort since it was commonly used in bridal garlands. The flowers were strewn in churches for festivals and weddings. It was given the title “queen of the meadow” in Europe because it can dominate a low-lying, wet meadow.

The name ulmaria comes from the Latin word ulmaria, which means “elmlike,” probably referring to its leaves resembling those of an elm. The plant contains salicylic acid, traditionally used as a painkiller, similar to slippery elm bark.

Filipendula, on the other hand, is derived from the words filum, which means “thread,” and pendulus, which means “hanging.” The root tubers that hang notably on the genus, on fibrous roots, are believed to be described like this.

The name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word “meodu-swete,” which means “mead sweetened.”

A meadowsweet plant original Gaelic name, Crios Cú Chulainn – Cú Chulainn Belt. This comes from the famous Irish warrior-hero who appears in several Ulster Cycle legends.

What does the Meadowsweet flower symbolize?

The meadowsweet flower often represents beauty, happiness, peace, and protection. This flower is often considered very sacred to the druids as well.

Also, the meadowsweet flower stands for healing and the power of medicine. This flower has a long history as a therapeutic plant and has a wide range of medicinal qualities. This plant contains the compounds that manufacture aspirin and chewing a tiny portion of the root can help relieve headaches.

As it was often used in weddings and bridal garlands, the meadowsweet flower is also related to peace and luck. It is also considered a great sign of new beginnings. It symbolizes the fact that no matter what your life’s circumstances might be, you will get through difficulties and obstacles. The flower tells us that a person has the power to overcome anything and attain happiness.

The meadowsweet flower conjures images of spring and summer in the woods, filled with bees, beetles, and birds. It connotes warmth, as well as being sunny and relaxed. The little white flower heads gazing at the sun signify joy, ecstasy, and purity.

One might also envision traveling to a meadow to be alone, quiet, and peaceful—a location to appreciate being in nature while reflecting on one’s thoughts. This is also a common connotation for the meadowsweet flower.

Meadowsweet flower meaning is often associated with love, serenity, and pleasure. The live plant is used as an altar decoration or as part of a wedding bouquet. Meadowsweet is supposed to bring joy to the heart.

All in all, the meadowsweet flower symbolic meanings are:

  • peace
  • protection
  • beauty
  • happiness
  • uselessness

Meaning of the Meadowsweet flower colors

White color

White meadowsweet flowers represent reverence and humility, purity and innocence, or mourning compassion. A bouquet of white meadowsweet flowers can be strong and bright or soft and self-effacing, depending on the variety of blossoms used. 

They also have a lot of importance in weddings and have been utilized widely. This flower has a shifting smell before and after bruising. Because of the same, it is also associated with courting and marriage.

Pink color

Delicate pink meadowsweet flowers signify kindness, pleasure, and love. It’s a lovely flower that also represents elegance and purity. Pink meadow sweet blossoms are also associated with passion, sentiment, and love. 

Meadowsweet flowers are highly adaptable because of their current color. These blossoms find uses in various situations, ranging from joy to admiration, love to appreciation, and displaying thanks to conveying farewell.

Purple color

The purple meadowsweet flower represents dignity, heritage, and prosperity. Purple meadowsweet flowers may also express appreciation and affection in a bouquet. 

These flowers have huge, airy sprays of small, deep purplish-pink blooms with strong, palmately split leaves. They are also called Japanese meadowsweet flowers.

Interesting facts about the Meadowsweet flowers

  • Meadowsweet flowers are occasionally used in wine, beer, and vinegar or to provide a faint almond flavor to preserve. The plant’s popular name came about because it was used to flavor mead.
  • Queen Elizabeth I is said to have preferred meadowsweet over all others as a ‘strewing herb.’
  • It was previously thought that gathering meadowsweets in the middle of summer would expose a thief’s identity or, at the very least, their gender. According to folklore, place meadowsweet on water if you get robbed. A thief is a man if it sinks and a woman if it floats.
  • Herbalists occasionally suggest meadowsweet as a tonic for stomach problems. It also includes salicylic acid, a painkiller component of aspirin.
  • According to Irish folklore, Áine, a Munster goddess, gave the meadow its sweet scent. Known as a defender of women, animals, and the environment, Áine is often associated with the summer solstice and is also said to aid in removing sun-related magic spells.
  • Courting and matrimony is an ancient Yorkshire term for the flower. This refers to the honeyed fragrance of the blooms, which represents courtship, and the more bitter scent of the crushed leaves, a sarcastic metaphor for marriage!
  • Despite their smell, the blooms do not generate nectar. Insects, on the other hand, are unaware of this, yet their visits help to fertilize pollen-laden plants.
  • The perfume of the leaves is considerably different from the scent of the flowers, with the leaves having a rich almond-like aroma and the blooms having a powerful sweet scent.
  • Meadowsweet, with water-mint and vervain, was considered sacred to the druids. During the Iron Age, a druid was a member of the educated, professional elite among the Celtic people of Gaul, Britain.

How to grow Meadowsweet flowers

Meadowsweet grows swiftly and requires little care in general. It is, however, drought resilient and requires continuous access to plenty of water.

  1. Grow meadowsweet in a partially shady area with well-draining soil and good water retention.
  2. Add 2 to 3 inches of mulch, such as wood chips or bark mulch, to help the soil retain water.
  3. Water them regularly during the growing season.
  4. Sprinkle fertilizer evenly around the base of the plants.

How to care for Meadowsweet flowers

  1. Water more often to maintain moist soil.
  2. Fertilize yearly in spring with a slow-release fertilizer.
  3. Snip off any dead leaves.
  4. Cut the plant to the ground in late winter or early spring to make room for new growth.

Best time to gift Meadowsweet flowers

As they have significant use in medicine and healing, meadowsweet flowers are a great gift for ill people. If you want to give flowers to someone going through a hard time, physically or mentally, meadowsweet is a good choice. Its healing meaning may help them get better.

As mentioned before, meadowsweet flowers have great meaning when it comes to weddings. They are an ideal gift at a wedding to a newlywed couple.

These flowers represent purity and luck as well. They are easy to find and very beautiful. So if you are looking for the right flower to adorn your house, meadowsweet is a good option. Similarly, this flower is a perfect gift for housewarming and anyone starting out on a new journey in their lives.

Meadowsweet is also sprinkled throughout the house to preserve calm, and its smell can brighten the heart. It is a wonderful gift to give your loved ones as a sign of healing and peace.

Conclusion

A meadowsweet flower offers a wide range of beneficial properties. The connotations of this flower set it apart from others. The flower’s various positive meanings serve as a reminder of all the good things in life. 

It is a powerful healing symbol that assures us that we will survive and find happiness no matter what happens. This flower reminds us that new beginnings can be created by ourselves and gives us hope and strength to keep going forward. It is a sign of good things and positivity.

If you want to know and learn more about flowers, we at PansyMaiden can help you. Check out our fun, easy-to-read, and informative flower-related content that you will surely enjoy!