# Shinyleaf Meadowsweet (*Spiraea lucida*) Shinyleaf Meadowsweet is a lovely shrub with shiny leaves and pretty white flowers. It grows in wet areas and is great for attracting butterflies and bees! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Shinyleaf Meadowsweet](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Spiraea_betulifolia_var_lucida_2017-04-17_7250.jpg&width=800) Photo: Salicyna, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spiraea_betulifolia_var_lucida_2017-04-17_7250.jpg) ## Appearance The Shinyleaf Meadowsweet is a medium-sized shrub with a rounded shape, featuring bright green, oval leaves that have a noticeably glossy, often tooth-edged surface. In summer, it produces showy, flat-topped clusters of tiny, five-petaled white flowers that cover the branches like snowy caps. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Spiraea ## Interesting facts - In some places, people call it 'Birchleaf Spiraea' because its leaves look like birch leaves! - It can grow taller than many kids, sometimes reaching two meters high! - Its scientific name, 'lucida,' actually means shining or bright! - The clusters of its tiny white flowers can make an entire bush look like it's covered in snow! ## Special abilities - **Pollinator Beacon:** Shinyleaf Meadowsweet produces many tiny white flowers in large, flat clusters, creating a big target to attract insects for pollination. - **Sun Shield Leaves:** Shinyleaf Meadowsweet has notably glossy leaves that reflect some sunlight, which may help it conserve water and tolerate sunny locations. - **Rhizome Recruit:** Shinyleaf Meadowsweet can spread using underground stems called rhizomes, allowing it to quickly form dense patches and colonize new areas. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-200 cm - **Spread:** 100-200 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Feeds on nectar, aiding reproduction. - **Pollinates:** Western Bumblebee (*Bombus occidentalis*) — Collects pollen and nectar from flowers. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Browses on the leaves and young stems. - **Shelter:** [Song Sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/song-sparrow) (*Melospiza melodia*) — Nests and finds cover within its dense foliage. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Shinyleaf Meadowsweet? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Shinyleaf Meadowsweet? 100-200 cm ### How wide does Shinyleaf Meadowsweet spread? 100-200 cm ### How big are the flowers on Shinyleaf Meadowsweet? 0.5-1 cm ### When does Shinyleaf Meadowsweet bloom? Summer ### Is Shinyleaf Meadowsweet edible? Yes ### Is Shinyleaf Meadowsweet toxic? None ### What is Shinyleaf Meadowsweet's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Bromley Rock Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bromley-rock-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Mehatl Creek Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mehatl-creek-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Valhalla Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/valhalla-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Darke Lake Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/darke-lake-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Johnstone Creek Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/johnstone-creek-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Ryan Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ryan-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Shinyleaf Meadowsweet](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/shinyleaf-meadowsweet) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Shinyleaf Meadowsweet: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shinyleaf-meadowsweet)