Herb reference
Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim.
Crystalis is a reference resource for herbal, crystal, and somatic practice.
This library is designed to help readers orient, compare, and research. It is not a substitute for medical care or practitioner judgment.
Botanical / meta
A tall, clump-forming perennial herb growing 60–120 cm tall with erect, branching reddish-tinged stems and pinnately compound leaves with deeply serrated, dark green leaflets that are silvery-white and downy beneath. Dense terminal corymbs of small, creamy-white to pale pink, five-petaled flowers emit a strong, sweet, almond-like fragrance in mid-summer. The rootstock is thick and woody with a characteristic orange interior.
Meadowsweet contains salicylates (salicylic acid and salicylaldehyde in the form of glycosides including gaultherin, monotropin, and spiraein), flavonoids (quercetin, rutin, hyperoside, avicularin), tannins (ellagitannins and gallotannins), and phenolic glycosides. Unlike aspirin, the salicylates in meadowsweet occur naturally bound to glycosides and are accompanied by buffering compounds (tannins and mucilage), which may account for its gentler effect on the gastric mucosa compared to isolated salicylic acid.
The practical read
Meadowsweet contains salicylates (salicylic acid and salicylaldehyde in the form of glycosides including gaultherin, monotropin, and spiraein), flavonoids (quercetin, rutin, hyperoside, avicularin), tannins (ellagitannins and gallotannins), and phenolic glycosides. Unlike aspirin, the salicylates in meadowsweet occur naturally bound to glycosides and are accompanied by buffering compounds (tannins and mucilage), which may account for its gentler effect on the gastric mucosa compared to isolated salicylic acid.
Route panel
Evidence and safety may differ by preparation. Essential oil, tea, tincture, extract, infused oil, and topical use are not interchangeable.
Quality
Thrives in moist to wet soil — ideal for bog gardens, pond margins, and damp meadows. Prefers full sun to partial shade and rich, humus-laden soil. Spreads by underground runners and can form large colonies in ideal conditions. Divide clumps every 3–4 years to maintain vigor. Attracts bees and butterflies. Hardy to USDA zone 2. Deadhead to encourage prolonged flowering.
Dried flowering tops and leaves are the primary parts used; the root is occasionally employed. Harvest flowers when fully open for maximum fragrance and salicylate content. Available as dried herb, tea, liquid extract, capsules, and powdered herb. Quality markers include strong sweet almond-like fragrance and intact cream-colored flower clusters. The herb should be aromatic; stale meadowsweet loses potency. Store away from light and moisture.
Companion
Crystal side
The deeper layer
Clinical and compound notes are included as a research layer, not as treatment instructions.
CONTRAINDICATED in individuals with salicylate allergy or aspirin-sensitive asthma. Use with caution in individuals with bleeding disorders or those taking anticoagulant/antiplatelet medications (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel) due to salicylate content — discontinue at least 1 week before surgery. Not recommended for children under 16 years of age with viral infections due to theoretical risk of Reye's syndrome (as with all salicylate-containing substances). Contraindicated in pregnancy and breastfeeding due to salicylate content. May cause gastrointestinal upset in sensitive individuals, though generally considered gentler than aspirin. Avoid use in individuals with G6PD deficiency. Use with caution in individuals with renal impairment or peptic ulcer disease.
Questions
Meadowsweet contains salicylates (salicylic acid and salicylaldehyde bound as glycosides such as gaultherin, monotropin, and spiraein), so it is contraindicated in anyone with salicylate allergy or aspirin-sensitive asthma. Because of this salicylate content it should be used with caution in bleeding disorders and with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel), and discontinued at least one week before surgery. As with all salicylate sources, it is not recommended for children under 16 with viral infections due to the theoretical Reye's syndrome risk, and it is avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding. It should also be avoided in G6PD deficiency and used cautiously in renal impairment or peptic ulcer disease.
Meadowsweet is prepared from the dried flowering tops and leaves as an infusion, and also as a tincture, traditionally for digestive complaints, mild aches, and fever. Unlike isolated aspirin, its salicylates occur naturally bound to glycosides and are accompanied by buffering tannins and mucilage, which is thought to account for its gentler effect on the gastric lining. The flowers carry an almond-like, aromatic character from salicylaldehyde. Hot-water infusion extracts the salicylate glycosides and flavonoids; the herb is dosed conservatively given the salicylate cautions. It is not used as an essential oil.
Quality meadowsweet is recognized by its frothy clusters of small creamy-white flowers and a sweet, almond-to-wintergreen aroma that reflects the salicylaldehyde and salicylate glycoside content. Well-dried flowering tops retain that characteristic fragrance and a pale creamy color rather than browning. The aromatic almond note is the practical marker that the salicylate-bearing constituents are intact. Material that is brown, fragmentary, and odorless has likely lost both its aroma compounds and much of its therapeutic salicylate and flavonoid content (quercetin, rutin, hyperoside).
Meadowsweet is historically pivotal because its salicylates helped inspire the development of aspirin; the name of the drug derives from Spiraea, the plant's old genus name. Its defining feature is that it delivers salicylic acid and salicylaldehyde in glycoside-bound form (gaultherin, monotropin, spiraein) alongside buffering tannins and mucilage, which is why it is traditionally regarded as gentler on the stomach than aspirin despite sharing the salicylate mechanism. This same chemistry is also why all the aspirin-class cautions apply: salicylate allergy, aspirin-sensitive asthma, bleeding risk, and the Reye's syndrome concern in children. It is a salicylate herb first and foremost.
Dried meadowsweet flowering tops keep for about 1-2 years in an airtight, light-protected container away from heat and moisture. The aromatic salicylaldehyde and volatile components fade over time, so loss of the almond-like fragrance signals declining potency. Store in opaque packaging to protect the flavonoids and salicylate glycosides from light. Tinctures in adequate alcohol concentration remain viable for several years. Discard browned, odorless material, as it has lost the constituents that give the herb its activity.
Sources & Citations
Peer-reviewed sources for the pharmacological and clinical claims on this page. Crystalis herb entries describe tradition and current research; they are reference, not medical advice.
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Resource framing
Crystalis is a reference resource for herbal, crystal, and somatic practice.
This library is designed to help readers orient, compare, and research. It is not a substitute for medical care or practitioner judgment.
Clinical and compound notes are included as a research layer, not as treatment instructions.
Evidence and safety may differ by preparation. Essential oil, tea, tincture, extract, infused oil, and topical use are not interchangeable.