| Spiraea splendens | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Genus: | Spiraea |
| Species: | S. splendens |
| Binomial name | |
| Spiraea splendens Baumann ex K.Koch | |
| Synonyms [1] [2] [3] | |
| |
Spiraea splendens is a shrub of the rose family (Rosaceae) native to the western mountains of North America, from California to British Columbia, commonly known as dense-flowered spiraea,[ citation needed ]rose meadowsweet, [4] rosy spiraea,[ citation needed ]subalpine spiraea, [4] and mountain spiraea. [5] [6] It is commonly found at elevations between 2,000 feet (610 m) and 11,000 feet (3,400 m) on inland mountain ranges. [5] The plant is adapted to cold, moist, rocky slopes, subalpine forests and meadows. [5]
It is a woody shrub rarely reaching a meter in height. It has light green toothed leaves which turn yellow as cold weather approaches. The plant bears fragrant, fuzzy pom-poms of bright rosy pink flowers in the summer. The fruit is a tiny dry pod, no more than one eighth of an inch in length.
Native Americans made a tea-like drink from the leaves. [7]
