Meadow-sweet
Latin: Filipendula ulmaria
Irish: Airgead luachra
This is a close relative of the Spirea, the flowering shrubs long-used by gardeners. In fact this species is referred to as “Spirea” in North America. It is a native perennial that often escapes attention despite its attractive features. It favours roadsides and bushy places and in Castlewarden it can be found growing beside the open drain separating the Builder’s Paddock from the large practice area and in other parts of the course.
It is somewhat woody, with attractive pinnate leaves and produces frothy heads of small creamy-white flowers during June. Even before flowering, the leaves are highly aromatic, a feature that becomes greatly heightened when flowers are produced.
Meadowsweet has a very long history of herbal use and it was one of the three most sacred herbs of the Druids.
It was formerly spread of the floor of houses as a sort of air freshener and the flowers are used to flavour alcoholic drinks and to make herbal teas.
