Filipendula ulmaria

A lovely wildflower, found locally on Brayton Barff and bordering the Discovery Trail at the RSPB reserve Fairburn Ings, it is widespread throughout the country and can be readily found in wetland meadows, riverbanks and along roadside verges. It can grow upto a height of six ft.

The plant has a very pleasant scent of honey and almond and is often used in recipes as well as making meadowsweet cordial.

The creamy white fluffy looking fragrant flower heads each have many stamens which open from the bud at the top of the branched stems.  The seeds are quite unusual in that they are tightly coiled together and look for all the world like tiny snails. The leaves are a lush dark green with toothed edges.