What Is Meadowsweet?

Meadowsweet is a plant that can be found growing wild in Europe and Asia, and is naturalized to grow on North America’s Eastern coast. Meadowsweet is naturally high in salicylic acid and is often used as a herbal remedy for arthritis, headaches, heartburn, and gastrointestinal irritation.

How to Use Meadowsweet (Common Uses)

Meadowsweet can be taken internally as a tea, powder, capsules, or extract. Meadowsweet works well both on its own and when combined with other herbs.

Medicinal Uses and Benefits of Meadowsweet

Meadowsweet is astringent, diuretic, and anti-rheumatic. It can be found as a key ingredient in our Anti-Gas Tea, Gout Relief Tea, Pain Relief Tea, and Stomach Healing Tea.

Meadowsweet is often used for peptic ulcers, both as a treatment and as a preventative, as it helps to regulate gastric acid levels and can help protect and soothe gastrointestinal mucus membranes. When used for heartburn, it is often particularly effective when combined with marshmallow root and chamomile flowers.

It is frequently used for conditions such as gout, arthritis, and muscle/joint pain. Meadowsweet is high is salicylic acid and can help to promote uric acid excretion. An alternative name for meadowsweet, Spiraea, inspired chemist Friedrich von Heyden in the 1830s to name a compound he isolated from the plant as "spirin"- this later became the modern-day drug, Aspirin.

Meadowsweet has anti-inflammatory benefits, and is often used for headaches and muscle pain.

It has a balancing effect on the immune system and mild antibacterial benefits.

Active Constituents in Meadowsweet

Volatile oil, salicin, salicylic acid, flavonoids, tannins, coumarins, mucilage, ascorbic acid.

Notable Facts About Meadowsweet

Meadowsweet is considered a feminine herb and is associated with the planet Venus and the element water.

It was one of the sacred herbs of the Druids.

Meadowsweet has historically been used to brew alcohol. 

In the Middle Ages, meadowsweet was a popular herb for scattering on floors. It was used to repel pests and freshen the scent of rooms.

The Latin name, Filipendula ulmaria, tells fascinating aspects of its story. The first part, ‘Filipendula’ , literally means ‘threaded hanging’, which refers to the appearance of the roots, while ‘Ulmaria’ refers to the elm-like leaf.

Meadowsweet is not recommended for those with salicylate sensitivity.