Steeplebush is native to eastern North America and northern and central Europe.
It is named for its steeple-like flower clusters. Steeplebush prefers wet or seasonally wet areas and lots of sunlight.
See also meadowsweet, a white or sometime pinkish relative.
Plants: 2-4′ (60-121 cm) tall, composed
of groups of unbranched stems topped by conical flowerheads. Stems are orange-colored at first,
from dense brown hairs, becoming reddish-brown and woody later.
Leaves: Alternate, dark green, hairless, and textured on top; pale and hairy below. They
are 1½-3″ (3.8-7.6 cm) × ½-1¼″ (1.3-3.2 cm), roughly oval shaped (elliptic to ovate),
coarsely toothed, connected by short stems.
Flowers: Dense, cone-shaped panicles of pink flowers 2-6″ (5-15 cm) long, each
less than ¼″ (6.3 mm) around, with five petals. Flowers appear from July to September.
Fruits: Pods that
contain narrow seeds about 1/32″ (1 mm) long.
By Steve Hurst @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.
These are similar:
8/30/2021 · Woodward Point Preserve, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 10 cm)
Shrub is 2-6′ (60-182 cm) around, with multiple stems that are rarely branched. Stems are brown or yellowish brown.
2-4′ (60-121 cm) tall, composed of groups of unbranched stems topped by conical flowerheads. Stems are orange-colored at first, from dense brown hairs, becoming reddish-brown and woody later.
Flowers
Large, densely flowered panicles are 2-6″ (5-15 cm) long, composed of individual flowers less than ¼″ (6.3 mm) around. Each flower is white or pale pink, with five petals and a large number of stamens. They flower from June to September.
Dense, cone-shaped panicles of pink flowers 2-6″ (5-15 cm) long, each less than ¼″ (6.3 mm) around, with five petals. Flowers appear from July to September.
Leaves
Alternate, green and textured above, paler in color beneath, narrowly ovate, and sharply toothed. They have pinnate veins and short stems, and are 1¾-2½″ (5-7 cm) × ⅜-¾″ (1-2 cm).
Alternate, dark green, hairless, and textured on top; pale and hairy below. They are 1½-3″ (3.8-7.6 cm) × ½-1¼″ (1.3-3.2 cm), roughly oval shaped (elliptic to ovate), coarsely toothed, connected by short stems.
Fruit
Dry brown follicles opening at the tip when ripened, and persisting long after flowering.
Pods that contain narrow seeds about 1/32″ (1 mm) long.
Range/ Zones
USDA Zones: 3-7
USDA Zones: 4-8
Habitats
Damp meadows, pastures, old fields, in sandy, loamy soil
Damp meadows, pastures, old fields, in sandy, loamy soil