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Queen of the Prairie/ Filipendula rubra
By MaryAnn Fink/ The Native Explorer contributor/ Pollinator Junction/ Museum of Transportation
Copyright June 2022
A majestic 6-8′ perennial, Queen Of The Prairie, Filipendula rubra is a beauty in the summer garden.
Her fluffy, baby girl pink flower panicles are reminiscent of cotton candy at the county fair at a distance but up close she is a complex breathtaking beauty.
Her bold leafy foliage makes a wonderful bouquet of green. She is quite capable of capturing an onlooker’s interest in a mixed border but my favorite use for her is as the showpiece in a managed rain garden.
Her delightful plumes are sweetly fragrant. She does like her toes to stay wet so supplemental water is needed in extended dry periods. Her leaves may scorch some in full sun if she is allowed to dry out.
Her care level is an easy/ level one since all she needs is moisture and a cutback after flowering to promote fresh foliage. Her nickname, Meadowsweet, is sooo appropriate.
She is a pollen picnic for pollinators. She is in full bloom now and can be viewed on the creekside of the main path of Pollinator Junction at the Museum of Transportation!