Valkopajuangervo – Spiraea alba

White meadowsweet is native to eastern parts of North America, where it grows from the Gulf of Mexico all the way to Canada. The species has been introduced to Europe as a garden plant, and from gardens its has spread into the wild. For example in Belgium, the species is considered an established invasive alien species which is on the so-called blacklist because of the significant ecological harm caused by it.

In Finland, white meadowsweet has been cultivated for a long time. As a garden plant, the species is winter-hardy and can survive as far as Northern Finland. The species has not yet spread widely in the environment. However, there are isolated sightings of white meadowsweets that have escaped into the wild in many places in the Helsinki metropolitan area, in Southwest and Southeast Finland and in Ostrobothnia.