Filipendula ulmaria is a tall, erect herb, with a simple flowering stem which may be as high as 120 cm and which grows from a stout creeping rhizome (Clapham et al. 1987). The main leaves are pinnate, in 2-5 pairs with five pairs of large leaflets, elliptical, sharply toothed, dark green and glabrous above and white/pale green and downy below (Rose, 1981). The flowers are 5-6mm in diameter, dense and cream in colour, usually have five petals and have a very sickly-sweet scent. It can be distinguished from the shorter F. vulgaris, which only reaches up to 80cm in height and which has cream coloured flowers which are purplish underneath and usually have six petals. It also has many more leaflets on the leaves than F. ulmaria.