Itea virginica

Product Info

Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
Sweetspire Family

Virginia Sweetspire forms a very attractive low hedge by sending out suckers at a relatively fast growth rate in the right conditions. Six hours of sun in average to moist soils is ideal, but more or less sun is also tolerated. The more sun you plant in, the more moisture is appreciated. In late spring, 4-6”, wildly arrayed racemes of white flowers appear that attract pollinators of all kinds, but are particularly attractive to butterflies. Flowers turn into dropping clusters of seeds that remain attractive through the winter. Leaves turn shades of red and orange in the fall, and some usually remain on the red stems through the winter.

Blooms: White, 2-3 weeks, May
Leaves: Medium green, simple, oval, turn shades of yellow, red, and orange in fall
Height: 4-6’
Space: 2-3’
Soil: Average-Moist-Wet
Exposure:  Full sun-Part sun-Part shade
Fauna: Bees, butterflies, moths, beetles
Seeds: Drooping brown clusters of seeds are attractive through the winter
Deer Resistance: High
Zone: 5-9
Native Status: NC Native, common in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, uncommon in the Mountains
Provenance: Unknown, asexually and seed propagated